RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho scored a goal for the fourth straight game and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Sunday in a matchup of the teams with the two best records in the NHL.
Paul Stastny scored on a second-period power play, Seth Jarvis posted a goal in the third, and Jordan Staal added a short-handed empty-netter as the Hurricanes won their fifth game in a row and extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1).
Frederik Andersen, playing for the first time since he left Wednesday night’s game in Dallas with an upper-body injury, made 24 saves.
Pavel Zacha scored for the Bruins, who lead the NHL with 81 points but have lost three games in a row for the first time this season. Linus Ullmark stopped 32 shots.
Aho stole the puck at his defensive blue line took off on a breakaway for his 21st goal of the season with 9:08 left in the first. He has seven goals during his scoring streak.
After Carolina’s four successful penalty kills through 30½ minutes, the Hurricanes scored on a power play as Stastny converted from in front of the net with 7:55 left in the second. It was his fourth.
Jarvis made a nifty move along the boards to gain control of the puck from Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo and sped into the zone on a breakaway, beating Ullmark at 1:56 of the third for his eighth of the season and first in seven games.
Boston struck back on Zacha’s 10th at 3:22, but failed to reach two goals for just the third time this season.
Staal capped the scoring with 4:20 left.
ICE MATTERS
Hurricanes D Brent Burns had an assist on Stastny’s goal in his 1,300th NHL game. ... This was just the second regulation road loss in Boston’s last 13 road games (9-2-2). ... Staal has 13 goals, but only three since Christmas. ... Andersen has won in his last five decisions.
UP NEXT
Bruins: At Toronto on Wednesday night.
Hurricanes: Host Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
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