Hurricanes exorcise demons in demolition of Panthers

Nikolaj Ehlers had a hat trick to help the Carolina Hurricanes finally break through against the Florida Panthers, winning 9-1 on Friday night at Raleigh, N.C.

Ehlers, who also had an assist, scored the game's first goal and two of the team's six goals in the final period for his sixth career hat trick. Nine Hurricanes had multiple points.

Taylor Hall had two goals and Mark Jankowski, Alexander Nikishin, Andrei Svechnikov and Eric Robinson also scored for the Hurricanes, who bounced back after a pair of road losses. Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho, Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven all had two assists, while Jankowski notched three points, and Nikishin and Svechnikov each finished with two-point nights in Carolina's highest scoring output of the season.

Brandon Bussi made 15 saves as the Hurricanes, who were eliminated from the playoffs two of the last three seasons by Florida, excelled in the third meeting between the teams in less than a month's span. The Panthers won the first two clashes this season.

Florida's Uvis Balinskis scored 1:19 into the second period to tie the score, but the Panthers had only eight shots through two periods.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in perhaps the most forgettable outing of his career as he allowed a career-high nine goals.

The Hurricanes scored on six of 12 third-period shots. Fourteen Carolina players had at least one point. Svechnikov posted his 400th career point along the way.

The game's pace slowed considerably across the final 30 minutes with a regular dose of penalties. Carolina's third, fourth, fifth and sixth goals all came on power plays. The Hurricanes were 4-for-5 on power plays, while Florida went 0-for-5.

Ehlers' second goal and Hall's first goal came with extra-man advantages just 21 seconds apart in the second period to open a 6-1 lead.

Forward Cole Schwindt returned to Florida's lineup for the first time since Nov. 17 after missing 26 games because of a broken arm. He had less than 8:30 of ice time.