Canes Corner

Logan Stankoven notched his first career NHL hat trick and Sean Walker had 4 assists as the Canes dominated the Canucks, 7-2.  K'Andre Miller's goal just 78 seconds into the game was a sign of what was to come.  Before the midpoint of the period Andre Svechnikov would score twice on the power play.  Then, after Mark Jankowski scored his second goal in as many games to make it 4-0, Stankoven ran off three straight Canes goals for a natural hat trick and the rout was complete.  Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves in the win.  Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake and Shayne Gostisbehere each had 2 assists in the win.  The Hurricanes were perfect on special teams, going 3 for 3 on the power play and killing off all 4 Vancouver chances with the man advantage -- plus, the first of Stankoven's goals came shorthanded.  

Sebastian Aho's 3 point night and Taylor Hall's two goals helped the Canes to a 6-4 win in Montreal as Carolina won for the second straight game.  Aho now how 7 points in his last 3 games as he's scored on the power play in all three.  Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski each had a goal and an assist with the latter taking a feed from the former on the go-ahead goal in the 2nd period.  Jaccob Slavin had 2 assists on the night.  Brandon Bussi got his first win of the season but allowed 4 goals on 20 shots on the night.  Carolina was 1 for 5 on the power play and killed off 5 of 6 Montreal man advantage situations -- including nearly 1:45 of 5-on-3 time.  The Canes are 17 for 19 on the penalty kill so far this year.

Sebastian Aho scored twice and Shayne Gostisbehere's overtime power play goal helped the Canes get their first win of the season in a 3-2 win in Philadelphia.  Aho's first of the game came just 10 seconds into the 1st period as the Canes led for the first time this season.  His second came on a 3rd period power play that tied the game at 2-2.  Then he had one of the assists on the Gostisbehere game winner.  Pyotr Kochetkov made his first start since December 20 and made 16 saves in the win.  Carolina looked very much like themselves for the first time, out-shooting the Flyers 40-18.

The Hurricanes dropped their second straight home game to start the season, losing 5-2 to the Capitals as Brandon Bussi struggled in his second start of the year.  Bussi, who was outstanding in the opener even though he allowed a very saveable overtime goal in the 1-0 loss to Florida, allowed 5 goals on 27 shots to the Caps.  Unfortunately, three of them should have been stopped.  The Canes weren't great by any means, but the eventual 4-0 deficit early in the 2nd period was too much to overcome.  Sebastian Aho and Logan Stankoven scored for the Canes who failed to win either of their first two games for the first time in Rod Brind'Amour's coaching reign.

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Gustav Forsling's goal, just 4.3 seconds from the end of the overtime, beat Brandon Bussi and the Hurricanes, 1-0, in Carolina's opening game.  Brandon Bussi stopped 19 shots, but couldn't get Forsling's drive from just inside the blue line was the difference.  The Canes were 0 for 6 on the power play, though they did kill all seven of the Panthers' tries with the man advantage, so the special teams were a wash.  Prior to the game the Hurricanes raised their Stanley Cup championship banner to a rowsing ovation from the sellout crowd.

Brandon Bussi made 22 saves and six different Hurricanes players scored as the Canes whipped the Predators, 6-0, to close the preseason on a 3-game winning streak.  Jackson Blake, Jordan Martinook, Nikolaj Ehlers, Logan Stankoven, Mark Jankowski and Andrei Svechnikov each scored in the win.  The Canes went 3 out of 4 on the power play and shut Nashville down while shorthanded as the penalty kill was a perfect 5 for 5.  

Felix Unger-Sorum and Charles-Alexis Legault each made their cases for available roster spots and Bussi was outstanding as he gets ready for his opening night start on Tuesday.

The Hurricanes played their first game in Greensboro in 27 years and it did not disappoint as they rallied with 5 unanswered goals to beat the Predators, 6-5.

Logan Stankoven scored twice, including the goal that tied the game at 5-5.  Then, with 2.6 seconds remainins, Felix Unger-Sorum took a feed from Bradly Nadeau and wristed home the winner.  The second round pick in 2023, who also had the primary assist on Stankoven's game-tying goal, gets his second game-winning goal in two games as it was his shootout goal that finished off the Panthers on Tuesday night. 

Taylor Hall had 3 assists and Jackson Blake added a helper on the second Stankoven goal as that trio continues their assault on the scoresheet.  They combined for 54 points in the 19 playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup.  

Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist in the game, Juha Jaaska and Jusso Valimaki each added goals as well.  Only downer was Pyotr Kochetkov allowed 5 goals for the second straight game, though he did rally to play well in the 3rd period.  

Canes will likely dress their entire NHL lineup on Saturday in Nashville.

Bradly Nadeau and Justin Robidas each scored their second goals in as many games and Felix Unger Sorum netted the shootout winner as the Canes beat the Panthers, 3-2.  

Carolina once again rode the scoring of their prospects against Florida's full lineup as Nadeau's 2nd of the preseason tied the game at 1 in the first period.  Then, Robidas' 2nd of the exhibition season tied the game at 2 in the second period.  Nadeau would give the Hurricanes the lead in the shootout with a slick forehand-backhand move to beat Akira Schmid.  Then Cayden Primeau -- who came on for Brandon Bussi in the middle of the second period -- denied Carter Verhaeghe which set the stage for Unger Sorum's game deciding goal.

Bussi allowed 2 goals on 13 shots.  Primeau stopped all 20 he saw.  Mike Reilly led all defenseman in time on ice.  Nadeau's 25:10 TOI led all skaters on either team.

The Hurricanes lost, 6-3, in Florida.  But, the night was more about how than what.  And how some of the Canes young roster hopefuls played was a mixed bag.  It was a strong start for Pyotr Kochetkov, but a sideways second period didn't help his confidence.  It was his first game action in 9 months, so....We'll talk forwards, like Justin Robidas, Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum.  There are a couple of roster spots open on the blue line if Alexander Nikishin doesn't sign, so we get into that discussion as well.  

What should the Hurricanes do with Alexander Nikishin?  Give him a big, long-term contract or do a short-term -- bridge -- deal?  What kind of player is Nikishin?  Is he a catalyst, like Montreal's Lane Hutson or Ducks' young blueliner Jackson Lacombe?  I'm joined by Daily Faceoff host Jonny Lazarus to talk Nikishin, other Canes future questions and the real Metro contenders.