The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2 Thursday night at United Center.
It was an epic beatdown by the Hurricanes, who were even without seven starters, as they continued to hold strong to their spot atop the Eastern Conference.
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Here are seven takeaways from the win:
The Carolina Hurricanes came into the game against the Blackhawks with one thing in mind: getting their top guys some rest.
Now that’s both a comment on the Hurricanes’ current playoff position, locked in to the top spot of the Metropolitan Division, but also to how lowly the Blackhawks, the league’s 31st ranked team, are.
Because even despite resting seven key players — Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Jalen Chatfield — they still laid the boot to Chicago, scoring seven goals on 22 shots.
“You score on the first shift and that just set the tone,” said Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour. “It’s obviously better to play ahead and then we didn’t really have too many lapses in the game. I thought we just played a solid road game. Overall, just everybody had their hand in it.”
In total, 11 different players found their way onto the scoresheet Thursday night.
Logan Stankoven led the way for Carolina with two goals and three points and other standout performances included those by Mark Jankowski (2g) and William Carrier (3a).
In fact, all but one of the team’s anticipated playoff starters registered at least one point in the contest (Eric Robinson did not have a point).
“It just creates confidence for everybody and that’s what we’re gonna need in these last few games and into the playoffs,” Stankoven said. “It’s nice when everyone can chip in. It’s great for the team, but it’s also great individually. It makes everyone feel good.”
The only non-assumed playoff starter to even register a point was Nicolas Deslauriers, who picked up his first point as a Hurricane with a secondary assist on the seventh and final goal of the game.
“That was awesome,” Jankowski said. “Before my second one there, he was joking on the bench like, ‘Guys, get me a touch, get me my first one,’ so when he got the assist, he was just fired up. We got the puck for him, his first point as a Cane. He’s been huge in our locker room and on the ice when he’s been in. It’s been a pleasure to play with him and it’s great for him to get his first point there.”
Nicolas Desluariers celebrates his first Carolina Hurricanes point. © Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Even though they didn’t end up on the scoresheet, it was still a solid night for the team’s four AHL callups.
Bradly Nadeau, Skyler Brind’Amour, Josiah Slavin and Charles Alexis Legault all got time on the PK, which went a perfect 4-for-4, and each held their own in their 15+ minutes of ice time.
Nadeau didn’t have as much opportunity for power play looks, as the team only got one call their way and Nadeau himself cancelled it out after just 56 seconds, but he still had three shot attempts, a block and four hits.
Brind’Amour also went 8-for-10 on draws and nearly had a redirect goal, but it was called off due to his contact with Spencer Knight.
“I thought they did a great job,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s not the easiest thing to throw all of them in, but I thought they did a great job. On the kill we used them and just everywhere. We had to put them in. There was no, ‘Uh, oh. They’re on the ice,’ type of thing.
“You have to kind of know your people and they fit perfectly. They know how to play and they know how we play. Obviously they’re not replacing the guys we had out, but it helps when you have guys that know what they’re doing. Kudos to them.”
“Our system is pretty straight up so anyone can squeeze right in,” Carrier said. “They play the same way down there, so they fit right in like they had been here all season with us.”
There were certainly a lot of people in my mentions this year that said very adamantly that Logan Stankoven was not a second-line center.
Well, now that the 23 year old has eclipsed the 20-goal and 40-point milestones this season, it’s kind of crazy how I don’t really see those same complaints anymore.
“It’s what you dream of as a kid,” Stankoven said on the milestone moment. “A lot of work, for sure, and I know it’s far from over. I’m gonna keep getting better every game. I think I’m far from a finished product and I just want to be the best version I can of myself.
Stankoven made the move back to his natural position of center to start the year, that being just his second full NHL season at that, and so you knew it was gonna take some time for him to really get used to it.
But really right away, he found some strong chemistry with Jackson Blake and a variety of other linemates, whether that was Nikolaj Ehlers or Taylor Hall, and his lines had consistently been one of the most possession dominant in the league.
