Rookie Jackson Blake scored his first NHL goal, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 23 saves in his season debut as the Carolina Hurricanes secured a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
Seth Jarvis, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Sebastian Aho also found the back of the net for the Hurricanes, who bounced back after their season-opening loss to Tampa Bay.
Jake Hughes and Nico Hischier provided the goals for the Devils, whose two-game winning streak ended. Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots in the net for New Jersey.
Blake, a 21-year-old rookie out of the University of North Dakota, redirected a shot from Dmitry Orlov midway through the third period to extend Carolina’s lead to 3-1.
Hughes opened the scoring for New Jersey with a shot through Kochetkov’s legs just 1:16 into the second period, marking the Devils’ 10th different goal scorer this season.
Takeaways
Devils: Following their home win against Utah, New Jersey struggled in their second game of a back-to-back. The Devils generated more than 30 shots in three of their first five games but managed only 24 against Carolina, showing signs of fatigue as the game progressed.
Hurricanes: Carolina came alive in the second half of the game, scoring four goals in the final 30 minutes.
Key Moment
Carolina’s penalty kill in the third period was crucial, especially after Hischier scored on a 5-on-3 power play for New Jersey. The Hurricanes preserved their lead by preventing further damage with their penalty-killing unit, a notable improvement after conceding two power-play goals in their opener against Tampa Bay.
Key Stat
Jesperi Kotkaniemi reached a milestone with an assist on Gostisbehere’s go-ahead goal, marking his 100th career point in his 400th NHL game. Sebastian Aho also celebrated a milestone, playing in his 600th game and capping the night with an empty-net goal.
Up Next
The Devils travel to Ottawa for a Thursday night game, while the Hurricanes begin a six-game road trip on Friday in Pittsburgh.
