According to The Associated Press,

RALEIGH, N.C.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 on Monday night, with Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho contributing a goal and an assist each. The game took place in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Hurricanes, who have won 8 out of their last 10 games, saw goals from Michael Bunting, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brent Burns, and Jordan Martinook in addition to a solid performance from Spencer Martin, who had 14 saves and claimed off waivers in January, for his third consecutive victory.

Martin, who was released by Columbus on January 19th, expressed his desire to continue proving himself. He considers it a privilege to be able to play with such a skilled team and credits their support in boosting his confidence.

Reworded: Connor Bedard contributed one goal and two assists, while Nick Foligno and Tyler Johnson also scored for the Blackhawks. This loss marks their 21st consecutive defeat on the road (0-20-1). The team’s last away victory was against Tampa Bay on November 9th. Petr Mrazek, facing his former team, made 36 saves.

In the second period, the Hurricanes took a commanding 4-0 lead. Martin did not face many challenges in the first period, only having to defend against five shots. However, the Blackhawks had a 5-on-3 power play for 1 minute and 41 seconds.

“During crucial moments of the game, Martin made several impressive saves,” stated Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour. “He has consistently performed well and has been a valuable addition to the team.”

At 11:45 of the first period, Necas assisted on Bunting’s goal to give their team the lead.

Necas scored the second goal at 1:59 in the second period when Foligno’s attempt to clear the puck was unsuccessful. The puck ended up on Necas’ stick in a prime scoring position, and he was able to outmaneuver two defenders to score his 17th goal of the season.

At 8:22, Dmitry Orlov’s pass from one side of the ice helped Kotkaniemi score his first goal since December 19, breaking a 22-game streak. This brought the score to 3-0.

Just 2 and a half minutes after, Aho scored again to increase the Hurricanes’ lead to 4-0.

Bedard utilized his impressive abilities, which led to him being selected first overall in the NHL draft last year, in an attempt to rally the struggling Blackhawks and make a comeback.

With 4:37 left in the second period, Foligno scored a backhand goal with an assist from Bedard, bringing the score to 4-1.

At 2:34 of the third period, Carolina scored on the power play with an angled shot from Burns. Mrazek blocked Aho’s shot from the point, but Burns was able to quickly shoot the loose puck past Mrazek, extending their lead to four goals.

After missing over a month due to a broken jaw, Bedard returned for his third game and scored a power-play goal from the right circle at 7:00 to bring the score to 5-2.

At 9:08, Bedard assisted Johnson in scoring a goal from close range, reducing Carolina’s lead to 5-3.

In the second half of the game, Chicago coach Luke Richardson expressed his satisfaction with our team’s effort. He specifically praised Connor’s line for their strong performance, which helped us gain some momentum and earn power plays. Our power play was effective in the third period, contributing to our success.

The newcomer from Chicago has scored two goals and provided four assists in the three matches since recovering from their injury.

Aho complimented Bedard’s speed and skill, stating that they were already aware of his exceptional release. Aho believes that Bedard will have a successful career in the league for many years to come.

Martinook scored a goal into the empty net with 1:49 remaining, securing the victory for the Hurricanes.

UP NEXT

The Blackhawks will be hosting the Philadelphia team on Wednesday evening.

The Hurricanes will be playing against Florida on Thursday evening.

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The official website for the National Hockey League (NHL), provided by the Associated Press (AP), can be accessed at: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl.

Source: wralsportsfan.com