With the Carolina Hurricanes snagging a 2-0 series lead, the series shifts to Newark, New Jersey, as their battle with the Devils continues. Game 2 was tighter than Game 1. Jesper Bratt got New Jersey on the board early in the first, but the Canes used a quick start to the second period to take the lead and never look back, winning 3-1. With two games at the Rock, the Canes were in for a tough test.
Despite taking the morning off, Frederik Andersen was confirmed as the starter for Game 3 as Rod Brind'Amour kept his lineup the same for the first game away from home. The Devils' defense got a small boost with Jonas Siegenthaler playing his first game since early February. Luke Hughes and Brendan Dillon each missed their second straight game, and Jacob Markstrom was in the net.
It was clear from the puck drop that the Devils were feeding off the electric crowd in Newark. The Canes couldn't breathe with how much the home team circled them. It felt like the Canes might've gotten a little life when they drew the game's first penalty, but they didn't generate anything as the Devils killed it with ease.
For the second straight game, the Devils drew first blood. Nico Hischier was sprung on a short breakaway by Timo Meier. Hischier didn't get much on his shot, but he did just enough to sneak it around Andersen's right pad to get the Devils ahead late in the period. The Canes pushed back, though they couldn't find the equalizer after 20 minutes, trailing 1-0 and collecting just four shots.
As they were in both games in Raleigh, the Hurricanes were the superior team in the second period. Within minutes, the team doubled their shot total and drew another power play. Once again, it generated nothing. Everything was looking good for the Canes until Dmitry Orlov was guilty of interference. The same foursome killed the entire two minutes as the Canes escaped danger.
Frederik Andersen added another candidate for Save of the Playoffs, victimizing Meier for the third time in the series. With a scramble atop the crease and Andersen on his stomach, he stretched his glove to snag a surefire goal and keep it a 1-0 game. The penalty kill dug in for another two-minute sequence, ending the period down a goal despite a considerable edge.
The Devils grew their lead early in the third period. Jesper Bratt's initial chance was stopped, but Dawson Mercer poked home the rebound. The Canes' power play earned their third chance soon after. This time, they converted. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis completed a beautiful give-and-go before Jarvis wired a shot to the top corner, cutting the lead in half.
The penalty kill had to work again shortly after the goal, coming up with another stop to keep it 2-1. An excellent shift from the Kotkaniemi line forced Brett Pesce to throw the puck over the glass, setting the Canes up for the tying goal. They needed just 12 seconds to convert as Aho put home a loose puck with Markstrom out of his net to knot things up.
With nothing decided after 60 minutes, the teams needed overtime. The edge belonged to New Jersey, who was the quicker team. Brent Burns took an early tripping penalty, which was killed. The Devils drew another penalty late, but it was also killed. Needing a second overtime, New Jersey ended it. Simon Nemec squeaked a shot under Andersen's arm, helping the Devils get the win.
Let's start with the obvious negative. The New Jersey Devils have life now that they've gotten one. The Canes still own the advantage, but the margin for error has shrunk a great deal by losing Game 3. I mentioned on Thursday that Game 3 has historically been unkind to the Canes, and that was the case on Friday. We're not in panic mode yet. It's one game, and the Canes still lead the series, 2-1.
The Devils turned the game on its head after the third period. They combined to outshoot the Canes 12-3 in overtime, aided by a pair of power plays during the fourth period. It put a lot of added stress on Frederik Andersen's shoulders. The Canes' netminder played another excellent game, keeping his team alive after 80 minutes. The final goal's a stinker, but the loss is far from Andersen's fault.
There's no heartbreak in double overtime without the power play finally coming to life in the third. Converting twice in just over six minutes, the top unit found its groove. Most importantly, it was the big guns, like Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov, leading the charge. The Canes have dominated on special teams in the series, scoring three PPGs and killing all ten penalties.
Game 4: New Jersey's victory means we'll have at least one more game in the series, with Game 5 set for Tuesday night in Raleigh. This should give the Carolina Hurricanes extra incentive to win Game 4, giving them a chance to advance at home. Of course, that means winning Sunday on the road to earn that opportunity.