In Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes found another gem of an effort in Game 2 of their second round series with the New Jersey Devils.
After a scoreless opening stanza, the Canes potted four goals in them middle fame to take a 4-0 lead into the third period.
“Everybody is doing their job right now, and that’s why we’re having success,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Freddie was there, really all night. There was never really a time where he wasn’t having to make some saves. That was the difference for sure.”
The outburst of offense in the second was enough to put New Jersey on their heels and send the Canes to a 6-1 win, and 2-0 series lead.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice to open the middle frame for a 2-0 lead to the Hurricanes.
“It feels good,” Kotkaniemi said. “Especially when you play with [Martinook] and [Fast], you get a lot of pucks in the slot. You just need to be aware all the time when the puck is coming. They make my job pretty easy there.”
That put New Jersey off their game.
“I thought there were opportunities by our top players in both the first and second period to make a play or finish and score a goal. We didn’t get it done,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. “We’re all in this together. The battle wasn’t good enough. To a man, we know how hard they compete.”
Game 3 is set for Newark on Sunday.
Frederik Andersen made 28 saves in the Carolina win.
“We had a good couple [penalty] kills early on to get the momentum on our side a little bit,” Andersen said. “You just have fun out there and try to play the game, let it come to you and read and react.”
Kotkaniemi scored off the power play with 95 seconds gone in the second for the 1-0 lead.
With the ice tilted n their favor, the Hurricanes tacked on two more goal in the period.
Jordan Staal pushed the advantage to 3-0 at 17:25.
Martin Necas ballooned the lad to 4-0 with 16 seconds left in the second.
New Jersey needed a better effort in the third period but all they mustered was a goal 
from Miles Wood at 3:49 of the frame to make the score 4-1.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Wood said. “We didn’t come out the way we talked about. They’re a tough team. [They’re] structured, well-coached, compete hard on all pucks, and we couldn’t match that tonight.”
Jordan Martinook scored off a steal and breakaway at 12:48 to extend the Canes advantage to 5-1, and Stefan Noesen scored 44 seconds later for the 6-1 final.
“To get the breakaway, I like that shot,” Martinook said. “It got a piece of him but it still went in. So, take it and hopefully we keep it going here.”
Akira Schmid started for New Jersey and was ineffective through two periods, yielding four goals and making just 21 saves. He got the hook in the second intermission.
Vitek Vanecek made nine saves, and surrendered two goals in a third period mop up role.
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