Hurricanes stay hot with win over Blackhawks

Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas each provided a goal and an assist for the Carolina Hurricanes, who scored the first four goals en route to a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night at Raleigh, N.C.

Michael Bunting, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brent Burns and Jordan Martinook also scored for Carolina, which opened a three-game homestand by winning for the eighth time in 10 games. Seth Jarvis supplied two assists.

Carolina goalie Spencer Martin, making a second consecutive start for his new team, stopped 14 shots. He was acquired off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets last month.

Former Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek recorded 36 saves for Chicago as he was under constant attack.

Nick Foligno, Connor Bedard and Tyler Johnson scored for the Blackhawks, who fell to 1-8-1 in their past 10 games. Bedard had two assists, while Foligno and Johnson each added one assist.

Martin figured to be the backup when the day began, but instead he made his third start with the Hurricanes because Pyotr Kochetkov was ill in the morning.

Bunting had the only first-period goal, his 13th tally of the season, at 11:45. Necas, Kotkaniemi and Aho scored in the first 11 minutes of the second period.

Kotkaniemi produced his 10th of the season, snapping his personal 22-game goal drought.

The Hurricanes had 13 of the first 14 shots in the second period as the Blackhawks, who were playing their only February road game, seemed to be on the verge of getting blown out while trailing 4-0.

However, Foligno got Chicago on the board 15:23 of the second. After Burns restored the four-goal margin with a power-play marker at 2:34 of the third period, the Blackhawks got to work.

Since returning from a fractured jaw, Bedard has racked up six points in three games. His 17th goal of the season, at the seven-minute mark was the first of Chicago's two power-play conversions in a 2:08 span before the halfway mark of the final period. Johnson's redirect on Bedard's delivery made it 5-3 and caused some uneasiness for the home crowd.

Martinook's empty-net tally with 1:49 remaining helped seal it. The Hurricanes, who will play three home games in six nights this week, moved to 18-6-4 on home ice.