The Carolina Hurricanes set the tone early in their second-round series against the New Jersey Devils with a stifling defensive effort and a relentless attack, cruising to a 5-1 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Brett Pesce and Seth Jarvis scored first-period goals as the Hurricanes overwhelmed the Devils, holding them to just one shot on goal in the opening period. Carolina’s fast start and physical play established a blueprint they know they must follow for success in this series.
“We have to stay on top of them and limit their space,” said Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook, who assisted Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s goal. “It’s hard work, but we’re willing to put it in.”
Alongside Pesce, Jarvis, and Kotkaniemi, Brady Skeji and Jesper Fast also found the back of the net for Carolina, which neutralized New Jersey’s offense throughout the game. Pesce opened the scoring with a shot through traffic that beat Devils goalie, Akira Schmid, followed by Jarvis skating past Ryan Graves to make it 2-0.
When Kotkaniemi scored early in the second period, Schmid was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots. Vitek Vanecek replaced him, stopping 10 of 11 shots in relief.
Nathan Bastian scored the lone goal for the Devils, beating Carolina’s Frederik Andersen early in the second period. Andersen, back in the net after leading the Hurricanes to a first-round series-clinching win over the New York Islanders, made 18 saves.
“They got us on our heels right away,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “We couldn’t find our game.”
Game 2 is set for Friday night in Raleigh, as the Devils hope to rebound after struggling in the first game of this series—much like they did in the opening round against the Rangers.
Coming off a grueling seven-game series win against the Rangers, New Jersey could not generate any momentum in the first period, managing just one shot—a wrister from Bastian that trickled to Andersen. By the time the Devils began to find their rhythm in the second period, they were already facing an uphill battle.
“We didn’t get to our game,” said forward Jesper Bratt. “We were sloppy on the puck and slow getting to pucks. You won’t create much when you’re not supporting each other against a team like this.”
Goalie Battle
Schmid, who had been stellar in the first round with a 1.38 goals-against average and .951 save percentage, had a tough night in Game 1, allowing three goals before being replaced by Vanecek. Despite the loss, Ruff said Schmid wasn’t to blame: “It had nothing to do with our goalie, I could have pulled multiple players.”
Playoff Stakes
This series pits the top two teams from the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes narrowly edged the Devils for the division title by a single point. With Boston eliminated in the first round, the winner of this series will secure home-ice advantage for the remainder of the playoffs.
Game Notes
- Fast’s goal was an empty-netter.
- Jack Hughes, facing tight defensive coverage from Carolina captain Jordan Staal, registered two shots.
- The Devils lost Games 1 and 2 at home to the Rangers before returning to win that series.
- Carolina forward Jack Drury returned to the lineup after missing time due to a hard hit in the first round.
- Jesper Boqvist played for New Jersey instead of Timo Meier, who missed the game after a hit in Game 7 of the Rangers series.
Up Next
Game 2 is Friday night in Raleigh, with the Devils looking to even the series against a confident Hurricanes team.
