RALEIGH, N.C. — Jack Roslovic delivered a remarkable performance with two goals and an assist, guiding the Carolina Hurricanes to a decisive 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday evening. This triumph marks the team’s eighth consecutive win.
Joining Roslovic on the scoresheet were Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, and Eric Robinson, while Jalen Chatfield contributed significantly with three assists. In goal, Pyotr Kochetkov showcased his skills by making 35 saves during the match. The lone goal for Pittsburgh came from Blake Lizotte, with goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic managing to stop 14 shots on goal. Unfortunately for the Penguins, this loss marks their eighth defeat in the last ten outings, dropping their record to 2-6-2.
The Hurricanes wasted little time asserting their dominance, scoring just 52 seconds into the game as Martinook redirected a pass from Jordan Staal into the net. Carolina’s ability to capitalize on shots was evident as two of their first three attempts found the back of the net, showcasing Nedeljkovic’s vulnerability against his former team. Roslovic then extended the lead with two goals, the first coming at 8:47 in the first period, followed by another at 9:27 in the second, bringing the score to 3-0.
In terms of takeaways from the game, the Penguins showed minimal offensive aggression until the third period, falling behind 5-0. Their power play, which had once been a strength, faltered again, going 0 for 4. However, a glimmer of hope emerged with Lizotte’s goal at 5:08 in the third, marking his second goal in three games.
On the Hurricanes’ side of the ice, their strong performance continues as they improved to 4-0-0 on a road trip in October and have now won four consecutive home games as well. Despite the loss of two key defensemen, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, during the offseason, and the addition of four new forwards to the roster, the Hurricanes have maintained an impressive start to the season with a 10-2-0 record.
A pivotal moment came when Kochetkov, who struggled in the previous game against Philadelphia, regained his sharpness during his fifth consecutive start. Notably, he excelled during a challenging four-minute penalty kill after Jesperi Kotkaniemi was penalized for high-sticking.
One notable statistic from this contest is that Roslovic leads the team with nine goals in just 12 games this season, a stark contrast to his total of nine goals across 59 games last season while playing for two different teams.
Looking ahead, the Penguins are set to take on the Washington Capitals on Friday, while the Hurricanes will face off against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.