Jake Guentzel, Olli Maatta, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins, who have a six-game winning streak.

Kessel assisted on the game's first goal, so he had a three-point game. Guentzel, who assisted on both of Kessel's goals, and Malkin also both had three points.

It continued a special week for the Kessel family. The Pittsburgh right winger's sister, Amanda Kessel, was one of the standouts for the U.S. goal medal team in the Olympics.

Penguins goalie Matt Murray made 27 saves. He allowed only Teuvo Teravainen's second-period goal.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward stopped 33 shots. The Hurricanes have gone 0-3-1 across their last four games after they had moved into playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

This was the final of 10 February home games for Carolina, which went 4-4-2 in those games. The Hurricanes play their next three games on the road.

The Penguins have scored 29 goals in their winning streak. This was their third consecutive game with at least five goals.

Maatta stretched the Penguins' lead to 2-0 with a goal just 46 seconds into the second period.

Teravainen tallied for the Hurricanes 79 seconds later.

Kessel's two goals came within a 2-minute, 14-second stretch. He had gone the previous six games without a goal.

Crosby's goal came on a third-period power play.

Also Friday night, the Penguins announced the acquisition of forward Derick Brassard in a three-team trade with Ottawa and Vegas.

Pittsburgh traded defenseman Ian Cole, goalie Filip Gustavsson, a 2018 first-round draft pick and a 2019 third-round selection to the Senators. The Penguins sent forward Ryan Reaves and a 2018 fourth-round draft pick originally acquired from Vancouver to the Golden Knights.

The Hurricanes played without center Jordan Staal, a former Penguin, as he missed the game because of a personal/family matter.

--Field Level Media