In a matchup of two of the NHL’s hottest teams, the Carolina Hurricanes proved too much for the Vegas Golden Knights, handing them their first home loss of the season with a decisive 5-2 victory on Monday night.
Jordan Martinook continued his red-hot scoring streak, finding the back of the net for the fourth consecutive game to lead the Hurricanes’ offensive onslaught. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Eric Robinson, and Jordan Staal also scored for Carolina, which bounced back from a Saturday loss at Colorado to become the first visiting team to win at the Fortress this season.
“We wanted to come out strong and set the tone early,” said Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, who extended his point streak to 10 games with a pair of assists. “That’s exactly what we did, and it paid off with a big road win against a very tough opponent.”
The loss was a disappointing one for the previously undefeated Golden Knights at home, who entered the game 8-0 at the Fortress. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev scored the lone goals for Vegas, which struggled to generate consistent offense against Carolina’s stifling defense.
“We just didn’t have it tonight,” admitted Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who missed the game due to a lower-body injury. “Carolina played a heck of a game and deserved the two points. We’ll need to regroup and be ready for our next challenge.”
Pyotr Kochetkov was stellar in net for the Hurricanes, stopping 31 of 33 shots to earn his sixth win of the young season. In the second period, Vegas goaltender Adin Hill lost the game after conceding four goals on just 21 shots.
The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, outshooting the Golden Knights 16-4 in the opening frame. Kotkaniemi and Robinson scored the early goals to set the tone for Carolina.
“We came out with a lot of energy and really dictated the pace of play,” said Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “We got the start we wanted and controlled the game from there.”
The turning point came early in the second period, when the Golden Knights had a chance to climb back into the game on the power play. But Jordan Staal intercepted a pass in the Vegas zone and scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-0, effectively snuffing out any comeback hopes.
Carolina tacked on two more goals in the middle frame to take a commanding 5-1 lead into the final period. The Golden Knights managed to score a pair of late goals, but it was too little, too late.
The loss ends Vegas’ perfect 8-0 start at home and drops them to 9-3-2 for the season. Carolina, meanwhile, improved to 10-3-0 and solidified its place among the league’s elite teams.
“This was a big test for us, and I’m proud of the way the guys responded,” said Brind’Amour. “We knew we’d be facing a tough environment, but we didn’t back down. This is the kind of win that can really build momentum for us going forward.”
The Hurricanes will look to continue their strong play on the road, where they’ll next face the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, will try to rebound when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on the same night.