Is time running out for the Carolina Hurricanes’ top line in these NHL playoffs?
Time is running out on the Carolina Hurricanes’ top line.
The Canes have been waiting and waiting in the Stanley Cup playoffs for Sebastian Aho’s line to display the kind of hockey it’s capable of — that is, the kind that puts points on the scoresheet, consistently.
Forget flair. The Canes just need points from their top guys.
There has been an occasional goal, occasional dangerous shifts, from Aho and wingers Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis. But not enough as Logan Stankoven’s line has done much of the heavy lifting in providing offense in the course of a successful playoff run.
Nikolaj Ehlers had a pair of goals, Jordan Staal scored and Shayne Gostisbehere supplied a third-period goal Tuesday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. But that was not enough as the Vegas Golden Knights took a 5-4 victory to immediately take the advantage in the best-of-seven series for the Cup.
After the game, in a somber Canes locker room, Svechnikov sat on the end of a treadmill, his head down. Nearby, Aho was silently getting in some postgame conditioning.
Aho had one shot in the game. Svechnikov had one shot. Jarvis had three, two late in the third period. On the game’s biggest stage, at least in Game 1, the line came up small.
“They had one good shift in the third, there,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “But everyone has to play well if you’re going to win at this time of year. It’s as simple as that.
“Your best guys have to get on the scoresheet. That’s going to have to happen if we want to get to where we want to be.”
It’s not a lack of effort or want-to. That’s there with the Aho line. But they haven’t gotten enough big momentum-shifting plays from the line. Svechnikov did have the overtime goal to beat Montreal in Game 3, but the Canes need more of that.
Stankoven’s line? In many ways that has been the Canes’ top line. Their offensive numbers prove it.
Against the Golden Knights, the Aho line had a 6-4 edge in scoring chances and three high-danger chances at 5-on-5, according to the Naturalstattrick.com analytics site. But William Karlsson’s goal, which gave Vegas a 3-2 lead in the second, came against the Aho line.
After a faceoff in the Canes zone, the Golden Knights won a battle for the puck along the end boards. Vegas forward Mitch Marner wound up with the puck and deftly backhanded a pass to Karlsson, who was alone in the low slot as could only watch.
“They buried their chances when they had ‘em,” Staal said.
Vegas goalie Carter Hart, booed throughout the game by Canes fans, made a sparkling glove save on a Jarvis shot with 3:43 left in the third. After a faceoff in the Vegas zone won by Tomas Hertl, the Golden Knights got the winning goal from Hertl with 3:24 left in regulation.
“We’ve got to get our game in better shape if we want to beat this team,” Staal said..
The Hurricanes were able to do that against the Montreal Canadiens. After a 6-2 loss in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final, the Canes adjusted and reeled off four straight wins.
“I have a lot of confidence in this group,” Jarvis said. “We bounced back before, we felt like we were right there tonight, so just clean up a few things and move on.”
The Aho line has a combined seven goals and 22 points — pedestrian numbers for a line with that much skill and experience.
“We’ve had the looks, and we need to capitalize now more than ever,” Jarvis said.
Before time runs out.
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Is time running out for the Carolina Hurricanes’ top line in these NHL playoffs?."
