Burns has instant impact in Hurricanes' Game 1 win against Islanders
Defenseman has 2 assists in Stanley Cup Playoff debut for Carolina in Eastern 1st Round
After not playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in four years, the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman appeared determined to make up for lost time in a 2-1 victory against the New York Islanders in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at PNC Arena on Monday.
Burns had the primary assist on each of the Hurricanes' goals -- which both came on their previously ineffectual power play -- had a game-high six shots on goal, had three hits and played 22:03.
Carolina hopes to see more of the same from the 38-year-old bearded wonder in Game 2 of the best-of-7 series here Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN360, TVAS2, BSSO, MSG, MSGSN).
"He was all over the place," Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho said. "He's a great player. He's been huge for us all year and we definitely need him to play that way the whole playoff run."
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Burns has fit in seamlessly since being acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks last summer, playing alongside Jaccob Slavin in the top defense pair and helping the Hurricanes finish first in the Metropolitan Division. He is contributing to Carolina's League-leading 59 goals from defensemen by scoring 18 and was third on the team with 61 points. Burns also averaged a team-high 23:13 in ice time and played all 82 regular-season games.
But Burns had been waiting for his chance to play in the playoffs again after the Sharks didn't qualify in his final three seasons with them. He played in the playoffs seven of his previous eight seasons before that and nine seasons overall, compiling 62 points (20 goals, 42 assists) in 94 postseason games.
Burns reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with San Jose before they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, so he's still chasing his first championship after 19 NHL seasons.
"It's great," Burns said. "Every guy plays for that, just to have a chance. You could really feel it the last couple of days. You get a little break there (after the regular season ends) and it's a fun time."
Burns helped start the fun by setting up Aho's power-play goal to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead 3:47 into the game. Carolina finished the regular season in a 5-for-46 slump (10.9 percent) with the man-advantage in their final 18 games after forward Andrei Svechnikov sustained a season-ending knee injury. The Islanders were the only team in the NHL worse on the power play over that span at 3-for-31 (9.7 percent).
But Carolina needed only five seconds to convert on its first power play of the playoffs. Aho won the face-off in the left circle back to Martin Necas at the right point, Necas passed to Burns at the left point, who quickly fed Aho for a one-timer from the right circle that went in over New York goalie Ilya Sorokin's catching glove.
"The first one we had good execution," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We've been doing that all year and it's the first time it hit. But it's just the passes were great. The draw was great. Things just kind of worked out."
Carolina needed 47 seconds to cash in on its second power play to make it 2-0 at 2:27 of the second period. That time, Necas dropped the puck to Burns at the center point for a one-timed slap shot that Stefan Noesen deflected in past Sorokin in front.
"He's got a great shot, so [we're] trying to feed him with the pucks so he doesn't have anyone in the (shooting) lane, and he gets it to the net with traffic," Necas said. "So, just keep it simple and, if there's a play to make, just go for it. If not, just work it around and make some good passes."
Burns was the second defenseman with two points in his first playoff game with the Hurricanes/Whalers franchise, joining Sylvain Cote in 1987. At 38 years and 39 days-old, Burns surpassed Paul Coffey (37 years, 327 days) as the oldest defenseman to get a playoff point with Hartford/Carolina.
"That's what we've seen all year," Brind'Amour said. "He's an elite, elite player and you could see it out there. He could've had a few goals. Very, very impactful."
Burns also created scoring chances at even-strength, including a stretch pass that sent Necas in alone on the right wing in the first period and his own drive to the net with the puck in the third, but Sorokin wouldn't yield another goal. Two was enough for the Hurricanes in this game, though, with goalie Annti Raanta stopping 25 of the 26 shots he faced.
Special teams proved to be the difference with Carolina going 2-for-4 on the power-play and New York going 0-for-4.
"It's obviously a lot nicer to put some in than not to," Burns said. "I think it's more if you're doing things right and feeling good about it. It's been building, I think. Something we work on every day, so it's nice to see some go in."
