RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes own a piece of the NHL’s Metropolitan Division lead after surviving a wild finish against the Predators.
Andrei Svechnikov delivered two goals and an assist as the Hurricanes handed the Predators their fourth straight regulation loss since the All-Star break, 4-0. Brady Skjei and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal and an assist for Carolina, which is 2-2-2 since the break. Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho had two assists apiece.
The Predators got back into the game by scoring twice with their net empty, but Svechnikov clinched it with an empty-netter.
Frederik Anderson stopped 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who are in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Mason Marchment’s first career hat trick fueled the Panthers’ sixth win in six games, 6-2 at Minnesota. Marchment scored twice in a 2:27 span of the first period to put Florida ahead to stay. Anthony Duclair had a goal and an assist in the rout.
— Adrian Kempe’s second goal of the night gave the Kings a 4-3 overtime win against the Golden Knights. Andreas Athanasiou and Phillip Danault also scored and Jonathan Quick had 21 saves in the victory. Max Pacioretty had two goals and Reilly Smith also scored for Vegas.
— The Stars pulled out a 1-0 victory over the Blackhawks as Jacob Peterson scored the deciding goal in the sixth round of the shootout. It was the only successful shootout attempt after Chicago’s Alex DeBrincat and Dallas’ Jason Robertson scored in the first shootout round. Jake Oettinger made 34 saves in his eighth career shootout and first this season.
