Mikko Rantanen scores as the Hurricanes beat the Blackhawks 3-2

[January 31, 2025]  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal with Carolina, helping the Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Thursday night.
 
Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin also scored for the Hurricanes, who won for the sixth time in seven games. Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.  

Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard (98) controls the puck as he approaches Carolina Hurricanes' Shayne Gostisbehere (4) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev scored for Chicago. Arvid Soderblom stopped 24 shots.

The Hurricanes got Rantanen from Colorado as part of last weekend's three-team trade that also involved Chicago. He picked up an assist in Tuesday night's 4-0 win at the Rangers.

Taylor Hall, who was traded from Chicago to Carolina as part of the deal, was sidelined because of an illness.

Rantanen gave Carolina a 2-1 lead in his home debut when he scored his 26th goal of the season 4:52 into the second period. Slavin added his fourth goal at 5:59.

Takeaways
Blackhawks: The last-place Blackhawks likely will be a popular seller in the runup to the NHL trade deadline. Eight different teams had scouts at Thursday's game.

Hurricanes: With Hall and Sebastian Aho both sidelined by an illness, Carolina only dressed 11 forwards and 17 skaters. Center Ryan Suzuki, the team's 2019 first-round pick, made his NHL debut.

Key moment
Jack Roslovic set up Rantanen's goal by drawing three Chicago defenders in the middle of the ice before feeding Rantanen in the left circle.

Key stat
Jarvis' short-handed goal in the first period was his 11th goal in the past 13 games. The Hurricanes are 62-5-5 in the regular season when the fourth-year winger scores.

Up next
The Blackhawks travel to Florida on Saturday, and the Hurricanes host Los Angeles on Saturday.

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