With a long break looming following Saturday's action, the Carolina Hurricanes sought to extend their win streak to seven games by hitting the road against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Canes used a big second period to pull ahead of the Red Wings before the defense held things down in a 4-2 victory on Friday night. Facing the Flyers for the final time, the Canes were going for the season sweep.
With Frederik Andersen playing well on Friday, Pyotr Kochetkov took the start on Saturday. Kochetkov was excellent against the Lightning on Tuesday, besting Andrei Vasilevskiy for the first time in a 4-1 victory. The rest of the lineup remained the same with Andrei Svechnikov and Dmitry Orlov still out. Samuel Ersson was in the net for the Flyers, who snapped a six-game losing streak on Thursday.
The start was quick for the Hurricanes, making it clear that Saturday night would be a good night for the road team. Sebastian Aho broke the seal by putting a rebound past Ersson. The Flyers challenged for goalie interference after Jackson Blake tried to power one through the crease. His contact with the goalie was limited, if any, as the goal was upheld after being reviewed.
Late in the frame, the Canes added to their lead. Eric Robinson used Ersson to make an outstanding pass to Mark Jankowski, who buried his third goal as a Hurricane past the outstretched pad to double the advantage. Add two outstanding stops in the final few minutes from Kochetkov and the Canes had a stranglehold on the game, leading 2-0 after 20 minutes.
Much like Friday night's effort, the Kotkaniemi line made an immediate impact on the first shift of the second period. Taylor Hall drew a penalty ten seconds in before slamming home a rebound nine seconds later to give the Canes a three-goal lead on the power play. Ersson was able to stop Aho's chance, but the puck leaked through and sat in the crease for Hall to push over the line.
Logan Stankoven had one taken off the board after the Flyers challenged and it was determined Jordan Staal was offside, but the other new guy made sure the Canes made it 4-0. Robinson made a great chip pass along the boards before Jankowski skated in and sniped a shot off the short-side post and into the net, giving him his second two-goal game in a week as a Hurricane.
As the boos rained down after 40 minutes, things didn't get any better for the Flyers in the third period. The Canes kept swarming without finding the back of the net. The Flyers earned a late power play to break the shutout, though it was unsuccessful. The final blow was Scott Morrow's first NHL goal as he knocked home a rebound with 31 seconds left to seal the Hurricanes' 5-0 victory.
Of the seven wins during this ongoing streak, this might've been the group's most dominant from start to finish. From the drop of the puck to the final horn, the Hurricanes made the Wells Fargo Center feel like home. It's fitting because the team hasn't lost in Philadelphia since 2020, earning their eighth straight road victory in the City of Brotherly Love.
Five Hurricanes finished with multi-point nights. Mark Jankowski continues to light the lamp. Eric Robinson set up both goals with incredible passes. Shayne Gostisbehere had two helpers, bringing him to 300 for his career. Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho had a goal and assist each. Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake outplayed fellow rookie Matvei Michkov. It was an all-around good time.
While the offense dominated, Pyotr Kochetkov was far from a spectator. He had to be on his toes to make big stops, especially early. His best sequence was shortly after Jankowski's first goal. Sean Walker fumbled the puck, allowing Ryan Poehling a breakaway chance. Kochetkov not only stopped that, but he got his toe on a rebound tap-in chance that he had no business stopping.
To find any flaw in the team's game would purely be nitpicking because this was a complete effort from all 19 players involved and the entire coaching staff. This run has raised plenty of questions, especially with the recent play of Scott Morrow in Dmitry Orlov's absence. Scoring his first goal is far from the only good thing Morrow has done during this recent call-up. It really makes you wonder.
Up Next: When the Carolina Hurricanes take the ice next, they'll be on the other side of the country to begin a three-game journey through California. It begins with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday before a weekend back-to-back against the Kings and the Ducks. On the other side of the road trip, the Canes will have another four-game homestand.