Hurricanes take 2-0 series lead on Devils on stellar effort from Frederik Andersen

Chip Alexander and Luke DeCock, The News & Observer on Apr 22, 2025

Published in Hockey

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Put Jordan Martinook in a playoff series with the New Jersey Devils and it’s like lighting a fuse.

The Carolina Hurricanes forward — who is more about hustle and grit than shooting and scoring — has turned into the best form of himself against the Devils in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Martinook has played with fire but also with finish.

Martinook did it again Tuesday in Game 2 of the first-round NHL playoffs series at the Lenovo Center. A shorthanded goal in the second period, on a snipe of a shot from the left wing, gave the Canes the lead as Carolina took a 3-1 victory for a 2-0 lead in the series.

Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and forward Seth Jarvis each added goals for the Canes, Jarvis sealing the win with a late empty-net score.

The series now shifts to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., for Game 3 on Friday, and then Game 4 on Sunday.

Game 2 was a game where both goalies — the Canes’ Frederik Andersen and the Devils’ Jacob Markstrom — were dialed in and sharp, and had to be. Andersen was quick from post to post, and Markstrom made several high-quality stops in tight.

The Devils likely have seen enough of Martinook. Two years ago, the veteran had three goals and eight assists as the Canes won their playoff series in five games. Add in his “shortie” on Tuesday and he now has 12 points in seven playoff games against New Jersey.

The Hurricanes overcame a sluggish start Tuesday as the Devils were the sharper team in the opening 10 minutes, taking a 1-0 lead on Jesper Bratt’s goal four minutes into the game.

New Jersey was quicker to the puck and better defensively in the neutral zone, gapping up well and making it tougher for the Canes to enter the offensive zone.

Outshot 17-5 in the opening period in Game 1, the Devils had more shots and offensive zone time than Carolina in the first period Tuesday as the Canes squandered a couple of power plays with sloppy passing and failed shooting attempts.

Martinook, interviewed on the FanDuel telecast after the opening period, said the Canes were on their heels the first half of the period before finally getting into a better flow. It continued into the second.

It took the Canes less than three minutes to tie the score as Gostisbehere took a pass from Jackson Blake and got off two shots, scoring on the rebound. Blake had his first career playoff point, and the building was rumbling.

About three minutes later, the Devils were on the power play. But defenseman Dmitry Orlov battled and won a faceoff in the Canes zone and got the puck to Martinook, who took it from there.

Martinook carried the puck up the left side and went bar-down with a shot that Markstrom could not stop and the Canes had the lead.

Had it not been for Brett Pesce, the Canes would have scored more in the second. Twice, Pesce got his stick on a loose puck in the crease — the first an inch from crossing the goal line.

It was the kind of quick, alert play Pesce made so often when he played for the Hurricanes.

Andersen also got some help in the crease. He lost his stick a couple of times, unusual for the veteran goalie, and once had Jordan Staal and Brent Burns battle to keep the puck out of the net.

It was all about grit in the third. Staal was called for a tripping penalty, but Andersen made some sharp stops as the Canes killed it off. The Canes had a power play after Blake was tripped, but Markstrom stood tall in net.

The Devils were without defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon, both injured in Game 1. Their status for Game 3 is uncertain.

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe switched up his line in the third period of Game 1 and stuck with those lines Tuesday. Keefe kept Hischier at center with Timo Meier and Ondrej Palat, again using Bratt on Dawson Mercer’s line.

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