Canes seize control in Los Angeles, roll past Kings

Dec 4, 2022 - 6:11 AM

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The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to four games — and made it three straight wins to start a six-game road trip — Saturday night in Los Angeles, beating the Kings 4-2 in a comprehensive effort.

Martin Necas was the biggest star for the visitors, finishing the game with both a beautiful goal and assist to spring the Carolina victory. Brady Skjei, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov joined in on the scoring for the Canes, while the Kings got their goals from Arthur Kaliyev and Samuel Fagemo in the third period.

Pyotr Kochetkov was very sharp in net for Carolina, stopping 31 of 33 shots faced while making a handful of highlight-reel saves through the back two periods to maintain the Canes’ lead. Jonathan Quick had his moments — both good and bad — on the other side of the ice, finishing with 27 saves on 31 shots faced.

The Canes played a really strong opening period, and the scoreboard showed it as they carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Skjei opened up the scoring with a nasty stick move in front of Quick, as he took a nice pass from Jordan Martinook forehand-backhand to beat the veteran goalie.

The Canes controlled the rest of the period, with Kochetkov making a couple of nice saves in a flurry to preserve the 1-0 lead. Andrei Svechnikov drew a penalty to set up a power play with just over a minute left in the first period, and it led to Carolina’s second goal.

Already a man up, Necas drew another penalty as he was tripped up entering the offensive zone. With that penalty delayed, Carolina worked the puck back around to Necas, who blasted a point shot right by Quick to double the lead with just 19 seconds left in the period.

After missing an open chance earlier, Aho made it 3-0 late in the second period thanks to a great feed from Necas. The Czech winger got the puck out wide and dotted a perfect pass to Aho crashing the net, and Aho controlled it around Quick and slotted it home for the score.

Carolina survived some chances late in the second period to keep the lead at three heading into the break, as Jaccob Slavin helped clear a puck off the goal line and Kochetkov made a nice old-school, pad-stack save to keep it at 3-0.

After killing off one penalty in the third period, the Hurricanes had some trouble with some sticks to lead to the Kings ending the shutout.

Jack Drury got caught without a stick in the defensive third on a long sequence, and he had to resort to holding a Los Angeles’ skater on the back side of the net. The Kings took advantage of the power play almost immediately, as Kaliyev ripped a shot through a lane left empty by the absence of Jordan Staal’s stick, which was broken on the ice, to make it 3-1.

The Kings continued to push, but a calm Kochetkov kept the Canes where they were long enough for Svechnikov to go get a fourth for Carolina. Svechnikov got out on a break, powered himself through the defense and tried feeding a backhand pass across the ice, and he got a fortunate bounce of a Los Angeles’ skate and into the net to make it 4-1.

The Kings got one back from Fagemo, but it was too little, too late for Los Angeles.

The Hurricanes’ road trip will stay in the greater Los Angeles area for a few days, as Carolina will be back in action looking to make it five straight wins Tuesday night in Anaheim.