Simon Nemec scored 2:36 into the second overtime Friday night for the New Jersey Devils, who got back into their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 at Newark, N.J.
The Hurricanes lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday in Newark.
The Devils squandered a 2-0 third-period lead and outshot the Hurricanes 9-2 in the first overtime before Nemec picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated up the right side and threaded his way past Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. Nemec then fired a shot that glanced off goalie Frederik Andersen and trickled into the net.
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said he “learned a lot about the character of our team today and of our individuals. … That’s a hard hockey game up there tonight. Backs essentially against the wall, and our guys just dug in and found a way.”
Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer scored in regulation for the Devils. Goalie Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves.
Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored in the third period for the Hurricanes, who have lost three double-overtime games in the last two postseasons. Aho assisted on Jarvis’ goal, and Andersen recorded 34 saves.
“An eight-minute stretch (was) kind of good. The rest was not our game,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “There’s a reason — they were good. So tip your hat to New Jersey, they did what they had to do. We were just not very good. … Better team won tonight, no question.”
Hischier opened the scoring with 3:49 left in the first period when he shuffled from his backhand to the forehand and seemed to lose control of the puck just before it trickled past Andersen’s blocker.
Mercer doubled the lead with a wraparound rebound 1:18 into the third before the Hurricanes tied the score with a pair of power-play goals over the next 11:02.
Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler was whistled for interference at the 5:05 mark to set up Jarvis’ goal. Jarvis and Aho traded the puck four times in the New Jersey zone before Jarvis beat Markstrom stick side at 6:11.
Aho tied the game at 12:20, just 12 seconds after Brett Pesce was called for delay of game.
Markstrom cradled a shot by Andrei Svechnikov, but the puck bounced away as Markstrom glided out of the crease. Svechnikov collected the puck and passed to Aho, whose shot sailed into the wide-open net as Hischier and Siegenthaler scrambled to try and make the block.
“Right now, all we’ve earned is another trip back to Carolina. We need to build on this and not look back,” Keefe said.
–Field Level Media
