RALEIGH — The Hurricanes entered Thursday’s game against the visiting Avalanche losers of three straight and looking like a shell of the team that stormed through the first two months of their schedule.
It didn’t take long for them to regain form.
Carolina controlled play most of the night and got a career-high four points from Andrei Svechnikov in a 5-3 win at Lenovo Center.
“Obviously we haven’t liked the way it’s been going the last little bit, and I think that’s a good game to get you back on track, especially against a good team,” Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook said. “I think everybody’s happy in here to get a win and get some good mojo, good vibes going again.”
Martinook’s line with Jordan Staal and Seth Jarvis was charged with trying to contain Colorado’s top line anchored by Nathan MacKinnon, and while the Avalanche’s stars had their chances, Carolina’s depth proved too much.
Five different players scored, including Martin Necas, who had two points to MacKinnon’s one and moved one point ahead of the Avs captain for the NHL point lead with 41. His first period assist on Eric Robinson’s eighth goal of the season made him the fastest player in franchise history to eclipse 40 points.
While Necas has taken a star turn, it was Carolina’s depth — especially compared to Colorado’s thin forward group — that was the difference.
The Hurricanes scored twice in just over 2½ minutes of the second period to take control.
On their third power play opportunity of the game, Carolina used a nice zone entry by Sebastian Aho and Svechnikov to set up a shot in the right circle by Jarvis for his eighth goal of the year at 4:09 of the middle frame.
Carolina extended the lead at 6:41 when Svechnikov set up Jack Roslovic for a quick snap shot that beat Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood (29 saves) — making his first start for Colorado after being acquired from Nashville last week — and extended the Hurricanes’ lead to 3-1.
The team alternated goals in the third period, with Valeri Nichushkin scoring his first of two in the final six minutes to cut the lead to one, only to have Necas score through a Svechnikov screen 2:11 remaining for Carolina’s second power play goal of the night.
“We stuck with our plan, and obviously the PP was great,” Svechnikov said.
Nichushkin scored again with Wedgewood on the bench for an extra attacker at 18:13, but Svechnikov scored an empty-net goal with 16 seconds left to seal the win.
And despite making just 17 saves, Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped two of three breakaways in the game and lunged with his stick to deny a backdoor pass from MacKinnon to Artturi Lekhonen in the third period to keep the Avalanche at bay.
“You’re not gonna go no scoring chances against that team, and they got theirs,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “He made two or three phenomenal saves at crucial times.”
Notes: Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen played 25:23, marking the sixth time this season he’s played at least 25 minutes, the most among forwards in the NHL. MacKinnon played 25-plus for the fourth time this year and ranks second. … Carolina won 38 of 59 faceoffs. … Jarvis had a season-high six shots on goal.
