Pyotr Kochetkov wins again, Hurricanes top Kraken 3-2

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov had his scoreless streak end and the Hurricanes held on after building an early lead to beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Thursday night.

Andrei Svechnikov and Derek Stepan scored in the first period and Stefan Noesen added a second-period goal on his first career penalty shot.

Kochetkov, who went more than 151 minutes without allowing a goal, made 15 saves for his sixth win in the team’s last seven games. Carolina has a nine-game points streak.


Carolina Hurricanes’ Jack Drury (18) looks back as the puck bounces off Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

Ryan Donato and Daniel Sprong scored for Seattle and Philipp Grubauer made 36 saves. The Kraken finished a four-game trip 1-3-0.

Svechnikov scored unassisted 10:10 into the game after a terrible Seattle turnover. Stepan’s first goal of the season came with 2:08 left in the opening period.

Noeseny gave the Hurricanes a goal on a penalty shot for the first time since March 2017.

The second period also featured Kochetkov’s save on Sprong’s breakaway before Donato’s goal on a redirection at 11:26. That ended Kochetkov’s scoreless stretch at 151 minutes, 26 seconds. Still, he broke the franchise’s rookie goalie record for longest scoreless streak.

Sprong made it a one-goal margin with 10:46 remaining.

ICE MATTERS

Stepan, a 13-year NHL veteran, now has scored against all 32 active NHL teams. … Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho missed his third game in a row with a lower-body injury, but forward Jesper Fast was back following a two-game injury-related absence. … Seattle’s Yanni Gourde had an assist on his 31st birthday. He also had an assist seven years earlier on the only other occasion of playing an NHL game on his birthday.

UP NEXT

Kraken: Host Winnipeg on Sunday.

Hurricanes: Host Dallas on Saturday.

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