RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho scored with 18.9 seconds left, helping Pyotr Kochetkov and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers 1-0 on Thursday night.
Kochetkov stopped 44 shots in his third shutout of the season. Carolina has won four straight and six of its past seven games.
Florida had won 11 straight road games, one short of tying the NHL record.
It was a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final, and it felt like a playoff game in February. Both playoff games in Raleigh in May went into overtime, including Game 1, which was decided in four overtimes.
Aho lifted Carolina to the win in this one when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky after a shot attempt by Andrei Svechnikov was blocked before it could get to the net.
Aho had a prime scoring opportunity with 3:46 left in regulation but couldn’t control a tip-in chance in front.
Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves.
It was the goalies who did the heavy lifting. Kochetkov’s glove save on Evan Rodrigues on a 2-on-1 rush just 3:30 into the third period was one of many highlights for the Carolina goalie.
Bobrovsky, the star of the Panthers’ playoff sweep of Carolina, was equally spectacular. He also got some help from the cage. Jordan Martinook had a shot go off the left post in the first period, and Tony D’Angelo had one in the second.
The Panthers played the final two periods without forward Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Gustav Forsling.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host Washington on Saturday.
Hurricanes: Host Dallas on Saturday.
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