RALEIGH — Logan Stankoven recorded his first career hat trick with a natural three-goal performance to reach 100 career points as the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes earned their first home win in three tries this season, routing the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 on Thursday night in Raleigh.
Stankoven scored twice in the second period and again in the third to stretch Carolina's lead from 4-1 to 7-1, securing the hat trick with 8:24 remaining with goals coming short-handed, on the power play and at even strength. Andrei Svechnikov opened the scoring with two power-play goals less than 2 1/2 minutes apart in the first period, while K'Andre Miller and Mark Jankowski also scored. Walker had four assists, while Shayne Gostisbehere, Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall each added two assists, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves as Carolina extended its winning streak to three games.
Jake DeBrusk scored both goals for Vancouver in the first stop of a six-game trip, with Elias Pettersson assisting on both. Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 12 of 18 shots through two periods before Leevi Merilainen took over in the third and made 14 saves. Stankoven's short-handed tally was the first of his career before his power-play goal capped the second-period scoring.
Carolina never led in either of its first two home games last week before scoring three times in the opening 10 minutes Thursday to set the tone. Walker had never had more than two assists in a game in his career before his four-assist night. The Hurricanes visit Chicago on Saturday night.