Nikolaj Ehlers’ hat trick powers Hurricanes past Panthers 9-1 (Image via: Getty Images) Nikolaj Ehlers stood out on Friday night, powering the Carolina Hurricanes to a lopsided 9-1 win over the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center. In a game that swung decisively after the opening stages, Carolina turned sustained pressure into a ruthless offensive display.The result snapped a brief skid for the Hurricanes and underscored their growing comfort with new personnel in key roles, particularly Ehlers, whose night stood out as both productive and symbolic.
Nikolaj Ehlers records hat trick in Hurricanes’ 9-1 win over Panthers
Ehlers recorded a hat trick and added an assist, marking his first three-goal game with Carolina since signing a six-year, $51 million contract in free agency. Playing alongside Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook, Ehlers benefited from heavy forechecking and puck recovery, which consistently opened space through the middle of the ice. His first goal late in the opening period set the tone, and the Hurricanes never looked back once the game opened up.Florida briefly found life early in the second period when Uvis Balinskis tied the game, a goal that also carried historical significance as it involved two Latvia-born players on the same scoring play. That moment, however, proved to be the high point for the Panthers. Carolina responded with authority, reclaiming the lead midway through the second period and steadily pulling away through disciplined structure and special teams execution.The Hurricanes’ power play was decisive, converting four times on five opportunities. Alexander Nikishin kept his strong start to his debut season going with a goal and an assist, showing off the heavy shot that has quickly become a big part of the Hurricanes’ power play. Andrei Svechnikov added a power-play goal to reach the 400-point mark in his NHL career, while Taylor Hall scored by doing smart work around the crease.Mark Jankowski contributed with a goal and two assists, was effective in faceoffs, and made opportunities for additional goals, while Brandon Bussi remained composed despite limited playing time. The Hurricanes had good passing, entered the zone without trouble, and made simple plays, putting pressure consistently on the Florida Penalty Kill.For the Panthers, the night unraveled in the third period as penalties mounted and structure slipped. Sergei Bobrovsky faced constant traffic and finished with 26 saves in a difficult outing. Florida now turns its focus forward, but this loss served as a reminder of how quickly games can tilt when discipline and execution falter.For Carolina, the performance felt like a turning point. With Ehlers finding chemistry and the power play clicking, the Hurricanes looked every bit like a team rounding into form at the right time.