Trying to hold their second-place ground in the Metropolitan Division standings, the Carolina Hurricanes (41-22-4) defeated the struggling Philadelphia Flyers (28-32-8) on the road. It was a decisive 5-0 victory, where Carolina was rolling from the moment the puck was dropped. Carolina moved up to fifth place in the NHL standings following the win, while the Flyers remained at 27th.
Game Recap
Carolina got off to a hot start in the opening frame, hemming Philadelphia in their zone and controlling a majority of possession. It took a bit for their hard work to pay off, but it eventually did at the 8:21 mark of the first period, courtesy of Sebastian Aho. The goal was unsuccessfully challenged by head coach John Tortorella and the Flyers, leaving Aho’s 25th tally of the season on the board. Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis got the assists.
Related: Hurricanes’ Kotkaniemi Bouncing Back Beautifully in 2024-25 Season
The Hurricanes doubled their lead at the 15:46 mark off a rush from their fourth line. Mark Jankowski, acquired from the Nashville Predators at the March 7 trade deadline, put up his third goal in four games as a member of his new team. Assisting the goal were Eric Robinson and Tyson Jost. It was the latter’s first helper of the 2024-25 campaign.
That's Mark Jankowski's music! pic.twitter.com/Utn9btjeKT
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 15, 2025
Skipping ahead to the second period, it didn’t take long (19 seconds) for Taylor Hall to put his team up 3-0. His power-play tally was assisted by Aho and former Flyer Shayne Gostisbehere.
On a would-be goal by Logan Stankoven to make it 4-0, Tortorella successfully used a challenge on an earlier offside. That only delayed Jankowski’s second two-goal game as a Hurricane, though, as he made it 4-0 again with 13:15 gone in the middle frame. Aiding him in his multi-goal quest were Robinson and Gostisbehere, bumping all three skaters up to a two-point evening.
The final frame was quiet for both sides, seeing no goals until the final half-minute. But it wasn’t Philadelphia ending the shutout, it was Carolina extending their lead. Defenseman Scott Morrow got his first NHL goal, while Stankoven got his first assist as a Hurricane. Hall got a helper, too.
Between the pipes, Pytor Kochetkov was rock-solid for the Hurricanes. He turned aside all 26 shots he faced for his second shutout of the 2024-25 season. As for the Flyers, Samuel Ersson stopped 26 of 31.
What’s Next for Flyers & Hurricanes?
Up next, the Flyers will square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Monday, March 17. The Hurricanes won’t be back in action until Thursday, March 20, when they face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center to begin a three-game California road trip. The matchups will begin at 7 p.m. EST and 10:30 p.m. EST, respectively.
