Hurricanes score nine, cruise past Blackhawks ahead of Global Series

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov each scored two goals, and the Carolina Hurricanes sent the Chicago Blackhawks to their sixth straight loss, 9-2 at Lenovo Center on Saturday.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists and Shayne Gostisbehere had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (14-3-2), who have won six of their past seven games and six straight at home. Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.

Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin also had a goal and an assist in his season debut after signing a one-year, $3 million contract on Oct. 25.

It was the Hurricanes’ final game before they leave for the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland in Helsinki, where they will face the Seattle Kraken at Veikkaus Arena on Nov. 12 and 14.

“We were really ready to go at the start of the game,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’ve seen play like this, it’s just the puck would never go in. (But) guys have finished on their chances, then the game kind of gets out of hand right off the bat. But that’s a product of coming ready to play.”

Connor Bedard had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (4-13-1), who are 0-5-1 during the skid. Spencer Knight allowed six goals on 17 shots before he was replaced by Arvid Soderblom, who made 13 saves.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow. At the end of the day we got our butts kicked,” Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said. “We’ve got to make this kind of a bottom point in the year. We have to find a way to claw our way out of this.”

The Blackhawks held a players-only meeting after the game. 

“Just kind of giving ourselves a chance to get some frustration out,” said Bedard, who is in his first season as captain. “There’s a lot of belief and a lot of love for each other. (It’s) a very tight-knit group. It’s been a tough start. Obviously, it’s not what we expected. Every guy knows that we’ve got a little more.”

Seth Jarvis gave Carolina a 1-0 lead at 1:34 of the first period. K'Andre Miller’s shot redirected off Bedard and came to Jarvis, who scored on a short-side wrist shot from the left face-off circle.

Jackson Blake extended the lead 2-0 at 3:21. He stickhandled past two defenders in the neutral zone and passed to Nikolaj Ehlers before tipping a return pass past Knight.

The Hurricanes scored off the rush for a 3-0 lead at 10:54. Martinook scored top shelf off a no-look pass from Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The play started with a touch pass by Eric Robinson in the neutral zone.

In 17 games, Kotkaniemi has 10 points (five goals, five assists), topping the 26-year-old forward’s total of nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 42 games last season.

"It’s bounces here and there. I’m glad to get a couple this year,” Kotkaniemi. “Hopefully I’ll keep going like that. I try to be positive and work hard every day. You just need to realize it’s not always about you.”

Martinook made it 4-0 at 19:27 when he popped in a rebound after Knight made a left-pad save on Kotkaniemi. 

“‘Robbie’ on the first one, that little touch at the red line that sent us in 2-on-1, then ‘KK,’ that was a heck of a pass.” Martinook said. “On the second one, it’s like tic-tac-toe, and I’m just the lucky one to finish it off.”

Svechnikov hit the right post from between the hash marks before scoring on the rebound to push the lead to 5-0 at 4:43 of the second period.

Aho made it 6-0 at 10:36. William Carrier blocked a shot in Carolina’s defensive zone before Sean Walker skated the puck through the neutral zone and passed to Aho for a one-timer into an open net.

Nikishin pushed the lead to 7-0 at 18:06 when his one-timer redirected off the stick of Chicago forward Oliver Moore and the leg of defenseman Kevin Korchinski.

“It’s not easy after five months (that) I don’t play,” Nikishin said. “Good win, team win.”

Bedard set up Roman Kantserov below the left has marks for a goal that made it 7-1 at 5:56 of the third period. Kantserov has scored in four straight games and leads NHL rookies with nine goals.

Bedard scored on a long rebound off the glass to cut the lead to 7-2 at 13:41.

Gostisbehere scored on a wrist shot to make it 8-2 at 16:18.

Svechnikov scored with 13 seconds remaining for the 9-2 final.

NOTES: The Blackhawks are 0-8-1 on the road. … Blake extended his career-high point streak to nine games (four goals, seven assists). ... The Hurricanes have earned a point in each of their past 16 games (14-0-2) against the Blackhawks dating back to April 1, 2021, the longest active point streak against a single opponent in the NHL.