Jesperi Kotkaniemi scores pair as Hurricanes nip Stars

Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored his second goal of the game just 24 seconds after the Dallas Stars tied it in the third period, lifting the visiting Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.

The winning goal was fortunate for the Hurricanes as the puck went off Kotkaniemi's skate with 9:25 to play as he skated into the crease.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 22 saves, including 11 in the third period. Martin Necas assisted on both goals.

Thomas Harley had the Dallas goal. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 17 shots.

The Hurricanes won on back-to-back nights after capturing an overtime victory in Chicago for a successful two-game trip.

Carolina also defeated Dallas in a November meeting, scoring five third-period goals in a 6-4 home win.

Kotkaniemi, who also scored a night earlier, boosted his season's goal total to nine with his first multi-goal outing since March 2023. His latest production came on a night when the Hurricanes, who often crank out high shot totals, were limited. Their seven first-period shots were their most in any period.

Dallas had only 11 shots on goal through two periods.

Despite the limited workload, it was a good boost for Kochetkov, who has handled a bulk of the workloadthis season because of an injury to Frederik Andersen, who returned in Monday night's game.

The Stars lost for the third time in their last four games despite giving themselves a good chance in the third period.

Harley got inside position in an ideal spot to put the puck past Kochetkov with 9:49 remaining.

But the Hurricanes responded on the next shift.

Kotkaniemi's first goal came more by design. He received a cross-ice pass from Necas and ripped a shot from the right circle.

The Stars were hoping to have a surge of energy after a taxing stretch and facing a team playing on back-to-back nights. Instead, Dallas managed just four shots on goal in the first period.

--Field Level Media