Jesperi Kotkaniemi scores twice, Hurricanes beat Jets 5-3

Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin (74) battles for the puck with Winnipeg Jets goaltender David Rittich (33) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, March 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

Jesperi Kotkaniemi had two goals and an assist, Jack Drury scored his first goal of the season and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei, also scored for the Hurricanes, who've endured sudden offensive woes and the loss of a star player during the past week. Kotkaniemi's second goal of the game was an empty-netter with four seconds left.

Frederik Andersen made 21 saves just hours after the Hurricanes announced that All-Star forward Andrei Svechnikov will have surgery for a torn knee ligament and miss the rest of the season.

Dylan DeMelo, Nikolaj Ehlers and Nino Niederreiter scored for the Jets, whose two-game winning streak ended. David Rittich made 20 saves.

About five minutes after the Jets closed within a goal, Drury put the Hurricanes back up by two with 10:26 remaining in his first game back from the American Hockey League.

Niederreiter, a former Hurricane, scored his 22nd goal with 4:22 to play to make it 4-3.

SURGERY SCHEDULED

Svechnikov, the team's lone All-Star this season, was injured Saturday night against Vegas, and went to New Jersey for a game the next day. He was scratched from that game as the severity of the injury became more apparent. He'll have reconstructive surgery Thursday on his right anterior cruciate ligament.

A 22-year-old top-line forward, he's tied for second the team with 55 points and third with 23 goals. He has been a key part of Carolina's four consecutive playoff berths.

When shown on the overhead scoreboard sitting in the press box during the second period, Svechnikov received a standing ovation.

NOTES: Jets D Josh Morrissey, the team's second-leading points producer with 67, missed his second game in a row with lower-body injury. … The Jets beat the Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime in Winnipeg on Nov. 21.