Devils Extend Win Streak to Five

The New Jersey Devils won their fifth game in a row and got themselves to the 50-point mark after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3—2.
Devils Extend Win Streak to Five
READY TO RUMBLE: The Devils will be looking to finally get past the Carolina Hurricanes in the postseason. (Jim MacIsaac/Getty Images)
2/16/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/devils.jpg" alt="STANDING TALL: Devils goalie John Hedberg helped his team win with another strong performance. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)" title="STANDING TALL: Devils goalie John Hedberg helped his team win with another strong performance. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1806200"/></a>
STANDING TALL: Devils goalie John Hedberg helped his team win with another strong performance. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The New Jersey Devils won their fifth game in a row and got themselves to the 50-point mark after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3–2 on Wednesday night at the Prudential Center.

New Jersey managed to edge out another opponent with a close win, as six of their last seven games have come with a one-goal margin.

Ilya Kovalchuk made the headlines with his 20th goal of the season. It was the first goal of the game early in the second period. Kovalchuk has reached the 20-goal mark nine times in his career.

Speaking with MSG, one of the Devils stars of the game, winger Patrik Elias, said, “We’re finding a way to win.”

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire added, “I’m very happy with the way we played as a group.”

New Jersey netminder Johan Hedberg had another strong performance, stopping 25-of-27 shots on goal. In his last four games, Hedberg is 4–0 and has allowed only six goals with a .947 save percentage.

Red Hot
After a scoreless first period, Kovalchuk got things going for New Jersey at 5:41 in the second. Skating the puck on the left side of the ice and faking out defenseman Joe Corvo in the process, Kovy threw a blistering wrist shot from the top of the circle that sailed over the left shoulder of goalie Cam Ward.

Feeding off the energy in the second period, the Devils came out on fire in the third and lit the lamp for the second time at 0:34. On the play, Elias threw a shot on goal and Ward was unable to handle the rebound, where a waiting Brian Rolston put it home for the 2–0 lead.

Minutes later, Rolston and Elias hooked up again—but this time it was Elias receiving an assist from Rolston at center ice as Elias skated down the left side and put a quick backhander past a sprawling Ward at 1:59.

The Hurricanes finally got on the scoreboard, reducing the deficit to two goals, at 8:17 after winger Sergei Samsonov skated in front of the Devils net and beat Hedberg with a quick shot.

With less than two minutes remaining in the period, Carolina put extra heat on New Jersey after pulling Ward for the extra attacker—it paid off as winger Tuomo Ruutu skated near a crowd of ‘Canes players in front of the Devils net and slapped a puck past Hedberg.

But the game would end five seconds later, along with Carolina’s chances.