Hurricanes beat Rangers, win Metropolitan title

NEW YORK (AP) — Vincent Trochek had a goal and an assist, rookie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 31 shots and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 4-3 Tuesday night to win their fifth straight and clinch the Metropolitan Division title.

Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Martinook also scored for Carolina, and Brady Skjei had two assists. The Hurricanes, who won their second straight division title after winning the realigned Central Division in last year's shortened season, set franchise records with 53 wins and 114 points, topping marks set in 2005-06.

“I think you probably need to take a minute and just realize that it's a pretty darn good year, we've done what we wanted to do,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. “What's great is guys aren't really that excited about it. They know there's bigger things we're trying to accomplish."

This was matchup of the top two teams in the Metropolitan with first place within reach for the Rangers. Instead, the Hurricanes beat them for the third time in four meetings this season — including twice at Madison Square Garden in 15 days — to take the division.

“I look forward to these kind of games," Skjei said. "This was a huge win for us. We are very pumped up that we won the division.”

Kochetkov, making his second career start and third straight appearance, had 11 saves in the first period, 11 in the second and nine in the third to improve to 3-0-0.

“It's a great story, hopefully it continues," Brind'Amour said of the 22-year-old goalie. "Nothing is fazing him. He looks like he belongs.”

Chris Kreider scored his 52nd goal for the Rangers, who have lost two straight and three of seven and are assured of finishing second in the Metropolitan. Jacob Trouba and Alexis