Fourteen seconds. That’s how long it took Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce to have an impact Friday against Vancouver.
After the Canucks won the opening faceoff, Slavin forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Pesce, jumping into the rush in transition, took a pass from Jordan Staal and scored with a shot that hit the post.
Fourteen seconds into the game and there were hugs and smiles on the ice at PNC Arena. The Canes were on their way to a 4-1 victory and Pesce was named the game’s first star.
It wasn’t that long ago that Slavin sat back in the Canes’ locker room and offered a tough assessment of himself.