Hurricanes remain unbeaten with rout of Blackhawks

[October 30, 2021] The Carolina Hurricanes scored four first-period goals to shake off a bit of a rough beginning, beating the winless Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 to extend their franchise-best start to a season Friday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Even with Antti Raanta making his Carolina debut, the goalie switch didn't matter as the Hurricanes improved to 7-0-0.

Tony DeAngelo, Jordan Staal, Derek Stepan, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov scored for the Hurricanes. DeAngelo posted two assists, as did Vincent Trocheck, and Aho added a helper.

The Hurricanes switched goalies one night after Frederik Andersen notched his first shutout with the team in a 3-0 blanking of the Boston Bruins.

Raanta made 23 saves.

Brandon Hagel and Adam Gaudette scored first-period goals and Alex DeBrincat notched a third-period goal for Chicago. Erik Gustafsson registered two assists for the Blackhawks, who matched their largest margin of defeat this season.

Goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 29 shots for Chicago, which stands with the Arizona Coyotes as the only two NHL teams yet to earn a win on the campaign. The defeat added to a difficult week for the Blackhawks franchise, which has dealt with the aftermath of an alleged sexual assault within the team in 2010, news that led to a front-office shakeup.

The Hurricanes, who completed their first set of games on back-to-back nights this season, were called for five penalties across the first two periods but allowed only Gaudette's goal on a power play during that stretch.

Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) skates with the puck past Carolina Hurricanes left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) during the first period at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina racked up four goals on 18 first-period shots.

The Blackhawks scored 6:12 into the game when Hagel converted from the slot for his first of the season.

DeAngelo, a defenseman, got into the rush and converted in transition for his second goal in as many nights at 7:10.

The Blackhawks finished on a power play just after the midway mark of the opening period when Gaudette scored for the first time this season. In slightly more than 10 minutes, the Blackhawks had struck for as many first-period goals as Carolina had surrendered to its first six opponents combined.

The Hurricanes quickly took the lead. Staal scored from close range just after a power play expired at 13:09, and Stepan notched his first Carolina goal just 17 seconds later.

Kotkaniemi put Carolina up 4-2 with 1:20 left in the opening period. The Hurricanes scored the only two goals of the second period within the first seven minutes, Aho's fifth of the season (on a power play) and Svechnikov's seventh.

DeBrincat capped the scoring at 8:08 of the third period on a power play.

--Field Level Media

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