Aho helps Hurricanes overwhelm Predators
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 on Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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, Ferland figured the 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.”
Justin Williams, Saku Maenalanen and Lucas Wallmark also scored for Carolina, which has won five straight at home. Petr Mrazek made 20 saves for his third win in four starts.
“That was one of our better 60-minute efforts all year,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’amour said. “I Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, left, is congratulated by Teuvo Teravainen after Aho scored his third goal Sunday against Nashville.
thought we played as solid as we could.”
It was the first hat trick of the season for Aho. 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 powerplay goals. The Predators got a short-handed goal but went 0 for 5 on the power play.
JETS 4, DUCKS 3, OT:
Bryan Little scored at 4:49 of overtime to give Winnipeg a victory over Anaheim, extending the Ducks’ losing streak to a franchise-record 11 games. Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine and Ben Chiarot also scored and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the Jets. Brian Gibbons, Rickard Rakell and Andrew Cogliano scored for the Ducks.
ISLANDERS 5, LIGHTNING 1: Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck each had a goal and an assist, Thomas Greiss stopped 38 shots, and New York crushed Tampa Bay.
CANUCKS 5, PANTHERS 1:
Ben Hutton, Brock Boeser, Jay Beagle and Markus Granlund each scored for Vancouver in a four-goal third period to roll past Florida. All four goals were scored after the Panthers’ Frank Vatrano knotted the game at 1-all 5:29 into the third.