Logan Stankoven completes first NHL hat trick as Hurricanes defeat Canucks 7-2

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Carolina Hurricanes scored early and often, with Logan Stankoven recording the first hat trick of his NHL career as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 at Lenovo Center on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.

Stankoven’s three goals came in a span that made him only the fourth player in Carolina franchise history to score an even-strength, power-play and short-handed goal in the same game. The Hurricanes joined an exclusive group that includes Sebastian Aho (Dec. 7 and Jan. 13, 2019), Erik Cole (Nov. 23, 2002) and Sandis Ozolinsh (March 4, 2001).

Carolina’s scoring started 1:18 into the first period when Andrei Miller gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. The play developed after William Carrier redirected Sean Walker’s shot off the right post and crossbar, and Miller scored from the rebound from the left face-off circle.

The Hurricanes extended their lead at 7:11 with a power-play goal. Pyotr Kochetkov (18 saves) and Vancouver’s goaltending response did not slow the momentum, as Logan Lankinen stopped Andrei Svechnikov’s one-timer but Svechnikov recovered the rebound below the left circle and finished forehand-backhand over Lankinen’s glove to make it 2-0.

Svechnikov added to the first-period burst, scoring again on the power play at 9:25. He jammed the puck in at the right post off a cross-ice pass from Jackson Blake, pushing Carolina to a 3-0 advantage.

Vancouver’s deficit deepened before the second period even ended. At 3:20 of the second period, Jesperi Kotkaniemi held the puck at the blue line and fed Mark Jankowski at the bottom of the right circle, where Jankowski lifted a shot to the short side to make the score 4-0.

Jake DeBrusk gave the Canucks their first two-goal output of the evening with a pair of finishes. His first came at 4:03 of the second period, when he cut the deficit to 4-1 by kicking the puck from his left skate to his stick before roofing it over Kochetkov.

After that, Stankoven struck for the first short-handed goal of the night for Carolina. At 13:13, he scored while short-handed, with Walker slipping a pass through Vancouver defenseman Filip Hronek to Stankoven. Stankoven drove the net and finished top shelf to increase the Hurricanes’ lead to 5-1.

The Hurricanes then added to the cushion with another power-play goal at 19:02 of the second period. Stankoven scored again when he roofed a shot off a no-look backhand pass from Taylor Hall, making it 6-1 entering the third.

Stankoven completed his hat trick early in the third period, finishing at 11:36 on a wrist shot from between the circles to give Carolina a 7-1 lead. That goal put the game further out of reach before DeBrusk closed out the scoring later in the third.

DeBrusk scored his second goal at 13:04 of the third period from the bottom of the right circle for the 7-2 final. The Canucks’ late answer was not enough to change the outcome after Carolina’s five-goal lead carried through much of the contest.

Vancouver began a six-game road trip with the loss, and the goaltending change reflected the one-sided nature of the scoreline. Kevin Lankinen made 12 saves on 16 shots in the first two periods, then was replaced to start the third period by Leevi Merilainen, who stopped 14 shots.

For Carolina, Sean Walker produced four assists and Andrei Svechnikov added back-to-back power-play goals in the first period. Jackson Blake, Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Hall each finished with two assists for the Hurricanes.

With the win, Carolina extended a winning stretch, as the team has won three straight, according to the league report. The Hurricanes’ balanced scoring—combining even-strength, power-play and short-handed production—was the core theme of the 7-2 decision over Vancouver.