In Newark, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Martin Necas scored off the power play in the 15th minute of the third period to even their game with the New Jersey Devils, 4-4. The goal rescued the Canes from certain defeat.
Instead, Andrei Svechnikov won it for Carolina on penalties in a 5-4 decision for the Canes’ 11th straight win.
“That’s not how we’ve played during the streak,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’ve been a little more consistent with our play, shift in and shift out. We saw it in spurts here, but overall, that’s the reason we’ve been able to go on this run.”
Antti Raanta made 24 saves in the Carolina win.
The Hurricanes improved to 25-6-6.
Derek Stepan hit for a double for Carolina.
Stepan and Sebastian Aho bookended a goal from Jack Hughes to give the Canes a 2-1 lead after the first period.
New Jersey dropped to 23-11-3, they are 2-7-2 in their last 1`1.
“It was tough to generate,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “Their gaps were incredible. A heck of a battle to get where we were, and at the end, we got a point. We’d like more.”
Jesper Bratt hit for a pair of goals for New Jersey, his goals tied the game, 2-2, and pout New Jersey up, 4-3 in the third before Necas’ heroics.
“I felt like it wasn’t a bad time to shoot,” Bratt said. “Nico made a good screen and helped me out to make the goalie not see the puck. Luckily it went in.”
Nico Hischier scored for New Jersey in the third period to tie the game, 3-3, after Stepan’s second marker had given the Canes a 3-2 lead in the middle frame.
“We gave some really uncharacteristic turnovers and things we don’t normally do,” Brind’Amour. “Against this team, you can’t do that. They just came down and, boom. I like the resiliency though.”
Mackenzie Blackwood made 43 saves in the New Jersey loss.
“Those are two points I thought we could have had for sure,” Blackwood said. “Just a tough finish to the game. We got one [point] but it’s not what we were looking for.”
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