Carolina Hurricanes defeat Seattle Kraken 4-1 in Helsinki opener
Sebastian Aho scored twice as the reigning Stanley Cup champions beat their rivals in front of a Finnish crowd.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
The National Hockey League’s Global Series began in the Helsinki capital with a decisive win for the reigning champions. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Thursday, extending their recent winning streak.
Sebastian Aho, a native of Finland, scored twice for the visitors. He added to a goal and an assist by Nikolaj Ehlers and a goal by defenseman Juuso Välimäki. The Hurricanes, who are 15-3-2 on the season, have won seven of their last eight games.
The team built a quick lead in the first period. Ehlers scored from the blue line with 8:16 left in the first. Aho followed immediately on a power play, assisted by Jackson Blake, to make the score 2-0. Aho closed out the scoring with a one-timer from the slot in the third period.
Left winger Taylor Hall marked a personal milestone during the game. The 34-year-old played in his 1,000th NHL contest, becoming the first player to reach that mark in an overseas game. In his 17th season, Hall has recorded 305 goals and 488 assists.
Goalie Brandon Bussi stopped 12 shots for Carolina. For Seattle, which falls to 9-7-1, Frederick Gaudreau scored the only goal. Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves for the Kraken.
This matchup represents the 49th regular-season NHL game played outside North America. It is the 12th held in Finland and the eighth in Helsinki. The Kraken made their first regular-season trip abroad, becoming the 27th active franchise to play a game outside North America.
The two teams will play their second game of the series in Helsinki on Saturday.
