Hurricanes’ Unger Sorum, Stankoven, Hall, & Brind’Amour Speak After Thrilling 6-5 Comeback Win

Who knew that preseason hockey could have some excitement, especially when a multi-goal lead is erased. On Thursday night (Sept. 24), the Carolina Hurricanes came back from a four-goal deficit to win 6-5 against the Nashville Predators. In the team’s first game back in Greensboro, NC since 1999, they certainly made it a thrilling one. During postgame media availability, The Hockey Writers asked questions with head coach Rod Brind’Amour and some players following the win.

Felix Unger Sorum

After the Hurricanes stormed back, making it a 5-5 game with less than two minutes left, some wondered if the game would go to overtime. The Hurricanes won in a shootout on Tuesday night (Sept. 22) against the Florida Panthers. Would fans be in for more bonus hockey?

With 2.6 seconds left, the comeback was complete as forward Felix Unger Sorum was able to get in a high-danger spot and rip the puck into the net. His game-winning goal completed an unanswered five-goal run from the Hurricanes. They managed to go from losing 5-1 to stealing a preseason win in the dying seconds.

After the game, when asked about the mood on the bench during the comeback, Unger Sorum stated, “I felt like the mood was good. I didn’t feel like there was any panic at all, and that’s why we won it.”

Taylor Hall

In his first game back since the Stanley Cup Final, it seems that no step was lost by Taylor Hall. Hall finished with three assists on the night, earning third star honors. He was back with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, and the Junkyard Dawgs did what they do best: dominate every shift. The three combined for seven points.

Hall, when asked about his line not missing a beat since the Stanley Cup Final, said, “I don’t think it was perfect, but it was fun to get playing, and it was a good atmosphere. The crowd was into it all game. For our line, we work hard. That’s kind of our recipe. If we manage the puck well, then we usually have chances just from our work ethic and our skills. That kind of paid off in the end.”

The Junkyard Dawg line was the best trio for the Hurricanes from November through the Stanley Cup Final. It seemed every night that they would make an impact in the game. Throughout the playoffs, no team could figure out how to stop Hall, Stankoven, and Blake. Hall alone had 19 points in 19 games, only second behind Blake’s 20 points.

If the Hurricanes manage to keep these three together all season, there’s a chance for career years for the three of them.

Logan Stankoven

Speaking of making an impact, Stankoven seemed a man possessed on the ice for the Hurricanes. He finished with two goals and an assist in a three-point night. He scored the game-tying goal with less than two minutes left in the game. After his 11-goal, 16-point playoff performance, he seems ready to get back to regular-season hockey.

Stankoven went on to earn the second star honors of the game following his performance. Just like Hall, it seems he’s not missing a step and is already in mid-season form. Since there is no doubt that he will be back with Hall and Blake, there’s a ton of excitement around the trio heading into the 2026-27 season.

However, last season was last season. Stankoven knows that they need to build off of last season and not rest on the previous year’s success. “Very excited. I think it’s not going to come to us. I think everything is earned, and just because we had success in the playoffs doesn’t mean it’ll translate right away. I think we have that chemistry. We have a recipe now, and it’s about finding it and being more consistent throughout the regular season.”

Rod Brind’Amour

While it was a “gross” start to the game, Brind’Amour was happy with how the team kept battling. They did not roll over when it got tough; they kept at it, and in the end won dramatically. It’s no secret that everyone is excited for the line of Hall, Stankoven, and Blake to begin the season together. The chemistry is there, and it’s evident that they are poised to be the best line on the Hurricanes again in 2026-27.

Brind’Amour stated when asked about that trio picking up right where they left off from the Cup Final, “I think pretty much every shift they were just snapping it around. There’s definitely a lot of, we saw that last year, chemistry with those guys. They just seem to match really well, and I’m glad that it started this way.”

A lot of the attention surrounding camp and the preseason is who will replace Seth Jarvis on the top line. There are some players who will get looks for that opportunity in the interim. However, no one seems to be discussing the competition on the blueline. With Alexander Nikishin still not signed, two spots are up for grabs on the backend.

Juuso Välimäki’s power play goal in the third period got the Hurricanes to within one before the Stanloven and Unger Sorum goals. Välimäki is one of five players who are vying for the two spots on the blueline alongside Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Mike Reilly, Joel Nystrom, and Charles Alexis Legault.

Brind’Amour stated on the defense being in flux, “That’s another spot we got competition moving forward. Everyone knows what’s going on there. There’s a few guys that we got to, you know, I certainly don’t think that the competition’s over by any stretch. So, we got one more game. But, yeah, that’s going to have to be a big discussion there.”

Whether it is Legault, Nystrom, Reilly, etc., there will be a ton of discussions over the next few days as opening night for the Hurricanes is right around the corner. There are three spots up for grabs, and two of them on the blueline will keep things interesting as the days continue.

The Hurricanes will travel to Nashville for their final preseason game on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Brind’Amour stated after the morning practices that they might use more of the NHL regulars in the last tune-up before the 2026-27 season begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Until then, Hurricanes fans will bask in the thrilling comeback win on Thursday night as the Cardiac Canes strike again.