The Carolina Hurricanes played their first road game of the season Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After defeating the New Jersey Devils a few days prior, the Canes (2-1-0) looked like a well-oiled machine on the power play in a 4-1 win over the Penguins (3-3-0).
Center Martin Necas was the star of the show for the Hurricanes, tallying a goal, his first of the season, and an assist during the matchup. Before the game, the Canes ranked 10th in the NHL on the power play, but they might move up after this showing which included two goals on the man advantage.
Pittsburgh took control of the game early on with a goal from left wing Drew O’Connor. Despite Carolina leading with five shots on goal to Pittsburgh’s one, O’Connor took a pass from center Lars Eller and skated up the center of the ice. With two Carolina defensemen on him, O’Connor snuck the puck past netminder Frederick Andersen to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Pens.
It wouldn’t take long for the Hurricanes to tie the match as rookie right winger Jackson Blake was the first to get on the scorecard for the Canes. Blake, who scored his first goal against the Devils on Tuesday sat in front of Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist for a chance at the goal and was rewarded with a pass from left wing Eric Robinson. The rookie has two goals in three games for the Hurricanes and is quickly becoming a steady presence in the lineup.
While it was the newcomers scoring in the first period, some experienced Hurricanes got their turns during the second frame. A little over five minutes into the period, Necas sat in the Penguins’ zone during a power play ready for a pass from center Seth Jarvis to make the game 2-1 in favor of the Canes. Necas, who finished the 2023-24 season with 53 points, now has three points in three games.
Ten minutes later, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere etched his name into the scorecard with a power play goal of his own. Fed by right wing Andrei Svechnikov, Gostisbehere got the puck toward center ice and ripped a rocket toward Blomqvist. The 22-year-old netminder was no match for the slapshot, and suddenly the Hurricanes were up 3-1 heading into the third period.
The final frame saw one more goal from the Hurricanes courtesy of center Jack Roslovic, a new addition to the Carolina roster and his first goal of the season. Defenseman Dimitry Orlov completed a cross-ice pass to center Jesperi Kotkaniemi who then turned the puck over to Roslovic to put the final nail in the coffin for the Penguins. When the final horn blew in Pittsburgh, the Hurricanes came out victorious with a 4-1 Metropolitan Division win.
Both teams sit in the middle of the divisions with Pittsburgh holding a two-point advantage over the Hurricanes. The teams will meet again in November in Raleigh. The Canes continue their six-game road trip in St. Louis, taking on the Blues at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19.
