For 55 minutes, the Carolina Hurricanes were at risk of jeopardizing their chances at securing the Metropolitan Division title against the struggling New Jersey Devils. However, a few fortunate breaks, relentless determination, and standout performances from two rookies turned the tide.
Rookie Seth Jarvis scored at 1:39 of overtime off a superb assist from defenseman Tony DeAngelo, leading the Hurricanes to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Devils on Saturday.
“We always think we have a chance to win it,” Jarvis said. Every game starts with Roddy (coach Rod Brind’Amour) kind of preaching that.”
The Hurricanes’ third consecutive win brought them 110 points and a two-point lead in the division. They started the day tied for first place with the New York Rangers, who later lost 3-1 to Boston. Both the Hurricanes and Rangers have three games remaining in the regular season.
“We’re going to have to play a great team in the playoffs, so I think it’s just good for the group to know when we’re down and we’re not playing our best we can still find a way,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s what we’ll take out of this game.”
Rookie goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 17 saves, winning his NHL debut.
“He did a great job, and he made some huge saves for us. He looked very confident back there,” said defenseman Brady Skjei, who initiated the comeback with a deflected goal off Devils defenseman Kevin Bahl. It was a great start to his career, and we’re really happy for him.”
Carolina tied the game at 2-all with third-period goals from Skjei and Nino Niederreiter in the final five minutes.
Yegor Sharangovich and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils, who took a 2-0 lead. Minutes away from his first NHL shutout, Jon Gillies made 26 saves for New Jersey in his first start in a month.
Skjei reduced the deficit to 2-1 with a deflected shot past Gillies at 15:24. Niederreiter lifted a rebound over Gillies with 1:56 left in regulation to tie the game.
Sharangovich opened the scoring with 4:17 left in the second period, tipping in a shot by Jesper Boqvist. This ended the Devils’ 0-for-30 power play drought over the last 11-plus games.
Hischier appeared to give the Devils a comfortable lead, snapping a shot from the left circle past Kochetkov at 8:30 of the third period.
“As hard as we worked, and as much we put into it, it’s a painful, painful lesson about bringing pucks back into the zone and taking care of it and the intensity of winning the wall battles in the last three or four minutes,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “Mistakes that, you know, you have to learn from and live through.”
The 22-year-old Kochetkov has had an unusual season. He played in 23 KHL games before moving to the AHL and posting a 13-1-1 record with Chicago after his KHL team didn’t make the playoffs. He was called up recently after Frederik Andersen was injured, but he got his chance after backing up Antti Raanta for two games.
“We’ve had many of these games earlier this year,” Hischier said. “So, at some point, it should click. … We need to find a way to win.”
UP NEXT
- Hurricanes: At New York Islanders on Sunday.
- Devils: Conclude a three-game homestand against Detroit on Sunday.
