Hurricanes ride Hall, Stankoven, Blake line to Final against Golden Knights

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes can point to a handful of reasons for their historic 12-1 run to securing their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006. Their suffocating defense and forecheck, the steady play and calming personality of goalie Frederik Andersen, and the offseason additions of forward Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman K'Andre Miller would certainly be high on the list.

It would be difficult, though, to put anything ahead of the line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake.

"They were our best line to finish the season, and obviously, took off on another level here in the playoffs," Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said Sunday. "That line has been unbelievable for us and a main reason why we've got as much rest as we have and where we're at."

After the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens couldn't contain Hall, Stankoven and Blake in the first three rounds, the Vegas Golden Knights will try next in the Stanley Cup Final, which opens with Game 1 at Lenovo Center on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC).

The Hurricanes became the first team to reach the Cup Final in 13 games or fewer since the NHL adopted the best-of-7 format in each of the four rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1986-87. Hall led the way with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists). Blake is second with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and Stankoven is third with 12 (team-leading nine goals, three assists).

"We all use our speed and kind of creativity and our hockey IQ to our advantage," Stankoven said. "We try and find each other out there and we're not afraid to go to the net, so it's a lot of fun playing with these guys and, hopefully, we can keep this up."

In some ways, they are an unlikely trio.

Hall, the 34-year-old left wing who won the 2018 Hart Trophy voted as the NHL most valuable player with the New Jersey Devils, has never been this close to the Stanley Cup in his 16 seasons since being selected by the Edmonton Oilers with No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Stankoven, an undersized 23-year-old forward (5-foot-8, 165 pounds) with a knack for scoring big goals, shifted from wing this season, his third in the NHL, to fill the Hurricanes' need for a second-line center behind Sebastian Aho.

Blake, the son of retired NHL forward Jason Blake, was a fourth-round pick (No. 109) in the 2021 NHL Draft, but the 22-year-old has already established himself in his second season as a skilled scorer and playmaker with a tireless engine.

"Being honest," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said, "I did not think that was going to necessarily work when we first threw it together."

It has worked, though. Very well.

Hall (one goal, two assists), Stankoven (one goal, two assists) and Blake (one goal, one assist) had another dominant performance in the Hurricanes' series-clinching 6-1 victory against Montreal in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday, combining for eight points.

"Those kids, they're young kids, so there's a lot of youthful energy and whatnot," Brind'Amour said of Blake and Stankoven. "I think it gets a little bit lost because they work so hard. That's what we talk about, but they're super talented. Like the talent level on those two especially is extremely high. And if they didn't work so hard, all you would talk about is how skilled they are, but it's a great combination.

"And then you throw 'Hallsy' in there."

Hall's career appeared to be in decline when the Hurricanes acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks as the far-less heralded player in the three-way trade that also brought forward Mikko Rantanen to Carolina from the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 24, 2025. When Rantanen wouldn't agree to re-sign long term, the Hurricanes traded him to the Dallas Stars to acquire Stankoven on March 7, 2025.

Hall started lower in the Hurricanes' lineup, spending some time on the fourth line, while he learned to adapt to their puck-possession system. He liked it enough that he signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract to remain with Carolina on April 30, 2025.

This season, his experience and skill turned out to be a perfect fit with Stankoven and Blake. In turn, their youthful energy has rejuvenated his game.

"He's making those guys a little older, but those guys are bringing the best out of Hallsy and that line's been incredible," Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook said. "Obviously, we're going to need them to continue that and we're going to need everybody. It's been a lot of fun watching those guys because it feels like every time they touch the puck, something good is about to happen."

They combined for 16 points in Carolina's first-round sweep of Ottawa with Hall getting seven (two goals, five assists), Stankoven five (four goals, one assist) and Blake four (one goal, three assists). The line totaled 15 points in a sweep of Philadelphia in the second round. Blake led with seven (three goals, four assists), followed by Hall with five (one goal, four assists) and Stankoven with three (three goals).

They started slowly against Montreal but still combined for 12 total points in the five games with each getting four -- Hall (two goals, two assists), Stankoven (two goals, two assists) and Blake (one goal, three assists).

"I've said it before, these two are playing really well and making it easy on me," Blake said. "But I just think it's the passion those two have for the game and the little things they do out there that maybe the average viewer doesn't really see, honestly. It's just like hunting the D and getting pucks back and their hustle.

"They're doing all the right things out there, so it's been a lot of fun to play with."

Hall, Stankoven and Blake would love to continue their roll through the Cup Final, but know the Golden Knights, who swept the Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, will likely provide their biggest challenge. The good news is they won't have to wait long to get started.

After having a week off following the first round and 11 days off after the second round, they will have only three days off following the conference final.

"It'd be great to start as soon as we can," Hall said. "We're champing at the bit. That (11) days off was way too much, almost forgot how to play there for a bit. … So, it's perfect. Let's get this thing rolling."