Aho leads Hurricanes' rout of Flyers
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Sebastian Aho scored twice in the first period and added a third goal late in the second for the rookie's first hat trick as the Carolina Hurricanes snapped their five-game losing skid with a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.
The Hurricanes (22-20-7) had allowed 23 goals during its pre-All-Star Break losing streak, but totally dominated a team they are chasing in the Eastern Conference for the final Wild Card playoff spot.
Aho recorded the team's first hat trick of the season and first for a Carolina rookie since Erik Cole did it on Dec. 21, 2001.
Carolina held the Flyers (25-20-6), which had won three straight, without a shot for the first 12:45 of the second period and opening 10:27 of the third while putting the game away on goals by Jeff Skinner and Aho within a span of 1:37 late in the second period.
Brayden Schenn scored his NHL-leading 12th power-play goal with 9:33 left -- Philadelphia's first shot of the third period. The Flyers had just six shots after 50 minutes.
Skinner, without a point in six straight games, recorded his team-leading 18th goal to give Carolina a three-goal lead while Aho added a power-play goal for his 15th -- third best among NHL rookies, recording his first hat trick in his 49th career game.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia continued to struggle in the first period, managing just four shots on Cam Ward while allowing two goals to Aho after a pair of costly defensive zone turnovers.
The 19-year-old, Carolina's second-round pick in the 2015 draft, scored 7:11 into the game when Jordan Staal stole the puck from Travis Konecny and passed to Aho, who made a move on Mason and slid the puck into the open net.
Aho's second goal late in the period came off a cross-ice pass from Elias Lindholm as Carolina was able to hold the zone after an attempted clearing pass was intercepted by Aho, who immediately raced toward the front of the net for the give-and-go goal.
Aho, on a new line this game with Staal and Lindholm after a major offensive shakeup by coach Bill Peters, now has nine goals in his last 14 games and five points against the Flyers in three games this season.
Justin Faulk, Carolina's All-Star representative, scored his 10th of the season on the power play from Aho 5:10 into the third. The defenseman recorded his third straight season of double-digit goals.
NOTES: C Jordan Staal played in his 300th game with the Hurricanes. ... Carolina backup G Eddie Lack has returned from a conditioning stint with Charlotte of the American Hockey League after missing 26 of the last 30 games with a concussion. ... G Cam Ward's 42nd start this season for the Hurricanes is good for third most in the NHL. ... Coming into the game Philadelphia had scored just 28 first-period goals in 50 games, 30 less than the team has notched in the second. ... Carolina is one of two teams (New Jersey) that the Flyers will play five times this season. Philadelphia won the first two meetings 4-3 and 6-3 within an eight-day span in October.