After The Storm: Canes 'Find A Way' In Sunday's Wild Win

RALEIGH, N.C. - They won't always be pretty, but over the course of an 82-game NHL season, you'll take wins any way you can get them.

Sunday's win certainly falls in that "we'll take it" category. It wasn't the type of stingy shutdown showing we're used to seeing at Lenovo Center, but as Rod Brind'Amour noted in his postgame comments, adaptability is key to winning at this level, and especially at this time of year.

"You've got to find ways [to win]...Good teams find ways to do it. Maybe it's not the way you draw it up, but you have to adapt during the game," he said.

The Canes did just that, winning their 11th game in the month of March - a number they have achieved just one other time in franchise history - and, with their 29th successful outing in Raleigh this season, climbing to within two of matching the franchise record for home victories in a single season.

Despite some deviation from Brind'Amour's blueprint, it was another well-earned win and one that deserves a closer look. Let's dive in...

Jarvis Ties Shorthanded History

When he spoke to the media after inking a new eight-year contract with the Canes last August, Seth Jarvis said he's "just trying to be the best version" of himself. After recording his team-leading fifth multi-goal game of the season on Sunday, moving to within one tally of notching his second straight 30-goal campaign, it's safe to say he's doing just fine.

But perhaps even more impressive than Jarvis' general goal-scoring output is the way he's finding twine. His first strike on Sunday, for example, was his fifth shorthanded goal of the season, giving him a share of the league lead in that category and matching Kevyn Adams' franchise record for SHG in a single season, set in 2003-04.

Scoring at 5-on-5 is hard enough, but Jarvis is even turning shorthanded situations into scoring chances with regularity, adding a dangerous dimension to what is already the league's top penalty-kill unit at 84.7%.

“It’s cool. I give a lot of credit to the guy I’m playing with [Aho], he’s set me up a lot this year. It’s fun to be able to do something cool like that, and hopefully a few more games to try to break it," said Jarvis of his record-tying run.

Jarvis' credit to linemate Sebastian Aho isn't just him deflecting praise - after Sunday's connection, both players are tied for the league lead in shorthanded points with seven apiece this year, and Aho ranks second in the NHL with 31 shorthanded points since his debut in 2016-17, trailing only Brad Marchand (34) in that span.

Accounting for half of Carolina's 10 total SHG this year - tied for third-most in the league, for those keeping track - Jarvis is the tip of Carolina's "power kill" spear. The goal - keep the opponent off the board at all costs - remains the same regardless of who is on the ice in a shorthanded situation, but the next time No. 24 gets the go-ahead, it could be another historic shift.

“We’ve seen it all year, especially on special teams. It’s such a crucial time in the game and if you can score on it, that’s just a backbreaker," said Canes Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour. "We love it, we love seeing it. There’s a little more open ice, obviously, the power play guys are not thinking about stopping goals, so there are some good opportunities, and he’s obviously taking advantage of it.”

Jank & Stank Shining Bright

The beat goes on for the newest members of the organization, as Mark Jankowski and Logan Stankoven each played key parts in Sunday's win.

Combining for the fastest pair of goals scored by the team since Feb. 4, 2021, with two tallies separated by just 0:13, Jankowski and Stankoven got on the scoresheet together for the fifth time in 10 games since joining the Canes. Their quick strikes rank tied for the 19th-fastest in franchise history, despite having just 20 total outings in a Hurricanes sweater between them.

Jankowski arrived in Raleigh with just four goals on his ledger with Nashville in 2024-25 but has since scored seven with the Canes, equaling a franchise record for goals through a player's first 10 games with the team. He joins Erik Haula (2019-20), Matt Cullen (2005-06), Murray Craven (1991-92) and John Anderson (1985-86) atop that portion of Hurricanes/Whalers history.

Stankoven, meanwhile, has now scored twice - though he could have as many as five goals if not for some tough luck on reviews - and continues to settle in alongside Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal on a line that faces some of the toughest matchups on a nightly basis. That the 5-foot-8 rookie has quickly jelled on that line is a sign of a stellar 200-foot game, something that will undoubtedly serve him well while playing under Rod Brind'Amour.

Power Play Steps Up

Seth Jarvis said it best after the win: "Power play...still kinda hot right now!"

Carolina's much-maligned man-advantage group has been finding its stride after a bumpy patch to start 2025, finding twine on the power play in each of the last four games. That's the third-longest streak this season, trailing only a pair of five-game runs in October and November when the team was scorching opponents while playing a man up.

More importantly, Sunday's goal came at a point in the game when the power play needed to deliver. Down by one near the midway mark of the contest after coughing up an early two-goal lead, the Canes' most potent attackers knew they needed to get momentum back on their side. Halfway through the two minutes, Jarvis intercepted a clearing attempt, and some quick puck movement from there led to a Sebastian Aho one-timer from the right circle - bullseye.

“Always nice to score, but yeah as a unit you work (together) and you can tell that we have scored a few as of late," said Sebastian Aho, whose PPG was his first since March 1. "We were feeling the puck a little bit and making better plays. It’s just [a matter of] having a little confidence there, so it’s been good."

While Aho was the hero on Sunday, Taylor Hall was the man who couldn't miss in the weeks prior. Despite joining the Canes in January with one power-play goal in the last two seasons, Hall notched each of Carolina's four latest PPGs going into Sunday's tilt, including a run of three straight games with a man-advantage marker from March 23-28, and even chipped in an assist on Aho's Sunday strike.

With playoff hockey around the corner, getting all systems running smoothly over the next few weeks is paramount. And for a team that has had its share of struggles with postseason offense, having a power play that can punish opponents as it did on Sunday could be the boost Carolina needs in its seventh trip to the dance under Brind'Amour.