Sometimes the best save comes before it ever reaches the goaltender. A blocked shot can neutralize an opportunity before it ever becomes a threat. After the Hurricanes established a one-goal lead over the Devils in Game 2, everyone put their bodies on the line to keep the puck out of the net.
“[It’s] do anything you can do, I don’t want the puck to get to [the goaltender],” left wing Jordan Martinook said. “If I can block it and try and get it out that’s what I am going to do. Everybody that is out there is trying the same thing.”
“Everybody is just selling out,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “That’s what you got to do at this time of the year.”
For the second straight playoff game, the Canes have given up one goal to the Devils — neutralzing a team with lots of scoring talent. If a body wasn’t thrown in front of a shot to block it, Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen turned it away.
Stopping 25 of 26, Andersen was playing on another level, a level that he seems to find whenever he plays in the postseason.
“[Andersen] slammed the door back there,” said defenseman Jaccob Slavin. “He came up with so many big saves tonight. That’s the reason we won the game right there.”
Coming off a dominant Game 1, Carolina looked to roll it over into Game 2 — but whether it was the unusually early midweek start or simply a lack of focus, the Devlis came out with a point to prove.
For the first 10 minutes, the Canes struggled to get the puck out of their own zone, let alone generate offensive opportunities. New Jersey hounded the puck and were rewarded 3:51 in when left wing Jesper Bratt capitalized on a rebound.
The Canes quickly put that mistake behind them and in the back-half of the first, started to find their game.
“They were on their game and we weren’t,” Brind’Amour said. “I didn’t think we were sharp at the start. … The guys kind of picked it up but I didn’t love the start.”
It didn’t take very long into the second for the Canes to find the equalizer and breathe life into Lenovo Center. On a give-and-go play with right wing Jackson Blake, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere ripped a shot that Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom saved, but he couldn’t control the rebound and Gostisbehere put it into the net.
With all things level, Carolina had a chance to grow that momentum but almost coughed it up when center Sebastian Aho was sent to the box for slashing. The No. 1 penalty kill in the regular season had a tall task against the No. 3 power play.
Every penalty kill in the playoffs generates a buzz from the crowd, a short-handed goal magnifies that by ten-fold. Following a scrum on a faceoff, Martinook got up ice quick before sniping the far post to give the Canes the lead 5:54 into the second.
It’s the second time Martinook has scored a short-handed goal in the postseason, a déjà vu moment, with his only other coming against the Devils in 2023. In seven playoff games against New Jersey, Martinook has 13 points — a point in every single game.
“I can’t think about enough good things to say about that game,” Brind’Amour said. “It might be his most impactful game as a Hurricane, and he’s had a bunch.”
The Hurricanes had numerous opportunities to pile goals on and chances that were inches away from going in — but Devils defenseman Brett Pesce made sure to keep them out. The former Hurricane had multiple goal line clearances to keep the Canes’ lead from growing — a performance that didn’t go unnoticed despite the loss.
“You can tell this guy wants to win,” said Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe. “We shoved him over on his left side tonight, he’s playing with Dougie who he’s never played with as a partner. He just left it out there.”
Trying to tie the game for the entirety of the third period, the Devils were continuously met by Andersen who denied every attempt. The win marks his 40th career postseason victory, a feat only four other active goaltenders have achieved.
With the goalie pulled, Martinook made a nifty pass to earn his second point of the night, feeding center Seth Jarvis who skated the puck into an empty net.
The Hurricanes did what they had to do on home-ice, but now the challenge comes to winning a game on the road. If Carolina can steal either of the two games in New Jersey, they will have an opportunity to end the series at home in five games.
That is a big if, so the Canes will have to focus on Game 3 on Friday. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m.
