Carolina Hurricanes down Chicago. How the Canes beat the Hawks for third straight win

Raleigh

After a morning skate at PNC Arena, Chicago Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson was asked about the Carolina Hurricanes and what impressed him most about their style of play.

“They are fast,” he said. “Not every single one of them is lightning-speed fast, but the way they play together is really fast,” he added. “They don’t give you a lot of room to breathe. They’re intense.”

The Hurricanes, playing their third game in four days, were fast and intense enough later in taking a 6-3 victory over the Blackhawks at PNC Arena.

Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and assist as the Canes (33-17-5) returned to their home rink after a pair of road wins against Arizona and Vegas. Goalie Spencer Martin, making a second straight start, earned his third win.

The Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, playing his third game since returning from a broken jaw, had a power-play goal and added two assists, showing off the skills that made him the No. 1 pick of the 2023 NHL draft. Bedard fueled a push by Chicago (15-38-7), which trailed 5-1 before making the Canes squirm a little in the third.

Martin was the winner Saturday against the Golden Knights and was the starter again Monday as Pyotr Kochetkov was feeling ill and missed the morning skate.

Chicago had a familiar face in net: former Canes goalie Petr Mrazek. But Necas, one of his good friends in the league, had a big hand in beating the fellow Czech.

Necas set up Michael Bunting for a goal in the first period, then used some nifty puck-handling to slip in and snipe one past Mrazek for a 2-0 lead.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored his first goal in 23 games, and Aho got his 20th of the season as the Canes added three goals in the second. Defenseman Brent Burns added a power-play goal in the third and Jordan Martinook an empty-netter.

Chicago’s Nick Foligno got the Hawks on the board in the second with a backhander. Tyler Johnson scored a power-play goal in the third as the Blackhawks struck twice against a team that was third in the NHL in penalty killing.

Claimed on waivers Jan. 19 from the Columbus Blue Jackets, unsure of how long he might be needed or with the Canes, Martin won his first start for Carolina at Boston and then against the Golden Knights.

Martin went 24 days between his first two starts. But with Kochetkov “under the weather” Monday, according to Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, Martin was given the net for a second straight game, allowing him to make his first start at PNC Arena.

Andersen causes doubletakes

The Canes had an interesting morning skate Monday, turning heads.

Kochetkov was not on the ice but Frederik Andersen was — in the starter’s crease.

But the word quickly was passed that Andersen, who now has missed the past 43 games, was just getting in more practice time and taking shots. He would not play or serve as a backup Monday.

Brind’Amour said having Andersen participate in another practice was “encouraging.”

“I think it’s good for him just to get back into some sort of normal flow,” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously, he’s not ready to go yet, but every day that he practices is hopefully a step closer to getting him in there.”

First look at Bedard

When the Blackhawks’ Bedard suffered a broken jaw on Jan. 5, taking an open-ice hit from the Devils’ Brendan Smith, it seemed unlikely he would be back in time for the game at PNC Arena.

But Bedard, called a generational talent by many NHL observers. had a quicker-than-expected return and was playing his third game in his first PNC Arena appearance. He had a goal and two assists, and had another goal overturned by an offside call.

“Special player,” Brind’Amour said after Monday’s morning skate. “When you watch him play, he’s dynamic and exciting. He’s one of those rare talents that comes along that when they get the puck on their stick, there’s always something happening.”

Bedard, who has been playing with a full shield, said his first year in the league has been a “lot of fun” other than the injury and losing more games than he or the Hawks have wanted.

Bedard leads NHL rookies in goals (16) and points (36) despite missing 14 games, and was named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.