Recap: Canes Quieted By Bolts In Preseason Opener

RALEIGH, N.C. - A late marker from Logan Stankoven wasn't enough for the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, as they fell by a score of 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

GAME SUMMARY | BOX SCORE | BUY TICKETS

Utilizing a lineup that included 13 players who played in the American Hockey League last season, Rod Brind'Amour called it "an opportunity" for the young players to kick off the six-game exhibition slate. Unfortunately, things didn't go their way in the process, as the Lightning kicked off the scoring in the final second of the opening period and then doubled their lead in the middle frame on the man advantage.

The final 20 minutes of the contest were dominated by physical play and misconducts, but inside the final five minutes, Stankoven snapped Jonas Johansson's shutout bid with a power play goal. That was as close as the Canes' comeback bid would get, though.

On the evening as a whole, Johansson stopped 29 out of 30 for Tampa Bay. At the other end of the ice offseason acquisition Cayden Primeau allowed two goals on 20 shots.

Stats & Standouts

• Defenseman Alexander Nikishin had one of the highlights of the night for Carolina, laying a thunderous hit on Lightning forward Dylan Duke during the early stages of the second period. Expected to play a big role on the blue line this season, Nikishin led Carolina with 23:08 played.
• In addition to Logan Stankoven's goal, Rod Brind'Amour and staff got their first look at him playing center tonight. One of the biggest storylines thus far in training camp for the team, he worked between Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, while leading the Canes' forwards with 19:23 played.
• Speaking of Blake, he led all skaters with six shots on goal. He was also the only player on tonight's roster to have played more than 40 games with the Canes last season.

They Said It...

Rod Brind'Amour on Logan Stankoven...

"I thought he did a good job. That line was pretty good; they just didn't score at five-on-five. They snapped it around pretty well, and I thought he looked pretty good up the middle."

Rod Brind'Amour on Alexander Nikishin...

"He's definitely a super-talented player. Once he really understands what's going on (he's going to be good). He's just getting by on talent right now and freewheeling it a little bit, which is great. There's little details that will come in, and once that communication starts happening and becomes a little more natural, he's just going to keep getting better and better."

Cayden Primeau on getting back into game action...

"Especially after the offseason, it's good to get into some game action again. It wasn't pretty, but it definitely feels good to get one under the belt."

What's Next?

• The Canes are scheduled to have their first off day of training camp on Tuesday. They'll return to action on Wednesday at home against the Florida Panthers for their annual Community Preseason Game. $10 general admission tickets remain available for purchase here.
• Next Game: Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Florida | 6:00 p.m. ET | Tickets | Parking