Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Taylor Hall after scoring a goal in the third period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the New Jersey Devils in Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Logan Stankoven made a memorable debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs by scoring twice in the second period, helping the Carolina Hurricanes secure a commanding 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. This marked Game 1 of their first-round matchup, and Carolina came out sharp, controlling the tempo from the start.
Jalen Chatfield got things rolling for the Hurricanes with an early goal in the opening period. From there, Carolina kept up a steady pace, applying pressure on New Jersey’s goalie, Jacob Markstrom. Stankoven's two goals gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 cushion late in the second period, and they never looked back. Andrei Svechnikov sealed the victory with a late empty-net goal in the third.
In goal, Frederik Andersen stood tall for Carolina with 23 saves. One of his biggest moments came midway through the third period when he denied a close-range effort from Timo Meier. Later, the Hurricanes killed off a Devils power play with just under eight minutes left, maintaining full control of the game.
New Jersey’s lone goal came from Nico Hischier, who scored off a slick cross-ice pass from Jesper Bratt during a 4-on-4 sequence. Despite that, the Devils struggled to build any real momentum.
It wasn’t just a rough night on the scoreboard for the Devils. The team took a physical beating as well, losing three players at different points due to apparent injuries. Brenden Dillon left in the second period, while Luke Hughes and Cody Glass exited in a chaotic third-period sequence.
This strong performance was a breath of fresh air for the Hurricanes, who had stumbled near the end of the regular season, losing seven of their last eight games. With the playoffs now in full swing, Carolina showed they were more than ready to put that slump behind them. They outshot the Devils 45-24, a clear sign of their dominance.
TORONTO 6, OTTAWA 2
Over in Toronto, the Maple Leafs cruised past the Ottawa Senators with a convincing 6-2 victory in their first playoff game. Mitch Marner led the way with a goal and two assists. William Nylander and John Tavares each added a goal and an assist. Additional goals came from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Morgan Rielly, and Matthew Knies. Star forward Auston Matthews chipped in with two assists. Goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 31 shots to help seal the win.
Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig scored for Ottawa, while Linus Ullmark made 18 saves. Game 2 of this series will be played Tuesday in Toronto before moving to Ottawa.
VEGAS 4, MINNESOTA 2
In Las Vegas, Brett Howden netted two goals to lift the Golden Knights over the Minnesota Wild. Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist, while Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for Vegas. Goalie Adin Hill made 18 saves.
Minnesota’s Matt Boldy answered with two goals, both assisted by Kirill Kaprizov. Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves for the Wild. After trading goals in the first period, Vegas pulled ahead in the second and held on. Howden’s second goal, an empty-netter with one second left, closed the game.
Game 2 will also be held in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.
