RALEIGH, N.C. — Jordan Martinook scored a go-ahead shorthanded purpose within the second interval and Frederik Andersen got here up massive in internet all evening to assist the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Tuesday for a 2-0 lead of their first-round playoff sequence.
Shayne Gostisbehere additionally scored within the second for Carolina, whereas Seth Jarvis added a clinching empty-net breakaway purpose within the closing minute.
That was sufficient for the Hurricanes, who had a a lot more durable battle on their palms in opposition to the shorthanded Devils than in a Recreation 1 romp.
Andersen stood up for 25 saves and didn’t enable the Devils to seek out the again of the online for the ultimate 56 minutes, together with an enormous cease on a shot by Nathan Bastian with about 6 minutes left.
Jesper Bratt scored the Devils’ lone purpose whereas Jacob Markstrom completed with 25 saves for New Jersey.
The Hurricanes had dominated the sequence opener in Sunday’s 4-1 win, leaving coach Sheldon Keefe and his gamers lamenting the Devils’ incapacity to match Carolina’s relentless edge in what captain Nico Hischier described as “easy hockey, onerous hockey.”
It didn’t assist, too, that New Jersey was down defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon from Recreation 1 accidents.
However the Devils bought the decided effort they wanted to remain on this one, beginning after they pinned Carolina in its personal finish early to arrange Bratt’s clean-up of a rebound for the sport’s first rating at 3:51 of the sport.
It additionally included former Hurricane Brett Pesce personally saving two targets for the Devils on unfastened pucks in opposition to Markstrom, together with one coming seconds after Gostisbehere pounced on his personal rebound to beat Markstrom.
On that one, Pesce knocked a puck out because it laid on the purpose line — however not totally throughout it — behind Markstrom.
He additionally cleaned up one on Taylor Corridor’s close to rating on a push below Markstrom in visitors.
However in the end, Carolina did sufficient to maintain stress on.
The winner fittingly went to the veteran Martinook on a powerful attacking evening, coming moments after the Devils had been lined up for a faceoff to begin an influence play.
Dmitry Orlov collected the unfastened puck and despatched a transition tempo to spring Martinook, who blasted a shot previous Markstrom on the 5:54 mark of the second to place Carolina forward for good.
The sequence now shifts north to Newark for Recreation 3 on Friday evening.
