Takeaways: Devils’ banged-up blue line steps up in double-OT win

It’s been a protracted season for Simon Nemec. The second-year professional struggled all through a lot of the 2024-25 marketing campaign and opened the playoffs as a wholesome scratch. However on Friday night time, together with his New Jersey Devils down two video games and some defencemen, Nemec stepped up. 

Nemec, who at 21 is the youngest participant in New Jersey’s lineup and one in all only a handful of wholesome defenders on the squad at this level, put an finish to the longest recreation of the season (to this point) with a blinding solo effort early in double additional time, capped by a snapshot tucked underneath the arm of Frederik Andersen. 

A 3-2 double additional time win over the surging Carolina Hurricanes to make this collection 2-1 and breathe just a little life into these Devils. 

And, exhale. (Or, was {that a} yawn?) Both method, Devils followers can sleep just a little simpler tonight realizing they’re not getting ready to elimination. This collection simply bought a complete lot extra attention-grabbing.

Devils’ defence down to 5 as Kovacevic exits early

It’s been a tough collection already for New Jersey’s defence, which limped into the post-season after enduring the stretch run with out Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler. Whereas Hamilton returned simply previous to the playoffs, and Siegenthaler was cleared to play Friday, the Devils’ blue line is much from full — and the banged-up unit suffered one other blow Friday night time, with Johnathan Kovacevic sustaining an undisclosed damage early on. It’s unclear what occurred — he performed the primary interval, however didn’t hit the ice for the second and remained out the remainder of the sport. 

Add Kovacevic to a rising checklist of accidents on defence, which already consists of Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon — each of whom went down in Recreation 1. Add additionally that Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe disclosed earlier that Brett Pesce isn’t working at 100 per cent — although, you wouldn’t realize it based mostly on how properly he performed in Recreation 3’s successful effort and the minutes he logged. 

After Kovacevic was in a position to log simply six minutes, Keefe was pressured to work with a five-man rotation on the blue line for a lot of the recreation, together with a full interval of additional time after the Hurricanes climbed again from a two-goal deficit to drive OT. Brian Dumoulin led the group with a whopping 36:29 minutes of ice time (and registered a plus-three score, in addition), adopted by Pesce’s 32:25 and Hamilton’s 31:16. Whereas Nemec logged a extra affordable 22:39 — the very best complete of his profession — he definitely made his time rely. 

Markstrom, Andersen take turns stealing the present

All it takes is one nice goaltender to alter the course of a collection. However between the Devils and Hurricanes, we’ve bought two — and each Jacob Markstrom and Frederik Andersen have been at their finest Friday night time. 

Markstrom’s night began off uneventful, with Carolina testing him simply 4 occasions in the primary interval, however the Hurricanes made up for misplaced time in the second with a barrage of 14 photographs. Irrespective of, although — Markstrom stopped all of them, posting a shutout by way of 46:11 of regulation, when Seth Jarvis bought Carolina on the board and reduce the Devils’ lead in half 5 minutes after Dawson Mercer made it 2-0 New Jersey. Markstrom’s heroics have been nothing new, in fact. He’s been locked in to this point this collection however getting little assist from the workforce in entrance of him, which managed only a single purpose in every of the primary two video games. 

Andersen, too, has been excellent to this point this collection and on Friday night time was the largest cause Carolina even had an opportunity to make a comeback. His night time included a handful of chaotic scrambles in the blue paint, together with one glove-snag from his abdomen to rob Timo Meier in the second interval. Which may simply be the save of his post-season profession. 

Hurricanes’ energy play wakes up, however Devils’ nonetheless sleepy

The Devils boasted the third-best energy play by way of the common season, the unit working at a 29.2 per cent success fee. Via three playoff video games, although, that fee is a flat zero. And it’s not for lack of alternative — New Jersey has had 10 energy performs in this collection to this point, together with 5 Friday night time alone, and has but to mild the lamp whereas taking part in with the person benefit. 

In truth, the Devils appear like they’re at a drawback each time their power-play unit hits the ice, out of sync and unable to muster a lot momentum or sense of urgency. Even two prime alternatives in additional time on Friday didn’t kickstart any success for New Jersey. Credit score to the Hurricanes, in fact, whose league-best penalty kill is flourishing in the post-season to this point, ease when on the fallacious facet of five-on-four play. 

Up till Friday night time, Carolina, too, had been struggling mightily on the ability play, scoring only a single PP purpose by way of six alternatives in the primary two video games. However that modified in Recreation 3, when Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho each scored power-play markers in the third interval to tie issues up and in the end ship the sport to additional time. 

Whereas the Devils gained the even-strength battle this night time, their particular groups struggles will solely get heavier because the stakes get increased.