Kochetkov makes 30 saves, Hurricanes hand Golden Knights 1st home loss of season

LAS VEGAS -- Pyotr Kochetkov made 30 saves for the Carolina Hurricanes in a 5-2 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

Eric Robinson, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jordan Staal each had a goal and an assist, and Jaccob Slavin had two assists for Carolina (11-3-0), which has won nine of its past 10.

It was the seventh straight win for Kochetkov, who is 8-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average.

"‘Kucci’ was great. They had a couple great chances early, and it would have been probably a closer game,” Staal said. “But good goalies find ways to steal a couple and make some big saves for us, and he did that tonight.”

Jack Eichel extended his point streak to three games with a goal and an assist for Vegas (9-4-2), which had its eight-game home winning streak end. Adin Hill gave up four goals on 21 shots before being replaced by Akira Schmid, who made 12 saves

“Some of our veteran guys didn't have the 'A' game in terms of transition and execution. I thought they were fumbling some pucks,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “So they could have been better and would have needed to be better tonight. But again, I think it was a team loss, to be honest with you.”

Robinson made it 1-0 when he tipped in Sean Walker's shot at 4:24 of the first period.

“[Martin Necas] and ‘Kot’ are highly skilled players,” Robinson said of his linemates. “I'm just trying to fit in anyway, and we've been scoring lately. So that always helps with confidence and feeling good going in the game. So yeah, it's going well right now.”

Kotkaniemi extended the lead to 2-0 at 12:46. Hill made the initial save, but Kotkaniemi buried the rebound.

“[The first period] was real solid. A good start,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We've had some good first periods where we just haven't gotten anything out of it.”

Staal gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead at 3:38 of the second period with a short-handed goal. Jordan Martinook set up the goal by stealing the puck from Shea Theodore.

“‘Marti’ was obviously doing a good job of hounding the pucks,” Staal said. “Obviously a great bounce out front and just goes nice.”

Carolina went up 4-0 at 6:13 off a Tyson Jost tip-in goal, chasing Hill out of the game.

Eichel scored at 6:11 of the third period, making it 4-1.

Martinook scored an empty-net goal at 14:28 to make it 5-1.

Ivan Barbashev scored at 19:47 for the 5-2 final.

“We started the second period pretty good,” Vegas forward William Karlsson said. “Then, obviously, an unfortunate 3-0 goal there, and the fourth one shortly after that kind of killed our momentum a little bit. But there was definitely some good plays up there. Their goalie made some incredible saves. He had a good game. But 4-0, it's tough to come back.”

NOTES: Necas became the fourth player in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history with a 10-game assist streak, joining Sebastian Aho, Eric Staal and Dave Keon. … Forward William Carrier returned to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights for the first time since signing a contract with the Hurricanes. He had one shot on goal and five hits in 12:46. … Jost scored in his Hurricanes debut after signing with them on July 1. … Eichel has eight points in the past three games.