"The Transfers are Just Fine": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 64: Hurricanes vs. Winnipeg Jets

Fresh meat entered the lineup for the Hurricanes as they welcomed the Winnipeg Jets for the first game after the trade deadline. With Mikko Rantanen shipped to Dallas, Logan Stankoven made his team debut after serving as the centerpiece in the return. The group also welcomed Mark Jankowski to the mix after sending a late-round pick to Nashville. The Jets weren't as active as their division counterparts, but they've established a decent lead over Dallas and Colorado in the Central. With their homestand rolling on, the Canes hoped the new guys would help them earn two valuable points.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (18:05)- Mark Jankowski (5) (Scott Morrow (1))

2nd Period

CAR (5:21)- Mark Jankowski (6) (Jack Roslovic (11) & Eric Robinson (14))

3rd Period

CAR (2:34)- Logan Stankoven (10) PP (Shayne Gostisbehere (28) & Sebastian Aho (37))

WPG (17:14)- Alex Iafallo (10) (unassisted)

CAR (17:58)- Seth Jarvis (25) EN (Jordan Martinook (19) & Jordan Staal (20))

WPG (19:09)- Adam Lowry (14) (unassisted)

My Thoughts

Those new guys sure are good, aren't they? I was hoping for something positive from both Logan Stankoven and Mark Jankowski. I'd say they were just fine. They only combined for three of the Hurricanes' four goals in a win against the best team in the league. Mark Jankowski scored the first two goals of the night in different ways, showcasing his shot and his ability to get to the front of the net. Logan Stankoven redirected a shot on the power play in the third period to join the party. Each finished with two shots in their debuts, but the ovation the two received at the end of the game should be all the indication they need to understand how appreciated they are in Raleigh. They should fit in nicely.

The last three minutes of the game were rough for Frederik Andersen, allowing two goals. However, the 57 minutes before it were outstanding. Andersen has been playing some of his best hockey of the season lately, and tonight was incredible. He wasn't busy in the first period, but his work in the second and third periods was important. I counted four saves that arguably won the game. It's the two that he made in the third that were the biggest. The glove stop on Kyle Connor at the top of the crease was nice, but it's the breakaway save on Cole Perfetti that was particularly impressive. He didn't get to the finish line without a few bumps. That doesn't matter so much when you win. 

Before the game, I called the battle between the Jets' power play and the Canes' penalty kill the most important in the game. The Canes had to win that battle if they wanted to win the game. As it so happens, they won it. Carolina had a lot of power plays in the first two periods that went absolutely nowhere, making it even more important that the Canes don't give the Jets anything on the power play. One of them was abbreviated, but the Canes didn't allow a shot on Winnipeg's first two chances. The third opportunity for Winnipeg was a little rougher, but it ended the same.

It's worth noting that in both games this season, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor combined for zero points against the Canes. For all of the chances they had, neither could find the back of the net or set up someone. I have to think that might've played into Scheifele getting so frustrated at the officials that he was given the gate with over six minutes left. Scheifele had nothing working tonight, while Connor still finished with four shots. They also scored three times against the best goalie in the league, who had an otherwise fine game. Maybe the key for Winnipeg is to play their backup against the Canes.

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Mark Jankowski

Let's be totally honest. No one expected Mark Jankowski to come in and play the way he did tonight. If you did, you're lying to yourself and to everyone else. As a depth addition at the deadline, I didn't think we'd get two goals in the first 26 minutes from him. Not to be that guy, but Jankowski scored the same number of goals in two periods that Mikko Rantanen scored in over a month. He was on the ice for less than ten minutes but got time on both the power play and the penalty kill tonight. Maybe the Canes did alright at the deadline after all.

Checking In on the Playoff Picture

Washington (12 Points Behind for 1st)- While the Canes have gotten hot, they haven't made up any ground on Washington, who has also won four straight. They beat the Kraken 4-2 this afternoon with Alex Ovechkin scoring again, now needing just nine goals to break the record.

New Jersey (6 Points Ahead for 2nd)- The Devils were also victorious on Sunday, knocking off the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1. New addition Cody Glass scored his first goal with the Devils as Jake Allen made 23 stops to keep New Jersey within whispering distance of the Canes.

Columbus (10 Points Ahead for 2nd, WC1)- Behind an Adam Fantili hat trick, the Blue Jackets earned a huge road victory over the Rangers, winning 7-3 at Madison Square Garden. Columbus reclaims their spot as the top Wild Card team, leading Ottawa by one point.

New York (R) (12 Points Ahead for 2nd)- This was an important weekend for the Rangers and they failed spectacularly. Along with tonight's loss to the Blue Jackets, they blew a 3-1 lead to the Senators on Saturday before falling in overtime.

The Road Ahead- The Tampa Bay Lightning is the next team set to visit Raleigh, doing so on Tuesday night for the third of four games at the Lenovo Center. The Canes kick off a weekend back-to-back with the final game of the homestand against Detroit on Friday before heading to Philadelphia to start four games on the road, though they'll have five days between games after Saturday.