"Raleigh Defended": 2025 Postseason, Round 1, Game 2 (CAR Leads 1-0): Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

The Carolina Hurricanes tried to defend home ice once again after dominating Game 1 on Easter Sunday. The group got off to a great start and only got better from there. Big performances from almost every line contributed to the victory, but Frederik Andersen was the major standout, stopping 23 shots in a 4-1 win. With the Devils' injury troubles rearing their ugly head once again, they'd play Game 2 without Luke Hughes and Brendan Dillon on defense, making their quest to even the series that much tougher.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

NJD (3:51)- Jesper Bratt (1) (Erik Haula (1) & Dougie Hamilton (1))

2nd Period

CAR (2:57)- Shayne Gostisbehere (1) (Jackson Blake (1) & Sebastian Aho (1))

CAR (5:54)- Jordan Martinook (1) SH (Dmitry Orlov (1))

3rd Period

CAR (19:23)- Seth Jarvis (1) EN (Jordan Martinook (2))

My Thoughts

As everyone expected, the Devils weren't going to let their Game 1 loss be the end of the series. They came out of the gates tonight on a mission. That mission earned them the first goal of the night and their first lead of the series. Jesper Bratt was a problem all night. Sheldon Keefe made the wise decision of splitting him from Nico Hischier, forcing Rod Brind'Amour to decide which line he wanted Jordan Staal's group to play against. Bratt got the goal, but that's all New Jersey would get past Frederik Andersen. Obviously, it wasn't for a lack of trying. The Canes' netminder was on another plane of existence tonight. I'd have to look back through the archives, but this has a legitimate claim as his best effort in a Hurricanes sweater. 

The Devils outplayed the Hurricanes in the first period. They wouldn't allow that to be the case in the second. Within six minutes during the middle frame, the Canes resumed control of the series. The top line was in the middle of it to score the tying goal. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake both found the scoresheet. Shayne Gostisbehere's initial chance was blocked before Jacob Markstrom inadvertently played it right to Gostisbehere as he lifted the rebound home. It gave the crowd something to cheer for again, bringing them back into the fold. With how well New Jersey's top group played in the first period, this was a great response that would continue the rest of the night. Seth Jarvis joined his linemates by scoring the empty-net goal late for the dagger. Blake did a great job of squashing New Jersey's comeback bid late, drawing a tripping penalty as he drove to the front of the net. This trio can find another gear, though this was a good start. 

What Jordan Martinook did against the Devils in the second round in 2023 was historic. He tied the franchise record with ten points in a playoff series (3G, 7A). Four of those games were multi-point performances, setting a franchise record. Martinook against the Devils in the postseason is special. He had an assist in Game 1 to push his personal streak against New Jersey to six games before adding to it tonight with two more points. Martinook took over. The biggest moment of the night was his short-handed goal to put the Canes ahead. Dmitry Orlov deserves a lot of love for jumping into the dot to take the puck away before sending Martinook into the zone. He nearly set up a goal in the first period from his pants. His play on the empty-net goal was incredible. After the Canes lost the draw, the puck went right to Martinook. He sold as if he was about to play it up the wall, freezing Bratt long enough as he moved his stick toward the wall. This opened up the seam for Martinook to hit Jarvis and give him the breakaway. It was a subtle move, but it was the difference between the Canes finishing the game then or making us sweat it out for 30 more seconds. 

The Hurricanes own a 2-0 series lead with their victory tonight, but that's not cause for celebration. They're halfway done, and the second half of the journey is going to be even tougher. Now, the series moves north to Newark. Two years ago, the Canes went to New Jersey with a 2-0 series lead before having their teeth kicked in by the Devils early. They chased Andersen after he allowed four goals as the Devils earned their first win of the series, 8-4. The Canes finished the game much better than they started, scoring three short-handed goals in the loss, including a Martinook penalty shot. My point in bringing up history is that this series has been much tighter through two games than that series was, and the Hurricanes haven't been good on the road. They lost both games in Newark this season by the same score, 4-2. They've probably woken a sleeping bear. A win in Game 3 could put that bear right back to sleep. 

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Jordan Martinook

In big moments, captains lead their teams to victory. Tonight, Jordan Martinook helped drag the team back into the fight in the first period before finding the back of the net in the second. His short-handed goal changed the trajectory of the game. Like I said, I loved his move on the empty-net goal, too. He's a heart-and-soul guy, so this is nothing new for him. He's continued his career year into the playoffs, helping the group get off to an incredible start.