The Stanley Cup playoffs kicked off Saturday afternoon and the first goal of the postseason came from a very familiar face.
Carolina Hurricanes center and former Capital Evgeny Kuznetsov broke the ice early in Game One against the New York Islanders, striking with a power-play tally less than two minutes into the contest.
After receiving the puck near the slot, Kuznetsov drifted past Isles defenseman Adam Pelech before letting off a shot from the left circle, beating Isles goaltender Semyon Varlamov over his right shoulder to send the puck off the crossbar and in.
Kuznetsov launched into his signature bird celebration after the goal, joined by teammate Martin Necas as PNC Arena erupted into applause.
Early in the third period, Kuznetsov notched a secondary assist on Stefan Noesen’s game-winning goal, earning First Star of the Game in Carolina’s 3-1 win.
Following an emotional start to his tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes, Kuznetsov has struggled in recent games as he adjusts to his new team and returning from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He scored just seven points (2g, 5a) in his first 20 games with the Canes after the Capitals dealt him at the deadline; he also spent time on the fourth line in the final stretch of the regular-season. But it took Kuznetsov just a single shift to get his name on the scoreboard for Carolina in the playoffs.
Kuznetsov saw extensive postseason success over his decade in Washington, recoding 67 points (29g, 38a) in 87 playoff games. He led the team with 32 points (12g, 20a) during the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup run — including the overtime game-winning goal to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.
Now, he’s adding to his postseason resume with the Hurricanes.
