The Carolina Hurricanes made light work of the New Jersey Devils for a second straight game, winning 6-1 at PNC Arena to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. This comes off the heels of Carolina’s 5-1 blowout win in Game 1.
After a scoreless first period, the Hurricanes rattled off four of its six goals in an electric second period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi got the party started with a goal via wrist shot only 1:35 into the second, and he fired another wrister past Devils goalie Akira Schmid less than three minutes later. It’s Kotkaniemi’s second two-goal performance in a postseason game.
Jordan Staal and Martin Necas accounted for the Hurricanes’ remaining two goals in the second period, and both came within the final three minutes. Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen put an exclamation point on the Hurricanes’ blowout by scoring the game’s fifth and sixth goals just after the halfway point of the third period.
Miles Wood scored New Jersey’s lone goal of the game at 3:50 of the third period, a bright spot in an otherwise dreary game for the Devils.
With the Hurricanes leading the series 2-0, they’ll have a chance to end it at the Prudential Center, where Games 3 and 4 will take place. Carolina has proven to be more than capable on the road this postseason, going 2-1 including a series-clinching overtime win against the New York Islanders in Game 6 of the first round.
Carolina coach Rob Brind’Amour watched his team fall in the second round each of the past two seasons, and if the first two games of this series are any indication, it’s clear he’s not taking his foot off the gas this time around.
For more on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, here’s a look at all the scores.
