"I almost cry a little bit": Evgeny Kuznetsov emotional after scoring first Hurricanes goal since trade from Capitals

Veteran forward Evgeny Kuznetsov became emotional after scoring his first goal for the Carolina Hurricanes following his trade from the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals traded Kuznetsov to the Hurricanes on trade deadline day and received a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in exchange. The trade to the Hurracanes came following 723 games and 11 seasons with the Caps. Kuznetsov has played four games for the Hurricanes since his arrival from the Capitals.

On Thursday night, the veteran forward scored his first goal for the Hurricanes, who beat the Florida Panthers 4-0. In his post-game interview, Kuznetsov said:

"I just want to say thanks to the fans. I almost cry a little bit. It's been a long time for me. I've been dealing with some big issues. That support is huge for me, and my wife was here tonight, so, you know, kids watching parents, so that's all for them."

Evgeny Kuznetsov understands his role in the team and the expectations that come with it. He reckons it's the perfect moment to step up and show his worth:

"I understand why I'm here and why this team (brought me in). Not just to be the funny guy and smile. They need us to perform, get the points, and help the team. It felt like today was the day we had to step up."

Meanwhile, Jake Guentzel, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins, also notched up his first point for the Hurricanes. The 29-year-old winger provided an assist for Martin Necas' goal, which put the Hurricanes up 2-0 in the second period.

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How Evgeny Kuznetsov and Hurricanes beat the Panthers

On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena with a dominant performance to shut out the league leaders.

Josh Mahura put the Hurricanes ahead 47 seconds into the first period. Martin Necas made it 2-0 for after one-timing Dmitry Orlov's rebound from the right circle to the left post at 2:46 of the second period.

Evgeny Kuznetsov extended the hosts' advantage to 3-0 at 8:27, converting a long pass from Jalen Chatfield from the right point to beat Sergei Bobrovsky. Andrei Svechnikov scored on an empty net at 15:42 of the third period to complete the resounding win.

Frederik Andersen made 21 saves and registered his first shutout career win. Evgeny Kuznetsov and the Hurricanes next take on the Leafs on Saturday, while the Panthers will be up against the Lightning.