RALEIGH, N.C. — Maybe the Hurricanes’ Justin Faulk closed his hand on the puck, but plays like that go uncalled every game. At least, that’s how the Islanders were trying to rationalize dealing with it.

The defenseman came bursting out of the Hurricanes’ penalty box and caught a high lofted pass from Warren Foegele, tossing it to himself as he was off on a breakaway that he finished with a nifty backhand over the shoulder of Islanders goalie Robin Lehner. According to Rule 67.2, if a player “catches it and skates with it, either to avoid a check or to gain a territorial advantage over his opponent, a minor penalty shall be assessed.”

The goal gave Carolina a 2-1 lead at 11:58 of the second period that would eventually turn into a Hurricanes’ 5-2 victory in Game 3 of this second-round playoff series Wednesday night. It put the Islanders in a 3-0 series hole with a must-win Game 4 coming on Friday here at PNC Arena.

“He made a great catch,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said of Faulk. “If it’s to the letter of the rule, yeah, he closed his hand on the puck, grabbed it, stopped it, put it down. I think in the game, that’s a little bit of a gray area. They made a play.”

Integral Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck was able to play after he needed to be helped off the ice following Game 2 at Barclays Center with an apparent back injury. He returned to his regular spot on the “identity line” with Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas and got 12:02 of ice time.

Clutterbuck didn’t play in his regular spot on the second power-play unit, but got 1:00 of shorthanded time and finished with four hits.

“I think [we got] what you usually get out of Cal — you get the physicality, he’s on the puck, he tries to create, he tries to separate you — all those things,” Trotz said.

The Hurricanes got talented 19-year-old rookie forward Andrei Svechnikov back after the No. 2-overall pick last June had been out since Game 3 of the first round, when he was concussed in a fight with his idol, Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals. Svechnikov was dynamic in limited ice time (12:13), hitting a post on a right-wing rush late in the first period.

Carolina also got Jordan Martinook back to make his series debut, and dressed 22-year-old defenseman Haydn Fleury in place of the injured Trevor van Riemsdyk.

“I thought the guys they got back are quality, character guys,” Trotz said. “They got some of their energy, chemistry guys that probably gave them a little bit more balance through their lineup, which they’ve had all year, which allows them to use all four lines a little bit more.”

The Hurricanes’ regular starting goalie, Petr Mrazek, skated on Wednesday morning and could be available for Game 4.