Recap: Canes Thump Cats 8-2 In Return To Home Ice

RALEIGH, N.C. - Seven different Carolina skaters tallied multiple points as the Hurricanes routed the Florida Panthers by an 8-2 final on Friday night at Lenovo Center.

GAME SUMMARY | BOX SCORE | TRAINING CAMP GROUPS | PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Carolina's veteran-heavy group opened the game in strong fashion, yet it was a new face opening the scoring for the hosts. Josiah Slavin converted on a delayed penalty sequence 6:59 into the contest, tapping home a Shayne Gostisbehere rebound in front for a 1-0 Canes lead.

Opening the middle frame with a slim lead, the Canes wasted little time doubling their advantage through Seth Jarvis, who deftly toe-dragged past a Florida defender before slotting the puck past Spencer Knight. Five minutes later, Sean Walker rifled a power-play blast to make it 3-0, then set up Jarvis for #24's second of the game and a 4-0 Canes lead shortly after.

The second-period onslaught continued through Jordan Staal, who made it 5-0 at 15:55 on a William Carrier setup. Despite Oliver Okuliar getting the Cats on the board on the ensuing shift, Jack Roslovic restored momentum with Carolina's sixth of the evening in the waning moments of the period.

A business-like final frame saw Carrier and Andrei Svechnikov find twine for Carolina in response to an A.J. Greer power-play marker for the visitors.

Playing all 60 minutes in his first preseason appearance, Frederik Andersen turned aside 15 of 17 shots in the victory.

Additional Observations...

• With the caveat that this was a very NHL-heavy lineup for Carolina skating against a youth-focused group from Florida, the Hurricanes' power-play groups were noticeably cohesive with a 2-for-5 conversion rate and plenty of positive momentum generated throughout the contest.
• Several Canes stepped up on Friday, from Seth Jarvis' double to Sean Walker's three-point outing and more. Ryan Suzuki has flown under the radar, but stood out in all three zones and picked up an assist on Walker's power-play goal in the second period. The 2019 first-rounder also went 11-for-17 (65%) in the dot, including a perfect 3-for-3 in his defensive zone. Rod Brind'Amour had praise for him post-game, calling it a "mature" night for him.
• Tonight must have been special for the Slavin brothers, who shared the ice as professionals for the first time in their careers. Josiah marked the occasion with the game's first goal, while Jaccob picked up an assist and a +2 rating.

They Said It...

Rod Brind'Amour after the victory...

"They played well, the new guys. Especially on the back end. I thought Walks and Ghost were really moving it well. Seamless. They dressed most of their minor league guys, so it should look like that, but at the end of the day, I thought we did a pretty good job."

Josiah Slavin on playing with his brother and recording a goal in his first time wearing a Canes sweater...

"A lot of memories. It was a special one for sure. We have a five-year age gap, so we've never been able to play together as brothers. It was a great feeling being his teammate tonight."

William Carrier when asked about his new linemates, Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal...

"It's rare that I play with guys who work harder than me. They're paying dues out there. They're having fun working hard and it's great to just hop on that line."

What's Next?

The Canes take their 2-0 preseason record to Sunrise for a rematch with the Panthers tomorrow night.

Next Game: Preseason Game #3 | Saturday, September 28 at Florida - 6 p.m. - Amerant Bank Arena

Next Home Game: Wednesday, October 2 vs. Nashville - 7 p.m. - Lenovo Center | COMMUNITY PRESEASON GAME ($10 General Admission) | Tickets | Parking