Kochetkov makes 22 saves, has 2 assists for Hurricanes in win against Rangers 

NEW YORK – Pyotr Kochetkov made 22 saves and had two assists, and the Carolina Hurricanes came back from down early in the first period to defeat the New York Rangers 3-1 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Kochetkov said it was his first two-point game at any level. He also had an assist in a 4-2 win at the Calgary Flames on Oct. 24.

“We needed some offense,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’ll get it from anybody."

William Carrier, Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored, and the Hurricanes went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, allowing four shots on goal. Roslovic’s goal came on the power play, ending New York’s streak of 20 consecutive successful penalty kills.

Carolina (21-11-1) ended a five-game road losing streak (0-4-1).

“Tough start, first shot, first goal, and after I think we had a couple good blocked shots and a couple saves,” Kochetkov said. “In the second period, I think no chances for Rangers. We controlled the game, controlled the puck, a lot of shots. Last period, just a good PK and teamwork.”

Jimmy Vesey scored 17 seconds into the game, but the Rangers went silent after that.

Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves.

New York (16-16-1) defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Friday but has not won consecutive games since a three-game winning streak from Nov. 14-19. It has lost four in a row at home.

“It was a good start and then it just slowly slipped away from us,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “We couldn’t get it back after that.”

Vesey gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead 17 seconds into the first period. He led the rush, moved the puck across to Chad Ruhwedel and went to the net. Ruhwedel got the puck back to Vesey, who redirected it into the net past Kochetkov.

“Well, it wasn’t even a bad shift,” Brind’Amour said. “We got in there, we were on it, we just missed the puck and they made a nice play. You’ve got to tip your hat. The ‘D’ activated, we didn’t pick him up and they put it in the net. It was a good play by them, but I thought after that, the rest of the game, especially the second period, we were pretty dialed in.”

Carrier tied it 1-1 at 9:14 of the second period, scoring nine seconds after Carolina’s power play expired. Jaccob Slavin, shooting from the right face-off circle, hit the post. Carrier had inside position on Braden Schneider and put in the rebound.

“It was the end of a power play so it’s kind of still a power-play goal because their guy hadn’t gotten into the play yet,” Brind’Amour said. “But he was at the net and that’s what you’ve got to do if you want to score goals.”

The Rangers were two seconds away from killing Alexis Lafreniere’s four-minute double minor for high-sticking Roslovic and causing his two front teeth to chip.

But it was Roslovic, who had to leave the game briefly after the high stick, making it 2-1 Carolina on the power play at 14:32, scoring on a backdoor redirect at the right post off a pass from Dmitry Orlov off the left-wing half-wall.

“‘Orly’, it was just a great pass,” Roslovic said. “I think I was thinking about my teeth.”

Said Brind’Amour, “It’s funny how that happens, over the years you get guys something bad happens and they’re the guys that make the difference in the game. It’s hockey. He looks like a hockey player now, that’s for sure.”

Carolina outshot the Rangers 16-8 in the second period.

“We didn’t get the puck to the next level in the second period,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought the battles went their way. One goal on the power play, one with a guy coming out of the box, and that’s the difference in the game. I thought they were better than us in the second period.”

Kochetkov preserved the lead in the third period by stopping Artemi Panarin’s open shot from the left circle at 3:43 and Vincent Trocheck's tap-in attempt from the front at 4:11.

He came across the crease to stop Reilly Smith on a backdoor one-timer at 4:31.

Aho scored into the empty net at 18:18 for the 3-1 final.

“Well, he was good,” Brind’Amour said of Kochetkov. “I mean, it’s a tough start, right. We give up a weird one right off the bat where they made a nice play, but then after that he was solid. A lot of good backdoor plays, especially on the power play for them, they had a few good looks and he was great for us.”

Notes: The Hurricanes are 23-for-23 on the penalty kill in nine games in December. … New York is 0-for-12 on the power play in its past five games. … Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. He is day to day. … Rangers forward Matt Rempe did not play. He received an eight-game suspension Sunday for boarding/elbowing Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday. … Mika Zibanejad played his 600th game with the Rangers.