He wasn’t getting any bounces for a while there, but now the pucks are finally starting to drop for him and his numbers are matching what his expected production has always been, as Stankoven now ranks 25th in the league in 5v5 goals amongst true centers.
“We’ve been talking about him all year and he went through that stretch where he wasn’t scoring, but he was getting those chances and it was just a matter of time and clearly that’s what’s happening here lately,” Brind’Amour said.
Stankoven is also the sixth Hurricane this season to reach the 20-goal milestone, tied not only for the most in the league this year, but also the most in franchise history.
“I think it’s a great confidence booster,” Stankoven said. “There’s times when it has been frustrating when you get a lot of chances and they don’t go in, but I’ve kind of said to my linemates on the bench, for all the times they’ve set me up and I’ve missed or hit posts and it didn’t go in, that it’s kind of nice now that they are starting to fall and drop in for me.”
It seems like Hall can’t stop scoring now that he’s finally earned his 300th career goal.
Before he got that goal in Ottawa, Hall had gone seven games without a tally, but was racking up the assists and chances.
He’s still getting assists now too as his production continues to climb, but his scoring touch seems to be back too, scoring his 18th of the season, and third straight, on Thursday (could we see a seventh player reach 20?).
The Masterton nominee has been a key part of Carolina’s offense all year and he’s been the perfect mentor for Blake and Stankoven.
It also shouldn’t be overlooked that Hall was the one player given a letter to wear with the entire leadership team up in the press box.
The 34-year-old is a long-time veteran of the game, but he’s also a well respected member of the Hurricanes.
A lot of talk has been made about the Hurricanes’ current goaltender situation and how it’ll play out come Game 1 of the playoffs.
For me, it’s really come down to a game-by-game basis on who can emerge as the strongest candidate in these last few games.
While Brandon Bussi has had the better overall body of work this year, he’s really struggled since the Olympic break.
Frederik Andersen hasn’t been that impressive either to be honest as of late, but tonight was certainly another point in his favor.
The veteran netminder made 23 saves in the win, even stopping a handful of grade-A chances for the Hawks, none bigger than his breakaway stop on Nick Lardis.
“That’s what you need in a game like that,” Brind’Amour said on the timely saves. “We had a couple gaffes, guys falls down and gives up a breakaway. You don’t see that very often and that’s a big turning point in the game if they score there. That was probably the save of the game for me.”
Freddie was very solid overall for Carolina in a game they were actually outshot in, with none of the two goals he gave up even being remotely on him.
As we get closer and closer to the postseason, let’s also not forget the fact that Andersen has been a steady playoff performer.
Yes, he had a poor outing in 2024 against the Rangers, but other than that, the Danish netminder has come up strong in many different series for Carolina.
That experience counts for something.
Frederik Andersen stops Nick Lardis in on a breakaway. © Matt Marton-Imagn Images
With the win, the Canes moved back into sole possession of the top spot in the Eastern Conference (108 points)
They now sit two points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres (106) and have a game in hand on them.
However, the Sabres have four more regulation wins than the Hurricanes, meaning they’ll actually finish ahead of Carolina should they end up tied in points and there’s no way for the Canes to nullify that tiebreaker.
Buffalo isn’t the only team the Canes have to worry about either though, as both the Montreal Canadiens (104) and Tampa Bay Lightning (102) are still in the race too, although they have a much more difficult route to the top.
Montreal can’t catch the Canes in regulation wins, so they’ll need to finish with more points. For that to happen, the Canadiens would have to secure five or more points more than the Hurricanes in each’s last three games.
Tampa Bay meanwhile has to win out just to catch Carolina in points, which means any points gained by the Canes would eliminate the Lightning from being able to catch them.
However, should the Hurricanes lose out and Tampa Bay catches them, the Lighting hold the edge in regulation wins and would finish ahead.
But the Hurricanes control their own destiny and so the best thing for them to do is just to keep winning.
One win would mean that Buffalo remains their only opponent in the race for the East and three points in any fashion would officially secure the conference crown regardless of what anyone else does.
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