Hurricanes defeat Devils 4-1 in playoff opener

The Carolina Hurricanes opened their Stanley Cup Playoffs with a decisive 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in Raleigh, led by Logan Stankoven's two second-period goals in his playoff debut. Jalen Chatfield scored early to give Carolina a quick lead, and Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net goal late in the third period. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made 23 saves, including key stops to maintain the lead, while Jacob Markstrom kept the Devils in contention with 41 saves despite facing relentless pressure. The Devils struggled offensively, managing just 13 shots through two periods and losing defenseman Brenden Dillon to injury, which further hindered their performance. Carolina’s aggressive forecheck and control of play highlighted their strategy under coach Rod Brind’Amour, positioning them strongly as the series continues. Game 2 is set to take place in Raleigh before the series shifts to New Jersey.