Hurricanes use big second period to cruise to 7-2 win over Calgary Flames

Evgeny Kuznetsov had an interesting comment about playing his first game at PNC Arena with the Carolina Hurricanes.

“I finally get to know what’s on the other side of hell,” he said Saturday.

In 11 seasons with the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov experienced it often and it usually was not pleasant playing in the Canes’ home rink. But Sunday, in his second game with the Hurricanes, the forward was warmly welcomed by the home crowd.

The Canes were playing the Calgary Flames, who felt the heat as Carolina rolled to a 7-2 victory.

Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and two assists, 11 players had points and goalie Frederik Andersen picked up his second victory with 17 saves since returning from a blood-clotting issue.

Seth Jarvis, Teuvo Teravainen and Jalen Chatfield each had a goal and assist for the Canes (39-19-6), who scored four goals in the second period for a 6-1 lead. Carolina moved within two points of the New York Rangers and the Metro Division lead, with the Rangers coming into PNC Arena on Tuesday.

Kuznetsov earned a big ovation in the first period — and nearly scored later in the period. The Canes’ other huge deadline acquisition, forward Jake Guentzel, continues to recover from an oblique injury and watched from high above, also earning a big from Canes fans when shown on the big board.

Down on the ice, the Hurricanes looked like a team that’s feeling it after the big moves at the trade deadline. The crowd was into it, the team into it.

“There’s just new energy,” Svechnikov said. “We know what kind of players they are, (among) the best in this league. It has us excited and we can’t wait to play more games.”

The past few days have been a blur for Kuznetsov. Traded Friday by the Caps to the Canes, he was at Carolina’s practice by early afternoon, hopped on the team charter to New Jersey and was in the lineup Saturday against the Devils.

No rest Sunday, either. Kuznetsov was used as the fourth-line center in his first game, playing 13 minutes in a 4-2 win. But with Jack Drury out with an injury, he moved to second-line center with Stefan Noesen and Martin Necas on his wings for the Calgary game.

“It was good emotions when they cheered for me,” Kuznetsov said of Canes fans. “It gives you extra energy. This is a fun place, a fun atmosphere. My job is just to make things work ... and bring something special.”

The Canes, dominated the first period Sunday: shots, shot attempts, possession time. Forward Brenden Lemieux dropped the gloves to throw punches with Brayden Pachal in the second period, and the Canes won that one, too.

“There’s no doubt the guys are pretty excited with the new additions,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You can tell the talent “Kuzy’ has. It’s evident. Glad he’s on our team.

“It makes our team better when you add that kind of skill level. Now, it’s a matter of the fit. You’ve got to get fit right.”

Jordan Martinook scored off an Aho setup pass, and Aho after a give-and-go with Teravainen in the first period. Chatfield ripped in a long shot 17 seconds into the second, and Svechnikov scored off the rush at 1:15 of the period for a 4-0 lead, leaving Flames goalie Dan Vladar shaking his head.

“If we keep shooting the puck, I believe good things are going to happen like it happened tonight,” Chatfield said.

Andersen made a spectacular desperation save in the second, reaching back with his stick to get a piece of a Mikael Backlund shot. Brent Burns later scored for a 5-1 lead — Jaccob Slavin with the assist for his 259th career point, the most for a Hurricanes defenseman in franchise history.

Jarvis scored his 20th of the season with 34 seconds left in the period for a 6-1 advantage, and Teravainen picked up his 21st in the third.

Brayden Hunt had a goal for the Flames in the second period, but that came after it was 4-0. Calgary, beaten 5-1 Saturday at Florida, scored in the third as Yegor Sharangovich knocked in an easy one after Andersen misplayed the puck in front of the crease.

Next up for the Canes: the Rangers. Then, Florida on Thursday.

That should make for some intense games this week in, as Kuznetsov would say, the “hell” of PNC Arena.