Aho leads Carolina past Predators, 6-3

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sebastian Aho and the Carolina Hurricanes got into a groove after Micheal Ferland tangled with Austin Watson.

Aho had three goals and an assist to help Carolina beat the Nashville Predators 6-3 Sunday.

The Hurricanes won for the seventh time in eight games. There was no score when Ferland fought Watson 8:19 into the first period.

“That set the tone,” Aho said. “We were all fired up after that.”

Ferland, who also had two assists, did the dirty work and Aho handled the scoring. With the early start — the puck dropped at 12:30 p.m. — Ferland figured his team needed a shot of energy.

“Being an early game, you’re not really sure how you feel,” Ferland said. “I think it got everyone going on both benches. It was good.”

Saku Maenalane, Lucas Wallmark and Justin Williams also scored for Carolina, which has won its past five home games. Petr Mrazek made 20 saves for his third win in four starts.

“That was one of our better 60-minute efforts all year,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I thought we played as solid as we could.”

It was Aho’s first hat trick this season and just his second in the NHL. The All-Star center has five goals in the past two games, running his teambest total to 21 for the season. He credited linemates Ferland and Teuvo Teravainen for his recent surge.

“They’ve been feeding me,” Aho said.

Nashville, which had earned at least a point in seven straight games, got two goals from Filip Forsberg and another from Colton Sissons, but goaltender Pekka Rinne was chased in the second period.

Carolina had an advantage on special teams with two power-play goals. The Predators got a short-handed goal but went 0-for-5 on the power play.

Aho gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with a breakaway goal 15:44 into the first period. Carolina got a break when the puck bounced off the skate off a Nashville player in the Hurricanes’ zone and defenseman Roman Josi fell down, leaving the ice open in front of Aho.

“We’re finally getting bounces,” Ferland said. “We haven’t changed the way we play.”

Maenalanen made it 2-0 with a one-timer from the slot at 18:15 off a nice feed from Justin Faulk. The Predators cut Carolina’s lead to 2-1 with Sissons’ goal 2:48 into the second period, but the Hurricanes responded with three straight scores.

Aho got a beautiful backhanded pass by Ferland and scored a power-play goal at 3:08, Wallmark caught Nashville in a line change 8:35 into the second and Williams chased Rinne with a power-play goal at 10:11.