Not much was on the line Saturday as the New Jersey Devils took on the Carolina Hurricanes, a President's Cup challenger. Although Carolina is in contention for the best team in the NHL, they came into Saturday's contest only 5-5 in their last ten games. For New Jersey, at this point it's about everyone playing well, staying healthy, and finding some momentum for next season.
As the first period unfolded, the Devils proved to be up for the task, playing tough and scoreless through the first fifteen minutes of the third. So when Vincent Trocheck took a bad tripping penalty for the Hurricanes, it was the opportunity the Devils needed to take advantage of a better team quickly. Unfortunately for them, they didn't generate much on the power-play, other than a shot that Janne Kuokkanen pretty much whiffed on with a sprawling Pyotr Kochetkov in net just a few feet in front of him.
First period would come to a close shortly after that with both teams scoreless. New Jersey trailed Carolina in the shot department 9-6 and didn't convert on the lone powerplay of the period, however it was a small victory to go into the first intermission tied. Given the talent of the Hurricanes and the struggles of the Devils, it's a good sign when you defend home ice well against great teams but consistency is the name of the game.
With the second period underway, it was a lot of the same deadlocked action as there was in the first period through the first five minutes. P.K. Subban however would take an interference penalty that gave Carolina their first powerplay on the afternoon. Hurricane's powerplay opportunity wouldn't amount to much though as they only generated one shot on goal. Towards the latter half of the frame New Jersey would get another break in the form of a lack of concentration when Carolina took a too many men on the ice penalty.
This time around however the Devils would make good on the man advantage in the form of a Yegor Sharangovich deflection goal just over four minutes remaining in the period. Jesper Boqvist found Damon Severson along the blue line from the right corner that Severson sent back to Jesper in the slot. Boqvist then turned and fired a wrist shot with Sharangovich screening Kochetkov and tipping the shot past Pyotr for his 23 goal of the season.
Michael McLeod would put the Devils under fire immediately though with a face-off violation as he fell head first into the draw at center ice. Carolina swarmed on the man advantage putting Devils goalie Jon Gillies under tremendous fire with 3 quality shots on net as well as others that were just wide. Once again though the penalty kill would answer the call and maintain the goal advantage throughout the powerplay as well as the remainder of the period.
Things started off slow in the first eight minutes of the third, that was until Nico Hischier netted a wrist shot off the post for his 21st goal of the year at 8:30 in the final period. Yegor Sharangovich helped get the play going finding Hischier in the neutral zone, where Nico carried the puck into the offensive zone. He found some space along the right faceoff dot and snapped a quick wrister just under Kochetkov's glove to double his team's lead.
Devils seemed to be in complete control of this one fifty five minutes of the way through until Carolina started to answer. Former New York Ranger, Brady Skjei, got his 9th goal of the season the get the scoring started for the Hurricanes, opening the door for them. Skjei's goal was crucial in opening the door for Carolina's chances to steal 2 points in the Eastern Conference chase late from the jaws of defeat. After that the door would get kicked wide open when the Hurricanes scored after pulling their goalie.
Nino Niederreiter got his stick on the puck after a shot that got through in traffic, scoring the Hurricanes tying goal with just under two minutes to play in the third. Tony DeAngelo threw a shot on net from the point that Jesper Fast deflected in front leading to a juicy rebound for Niederreiter. Nino getting that goal saved Carolina from a disappointing game where they faced not getting any points and losing ground in the playoff chase.
Overtime got underway and you could almost feel the inevitable was gonna happen as this scene has played out many times for the Devils this season. Before you knew it, Damon Severson turned the puck over in the defensive zone that Tony DeAngelo picked off and turned into a three-on-one. DeAngelo set up Seth Jarvis just left of the right faceoff dot with a half empty net that Jarvis wouldn't miss for the game winner and two points.
For the Devils, this game was never about points, as it was about building towards hope, success, and building a culture of winning for next season. Losses like this completely derail morale and what you're supposed to be building towards, yet it has happened again and again this year. What changes need to be made to change the direction? Why haven't the Devils been able to close out games with multiple goal leads? Only time will tell, for now New Jersey will look to make things right Sunday at 1 against the Detroit Red Wings.
