So far, so good for the Carolina Hurricanes in the month of March. The Canes topped the New Jersey Devils 3-1 at PNC Arena Friday night for the team’s second win in as many nights and third straight game with a point, moving into a tie with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.
Forward Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina’s (29-25-11) leading scorer with 51 points, scored the game-winning goal in the third period. Forwards Derek Ryan and Justin Williams also tallied against New Jersey (33-24-8). Goalie Cam Ward stopped 25 of 26 Devils shots as he earned the start in both games of the Canes’ back-to-back set. Carolina has opened March with two straight wins over divisional opponents after losing six in a row to end February.
“I think we’ve had our identity throughout the season at certain points but it hasn’t been as consistent as we would have liked,” head coach Bill Peters said. “We definitely played hard on the road [last] night and then played hard again here tonight. I like the fact that we only gave up one goal in each game, and tonight’s is on the power play. I like the fact that we’re not giving up much.”
Starting on back-to-back days for the first time this season, Ward was sharp against New Jersey, coming up with timely saves in key moments of the game as the Canes did not allow an even-strength goal.
“I feel good,” Ward said. “Obviously we had a big-time effort in Philadelphia to get a win there and honestly I didn’t face a ton of work. I felt capable if called upon to play again tonight. I was excited to play. Once again we had a real solid effort. It seemed like a game that was real tight and teams were waiting for their opportunities. We didn’t break and stuck with it for 60 minutes.”
Teravainen’s game winner came about halfway through the final frame, as he parked himself in front of Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid and tipped home a slap shot from the point by defenseman Brett Pesce to make it 2-1.
“Pesce had it at the blue line and somehow I was in front of the net,” Teravainen said. “It just goes off my leg and in. Sometimes that’s what you need to get a big goal.”
Canes forward Lucas Wallmark took a tripping penalty right after Teravainen’s goal, but Carolina’s penalty kill came through, aided by a sharp stop by Ward on Devils forward Kyle Palmieri’s one-timer from the right circle.
“I guess that was a little old-school kick save there,” Ward said. “A little Tom Barrasso or something. They got the opportunity on the power play. It’s a one-goal game and you’ve got to come up with a save at a key time. Fortunately I was able to get to one.”
New Jersey nearly tied it again with 5:21 to go, but forward Travis Zajac hit the post off a net-mouth scramble.
The Canes carried play for most of the first period, outshooting the Devils 9-6, and had a number of quality chances, including a shot off the goal post from Ryan, but could not get a puck past Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid.
“I think you see both teams trying to get started,” Peters said. “Both teams know how to check, too, so there’s not a lot of room. … I thought we got going and were dangerous.”
Ryan did break the ice for the Canes with about eight minutes left in the second period, banking a puck in off a defender’s skate to make it 1-0.
“Especially in the first period, it felt like I was getting lots of chances, but the puck wasn’t going in for me,” Ryan said. “Kind of make a desperate play in the second and I get a little puck luck. That’s just how hockey works.”
Devils forward Taylor Hall tied the game at one with 33 seconds left in the second on a power-play tip in that extended his personal point streak to 24 games.
The Devils pulled Kinkaid for an extra skater with 2:10 left, but Williams iced the game with an empty-net marker with 21.4 seconds to play, outracing three Devils to the puck and just getting a shot off on his back hand to put the game away. The goal was Williams’ third in two games after he scored two in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday night.
“[Williams is] competing,” Peters said. “He’s setting the tone. He’s dragging guys into the battle You’ve got to have it. You love it.”
The win, coupled with the Blue Jackets’ loss to the Anaheim Ducks, moves Carolina into a tie for the final playoff spot in the East. The two teams have played the same number of games and have the same number of regulation and over time wins; Carolina owns the third tie breaker with more points in the season series with Columbus. However, the Florida Panthers, who also won Friday night, are one point back of the Hurricanes with three games in hand.
The Canes will be back in action against the Winnipeg Jets at PNC Arena Sunday.
