In Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes dropped their fourth straight game on Tuesday night, 5-3, to the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey rallied back from a 3-1 deficit with four straight goals for the win.
Dawson Mercer hit for a pair of goals and three points in the win.
“I knew the defense was flat-footed then and I just kind of drove it wide,” said Mercer, who had his first NHL multigoal game. “Anytime when that goalie freezes, you want to take it across. I was pretty happy with that goal for sure.”
Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves in the win.
“That’s a big win for us, to be down in the game and make a comeback against a good defensive team like [Carolina],” Mercer said. “Those points are massive for us right now.”
Carolina picked up two shorthanded goals from Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Sebastian Aho.
The Canes dropped to 25-9-7.
Max Pacioretty also scored for the Hurricanes.
New Jersey’s Jonas Siegenthaler scored in the first period to tie the game, 1-1.
Jesper Boqvist also scored for New Jersey.
“That last minute (in the second period) killed us, there’s no doubt, but we didn’t respond in the third,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I don’t know if we had a good scoring chance in the third, but we didn’t get enough out of the first two periods when we played really, really well.”
Nico Hischier was awarded a goal after being hooked on a breakaway headed to an empty net for the 5-3 final.
Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.
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