Jackson Blake and Sean Walker each recorded a goal and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3 at the Lenovo Center on Thursday. Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored, while Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for the Hurricanes (9-4-0), who have won two consecutive games and three of their last four.
“Blake is probably the one who needs the most credit for tonight,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “The one goal was all him, and the other was just a great pass.”
Matt Boldy scored two goals for the Wild (5-7-3), who entered the game on a two-game winning streak. Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots.
“They’re a high-pressure team. There were times I thought we handled it well, and there were times when there was another good team on the ice too,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “We got some looks in different segments of the game.”
Boldy opened the scoring at 5:34 in the first period. After Hurricanes forward Mark Jankowski slipped the puck under Andersen, Boldy tapped in the loose puck in the slot. This goal marked Boldy's 300th NHL game.
The teams combined for three goals within 52 seconds during an intense 4-on-4 stretch, creating a fast-paced and exciting sequence.
The Hurricanes edged out the Wild in a competitive match, powered by Blake’s standout play and consistent goaltending from Andersen, while Boldy kept Minnesota competitive with two goals.
Author's summary: Blake’s pivotal goals and Andersen’s solid goaltending secured the Hurricanes’ narrow 4-3 victory over the Wild, highlighting a thrilling back-and-forth contest.