Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) congratulates goalie Frederik Andersen (31) following their 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Stankoven scored two goals, and Andersen had 24 saves to secure the victory. Robert Willett [email protected]
Raleigh
It almost seemed fitting that Jesper Fast was back in the building Sunday as the Carolina Hurricanes began the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The forward the Canes called “Quickie” has not played a game since the last game of the 2023-24 regular season, when he went crashing into the boards in a meaningless road game against Columbus Blue Jackets. A neck injury kept him out all of this season and has jeopardized his hockey career.
But there he was Sunday, smiling, his young daughter with him, sounding the warning siren before the start of the second period of Game 1 against the New Jersey Devils. He then watched as Logan Stankoven joined Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook in helping the Canes add to their lead, Stankoven scoring twice in what would be a 4-1 victory at the Lenovo Center.
Fast was once the guy playing on Staal’s line opposite Martinook. It was a line that hounded the puck and was adept at keeping it, forechecking, cycling the puck. Without it, they often stifled the other team’s best, most skilled and productive lines.
It’s Stankoven’s turn now.
Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) offers fans a puck as he is recognized for scoring two goals following the HurricanesÕ 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett [email protected]
‘He adds some skill and some finish’
It didn’t happen at once. Stankoven was traded to Canes on March 7, in the deal that sent disgruntled forward Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars. Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour used him on different lines, but then settled on having Stankoven at right wing on the Staal line, alongside the two veterans.
“It’s a safety net for guys to play with two guys who do it the right way every shift, or certainly try to,” Brind’Amour said after the game. ”There’s a lot of comfort there for any player who gets to play with guys like that.”
Staal, asked about Stankoven, smiled and said he and Martinook provide the big bodies and Stankoven, maybe 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, provides the good hands.
“He adds some skill and some finish,” Staal said. “There’s usually some space when you play with me and ‘Marty.’ We try to make some space for each other but obviously for our ‘lineys.’
“When you play physical and you play in their end, you get a lot of opportunities. He’s a player who can finish off and create some stuff with the space he gets.”
Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) celebrates with teammate Jordan Staal (11) and Jordan Martinook (48) after scoring his first of two goals in the second period against the New Jersey Devils in the first game of the playoffs on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett [email protected]
Stankoven is 22 and still a rookie, and was playing his first playoff game with the Hurricanes in a very loud building. But no nerves. He got in 19 playoff games with the Stars and had three goals and eight points.
Stankoven’s first goal Sunday was the game-winner. It came after Martinook went behind the Devils net, knocked the puck away from Nico Hischier and pushed it to Stankoven.
Stankoven, who has a quick release, beat goalie Jacob Markstrom for a 2-0 lead and later added a power-play goal for a 3-0 cushion in being named the game’s first star.
“It’s definitely nice having a couple of big bodies on my line,” Stankoven said. “They do such a good job of creating space for me and I think we can thrive down low.
“Honestly, I didn’t think we had a lot of in-zone time today and that’s something we’ll look to do more of moving forward. I think that’s where we can thrive.”
Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) checks New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce (22) in the second period on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett [email protected]
‘We were just overwhelmed’
The Canes were able to thrive quite well, especially in the second period. Hischier gave the Devils their goal in a 4-on-4 situation late in the period, but the rest was all Canes.
“The second period, we were just overwhelmed,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said.
Before the game, Keefe was asked about coaching Canes goalie Frederik Andersen in Toronto and his tendencies in net and what might be the best way to beat Andersen.
“The toughest thing about Carolina is getting to the goaltender,” Keefe said.
That’s the way the Canes played it Sunday. The Devils managed five first-period shots and were outshot 21-8 in the second.
“The third period was good but the damage was done by then,” Keefe said.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) is surround by teammates William Carrier (28), Jack Roslovic (96) and Eric Robinson (50) after he scored to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead against the New Jersey Devils in the first game of the playoffs on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett [email protected]
Matching up
The Canes having the last change at home also was a factor Sunday, another thing Keefe mentioned in his pregame comments. He did manage to get Hischier’s line away from the Staal line a few times in the course of the game but not often enough.
Keefe switched up his lines in the third, often having Hischier center Timo Meier and Ondrej Palat, saying, “We needed to change it up and get a little heavier alongside Nico.”
Brind’Amour also having defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns out a lot against the Hischier line, the Canes were able to shut it down, regardless of the mix.
“We’re not going to get a lot (of shots). That’s been the reality of it for some time,” Keefe said. “When you play a team like Carolina they’re going to make it tough on you.”
Staal said after the game that he not been able to see Fast. Told about the siren sounding, and how Fast juiced up the crowd, Staal smiled.
“He got us going, and that was great,” Staal said.
Stankoven, the newbie on the line, took it from there.
This story was originally published April 21, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
