RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes were down big at home in the NHL playoffs, playing desperate hockey full of withering long shifts in the offensive zone as they tried to rally.

They fought back long enough to give themselves a chance — then Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook pounced to complete an improbable comeback that will linger in franchise lore.

Aho scored the tying goal late in the third period, followed by Martinook with the winner 9 seconds later as the Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 5-3 on Monday night, turning a three-goal deficit into a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series in unlikely fashion.

“It was a special night for sure,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s one of those games that we’ll probably look back on for a long time.”

Aho struck first by redirecting Andrei Svechnikov’s shot at the right post behind Semyon Varlamov with 2:15 remaining to tie the game at 3. After an Islanders giveaway on the ensuing faceoff, Martinook raced down to beat Noah Dobson to the puck along the boards and then pushed it toward the same post with a wraparound attempt from behind the net.