RALEIGH — Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour shrugged off a question on the local broadcast before the game about who he thinks his team’s surprise player might be this postseason. Instead, Brind’Amour said his team will be successful if everyone does their job.
He got exactly that in Sunday’s Game 1 against the New Jersey Devils.
Logan Stankoven had two second period goals and Carolina nearly doubled up the Devils in shots, dominating Game 1 for a 4-1 Easter matinee win at Lenovo Center.
“For us to win, we’re going to need 20 guys chipping in and after a game going, ‘OK, I contributed some way, somehow,’” Brind’Amour said. “And I think that’s what we got tonight.”
After a dominant opening 20 minutes, the Hurricanes took control in the second — and it was Stankoven doing the damage.
Already up 1-0 on a Jalen Chatfield goal at 2:24 of the first, Carolina doubled its lead early in the second thanks to its forecheck.
Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook pressured Nico Hischier behind the New Jersey net, and the Devils captain bobbled the puck.
Martinook whacked it to Stankoven in the slot, and the rookie’s shot trickled through Jacob Markstrom (41 saves) to double the lead at 6:37 of the second.
“I love playing in the big games and meaningful hockey,” said Stankoven, who played 19 playoff games with the Stars last season and came to Carolina at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas. “I’m motivated to try and contribute in any way possible, and it’s always a nice feeling to get on the score sheet.”
Stankoven then struck again, this time on the power play. Taylor Hall corralled a bouncing puck along the left boards and zipped a cross-ice pass to Stankoven, who shot off the far post and in to extend the lead to 3-0 at 13:08 of the middle frame.
“Those are two great additions for us,” Brind’Amour said of acquiring Hall and Stankoven in midseason trades.
Hischier’s goal late in the second period — at 4-on-4 because Timo Meier and Shayne Gostisbehere were serving matching minors — came on a rush up the left wing, and he fired a shot past Frederik Andersen (23 saves) to the far side to give New Jersey a glimmer of hope.
But after a good push by the Devils to start the third, Carolina regained control of the game, and Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net goal with 2:28 remaining to seal the win.
“It’s just one game,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said, “and hopefully a long run ahead of us here, and we’ll take the win.”
The Hurricanes got off to a fast start thanks to an offensive zone faceoff win.
Jack Roslovic won a draw that Eric Robinson pushed back to the right point.
Chatfield’s shot made its way through a William Carrier screen and past Markstrom to make it 1-0 at 2:24 of the opening period.
“The building was already rocking before, but after we got the first one, it got even louder,” Chatfield said. “And we can build behind that, and we’re gonna continue to do that and just keep playing our game. “
Brind’Amour had tough decisions to make with a fully healthy lineup, going with Roslovic over Mark Jankowski on the fourth line, starting Andersen over Pyotr Kochetkov and deciding to keep his defense intact instead of shoehorning in prized prospect Alexander Nikishin.
“I guess you could say we made the right decisions,” Brind’Amour said. “I think we really couldn’t go wrong.”
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe, meanwhile, said the second period — when New Jersey was outshot 21-8 — sealed his team’s fate.
“I thought the second period we were just overwhelmed. … To a man, myself included, we’re going to have to be better in Game 2, clearly,” he said.
Notes: Ruslan Khazheyev, Jankowski, Tyson Jost, Nikishin and Riley Stillman were healthy scratches for Carolina. … New Jersey defenseman Brenden Dillon left the game in the second period after he appeared to hit his head on the ice after being tangled up with Carrier in front of the Devils net. … Devils forward Cody Glass was injured in the third when Markstrom attempted to slash Svechnikov and instead hit his teammate. … New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes also briefly left the game in the third period, cradling his arm as he went to the locker room, but he returned for the final minutes. … Hall finished with two points. … Nine of Carolina’s 18 skaters had at least a point. … Jesperi Kotkaniemi won 3 of 15 faceoffs. … Robinson had a game-high eight hits.
