By national media, the Carolina Hurricanes were pinned to be the “losers” of the NHL trade deadline when then-Hurricane Mikko Rantanen forced his way out of Carolina just a little over a month after he was acquired.
In return, the Canes acquired center Logan Stankoven and some draft capital. In a trade with the Nashville Predators, the Hurricanes acquired center Mark Jankowski. It looked like a huge downgrade for general manager Eric Tulsky and the team but it seems like Tulsky got the last laugh — for now.
Stankoven and Jankowski combined for three goals in a 4-2 win Sunday night at Lenovo Center in their debuts against the Winnipeg Jets (44-17-4). They combined for a start the Canes (38-22-4) could have only dreamt of.
“That’s great for them,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “Anytime you come somewhere new … just being able to contribute in that fashion, it’s really a great way to start for them.”
Through most of the first period, both teams traded chances back and forth but Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Canes netminder Frederik Andersen, kept the goal horn quiet with good saves.
Each team was given the chance to net the opening goal on the power play but neither side prevailed on the man advantage. The Canes had six minutes of 5-on-4 ice time but the power play continued to be as fruitless as ever.
It wasn’t until there was under two minutes left in the opening period that anyone scored and it was Jankowski who called his own number. Receiving a stretch pass from defenseman Scott Morrow, Jankowski was in alone on Hellebuyck and buried it past one of the NHL’s best. Morrow earned the primary assist and his first career NHL point.
“Keeping the puck out of your own net is your job and everything else I add is a bonus,” Morrow said. “Right now I’m trying to show I can earn a job and when the offense comes, it comes. The stuff like the stretch pass today, I’ll definitely keep trying to do. … I passed it to the right guy.”
Jankowski continued to stay hot early into the second when he scored his second of the night and sixth of the year. Knocking the puck into the crease with his skate, Jankowski battled for the loose puck and eventually backhanded it across the goal line. With just under 25 minutes left in the game, he was already on hat trick watch.
“A big part of [scoring goals] is just confidence,” Jankowski said. “[I] come in here and play with some great line mates, everyone here, the team, has been unbelievable. Coming to a contending team, it has been a lot of fun and pretty exciting so far.”
The Hurricanes were the better team in the first half of the period, but the Jets kept pushing trying to cut the deficit in the middle frame. Andersen was making desperation saves and even got some help from left wing Taylor Hall who sealed the post for the Dane, saving a goal.
Jankowski notched his goals so all eyes were on Stankoven to see if he and the top line could get him involved. Less than three minutes later, Lenovo Center got its answer.
On a struggling power play, Stankoven got to the front of the net and deflected a shot from the point from defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
Stankoven, despite a goal in his first career game as a Hurricane, felt there was more to give. The rookie wasn’t satisfied with his performance.
“It’s always nice to come in and contribute right away,” Stankoven said. “I felt personally I can give a lot more. Definitely wasn’t my best tonight and I know it’s going to take some time to get used to my linemates, the systems and whatnot.”
Andersen looked to be on for a shutout but two late goals he would like to have back ended those hopes. At the 17:14 mark, Jets left wing Alex Iafallo beat Andersen from the corner boards as he fired a shot from a shallow angle that squeaked through Andersen’s pads.
Winnipeg center Adam Lowry added another goal of no importance when Andersen — who was playing the puck from behind the net — passed the puck right to him. With a wide-open net, Lowry tallied his 14th on the season.
Center Seth Jarvis added an empty net goal in between the Jets’ goals, minimizing any chance of a comeback.
With the win, the Hurricanes have now won four games in a row and look to make it five when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m
