Each of the first four games between the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils ended with a lopsided score yet Thursday’s competitive Game 5 flipped the script.
The two teams frequently traded chances throughout a fast-paced, back-and-forth 3-2 contest that required overtime before Jesper Fast ended the game and the Devils season.
It was a moment of redemption for Fast after the forward had a notable first-period gaffe.
Turnovers were an issue for the Devils in a 6-1 loss in Game 4 earlier this week and that trend continued early on Thursday. Some sloppy play from New Jersey contributed to the Hurricanes controlling the action in the opening half of the first period and Fast nearly put Carolina ahead seconds after an Ondrej Palat high-sticking call had expired.
Fast, while in tight, sent a rolling puck more than a foot over crossbar instead of into the back of an open net.
Missed open nets ended up being a recurring theme in Game 5.
Carolina was quite smothering early in the game, so the Devils had to rely on the fast break to generate their scoring chances in the opening period.
They capitalized with less than five minutes remaining in the period when Dawson Mercer batted in a long saucer pass from Timo Meier, capping off a terrific breakout from the Devils.
Akira Schmid was back between the pipes for the Devils after replacing Vitek Vanecek in Game 4.
The rookie was perfect in the opening 20 but Carolina got to him early in the second when Jaccob Slavin fired a quick wrister from the point that went in after changing directions multiple times.
Schmid ended up making 36 saves in the game and all three Carolina goals occurred on plays in which Schmid didn’t have a clear view of the oncoming shot.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi provided a screen on Carolina’s first goal and later in the period factored into New Jersey taking a 2-1 lead.
Kotkaniemi took an ill-advised roughing call behind the play and the Devils capitalized just seven seconds into the subsequent power play against a Carolina penalty kill ranked No. 1 in the playoffs.
The Devils struggled with the man advantage against the Hurricanes all season. In fact, they only scored on one of 24 opportunities (including regular season) before Meier powered in a rebound past Frederik Andersen in the second period.
Meier was excellent for New Jersey in Game 5 but he missed a wide-open net with less than six minutes remaining in the second that would’ve given his team a two-goal lead.
Acquired ahead of the trade deadline in a deal with San Jose, Meier caused the turnover that led to this prime scoring chance but couldn’t bury it.
That miss was severely regrettable as Meier’s former Sharks teammate Brent Burns tied the game five minutes later to even things up at 2-2 after 40 minutes.
The third period was played at a frenetic pace and entirely five-on-five with both teams trading chances yet neither could light the lamp.
Jonas Siegenthaler took a delay of game minor 5:36 into overtime after inadvertently shooting the puck over the glass and Carolina’s power play, which had been lifeless during this series, finally came through in the clutch.
Kotkaniemi took a pass from Shayne Gostisbehere, fired a shot towards the Devils net and the puck deflected off Fast who was providing a screen in front.
Fast’s second overtime goal so far this post-season certainly made up for his earlier miss.
The Hurricanes ended the night with a Storm Surge and a standing ovation from the crowd at PNC Arena.
Carolina will be the more rested team for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. They’ll have to wait to see if the Florida Panthers can close things out or if the Toronto Maple Leafs can complete an improbable comeback in the other East series.
Devils star Jack Hughes didn’t participate in line rushes during warm-ups but did manage to suit up for what ended up being his team’s final game of the season.
Hughes set a new franchise record with 99 points in the regular season and is the key piece for a Devils team that’ll have heightened expectations in 2023-24.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after the game he didn’t expect Hughes would be able to play due to an upper-body injury.
“For him to put his skates on and play, says a lot about his character,” Ruff said of Hughes before adding of his club, “the future is bright.”
