RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov had two goals and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Friday night.
Brady Skjei and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal and an assist, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored for the Hurricanes, who improved to 2-2-2 since the All-Star break. Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho added two assists apiece. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves.
Luke Kunin and Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, who are 0-4-0 since the break. Roman Josi had three assists and Juuse Saros stopped 25 shots.
Forsberg’s goal came with 5:23 remaining, just 24 seconds after the Predators pulled Saros for an extra skater. That cut Nashville’s deficit to 4-2.
It worked again on Jeannot’s goal with 2:11 remaining before Svechnikov’s empty-net tally with 41.5 seconds left.
Skjei scored the game’s first goal at 10:24 of the first period after it took the Hurricanes about nine minutes before putting a shot on goal.
Kotkaniemi collected a rebound of his own shot and scored to make it 2-0 at 5:14 of the second for his first goal in a month.
Kunin’s first goal in six games came with 1:22 remaining in the middle period. However, Slavin restored Carolina's two-goal edge with 1 second to play in the period.
Svechnikov's power-play goal at 6:43 of the third push the Hurricanes' lead to 4-1.
RINK NOTES
Nashville center Ryan Johansen’s assist on Kunin’s goal gave him 500 career points. … Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck left with an upper-body injury after the first period and didn’t return. … Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki didn’t play after logging four shifts in the first period. … This was Carolina’s second and final home make-up game from December postponements.
UP NEXT
Predators: At Florida on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: At Pittsburgh on Sunday night.
