Kochetkov Wins 10th Straight Start As Hurricanes Beat Jets 7–0

Pyotr Kochetkov won his 10th consecutive start to open the season Sunday, stopping 26 Winnipeg shots as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Jets 7–0 at Lenovo Center. Sean Walker scored twice in Carolina’s fourth straight victory.

The result put Kochetkov alongside Carey Price, who opened 2016–17 with 10 wins for Montreal. Toronto’s Jack Campbell holds the NHL record with 11 consecutive victories to begin 2020–21. According to AP reporting, Kochetkov also extended the longest winning streak by a goaltender in Hurricanes franchise history.

Carolina scored once in the first period, four times in the second and twice in the third. Walker opened the scoring shorthanded at 5:16. Carolina defenseman Juuso Valimaki made it 2–0 at 1:55 of the second, and Sebastian Aho added a power-play goal just 24 seconds later.

Walker’s second goal arrived at 7:41 of the middle period, followed by Logan Stankoven at 9:09. Mark Jankowski scored on the power play in the third before Jesperi Kotkaniemi completed the scoring. The official scoring record lists seven goals from six different Hurricanes.

Kochetkov’s second shutout this season brought his career total to 13. Winnipeg replaced Stuart Skinner after he allowed five goals on 17 shots; Clay Stevenson stopped 13 of 15 in relief. The Jets’ winless stretch reached nine games, with seven regulation losses and two overtime losses.

Carolina improved to 12–2–2, while Winnipeg dropped to 4–8–3 after the afternoon game.

The Hurricanes finished with 32 shots to Winnipeg’s 26. Their scoring sequence included a shorthanded goal, two power-play goals and four at even strength. Kotkaniemi’s goal came at 8:38 of the third period, giving Carolina its final seven-goal margin with 11:22 remaining.

Carolina visits Nashville on Tuesday, while Winnipeg travels to Montreal. Another victory in Kochetkov’s next appearance would equal Campbell’s season-opening record; the next starter remains unannounced.