NHL Recaps: Mikko Rantanen shines in Finland, and Sebastian Aho leads Canes
The Daily Goal Horn
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NHL Recaps: November 4, 2022
The NHL schedule for Friday had just two games slated but one came all the way from across the sea in Finland.
Mikko Rantanen put on a show in his native land as part of the NHL’s Global Series to lead the Colorado Avalanche to victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Back in the U.S. another Finn had a big day as Sebastian Aho took it to the Buffalo Sabres to get his Carolina Hurricanes a win.
NHL Recaps: Mikko Rantanen shines in homeland
Avalanche 6 vs Blue Jackets 3
Mikko Rantanen recorded his fourth career hat trick and added an assist in his home country, Cale Makar had a goal and an assist and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3 in a Global Series meeting on Friday in Tampere, Finland.
Rantanen put the Avalanche up for good when he scored a power-play goal from the right circle at 8:54. He completed the hat trick when Elvis Merzlikins went off for an extra skater scoring his seventh of the season into the empty net at 18:56.
The Finnish crowd then chanted his name until the game was over.
“It was really cool, I didn’t expect it,” Rantanen said via NHL.com. “I thought the crowd was really good the whole game. I was happy there. I was surprised and it gave me chills, you know.”
Logan O’Connor and J.T. Compher also scored, Nathan MacKinnon had four assists, Devon Toews had two assists and Alexandar Georgiev had 36 saves for the Avalanche.
Patrik Laine, also a Finnish native, had a goal and an assist, Jakub Voracek and Sean Kuraly also scored and Merzlikins turned away 31 shots for the Blue Jackets.
The teams play again Saturday to complete the two-game set.
NHL Recaps: Sebastian Aho leads Canes
Hurricanes 5 vs Sabres 3
Sebastian Aho had three goals and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes settled in after a disturbing opening stretch to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-3 on Friday night in Raleigh, N.C.
His final goal was an empty-netter with 2:14 remaining for his fifth career hat trick.
“It wasn’t easy but, obviously, we scored a goal pretty early there and got the confidence going,” Aho said. “My line was pretty good today, so it definitely helped me.”
NHL.com
Martin Necas posted the winning goal and two assists in the second period with his seventh goal of the season as the Hurricanes pushed their winning streak to four games. Jesperi Kotkaniemi provided his first goal of the season in the third period while Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen finished with two assists apiece.
Jacob Bryson and Victor Olofsson scored for the Sabres in the first period, but their efficiency on the offensive end eventually waned. Rasmus Dahlin’s seventh goal of the season came in the final second. Jack Quinn had two assists.
Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta stopped 22 shots, while Sabres goalie Craig Anderson made 28 saves.
–Field Level Media