Hurricanes eliminate Devils | The master beat the student

The Devils might have deserved to play one more game. But the Hurricanes definitely deserved to win the series.

The order of things was respected on Thursday, when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils by a score of 3-2. Thanks to an overtime goal from Jesper Fast – his second in similar circumstances this spring – Rod Brind’Amour’s men become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2023 playoffs.

If the Florida Panthers had to join them there, we would only see a second duel in the association final between two former representatives of the defunct Southeast Division. It’s good to say.

Trivial enough, it’s important to recognize that the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t just here for fun. The authority they wielded over this short five-game streak commands nothing but respect. Often, we had to go back and check that a single point had indeed separated these two clubs in the season standings.

Their domination was not total from start to finish. The Devils deserved all the praise for their awakening in Game 3. And they offered a very good opposition in this final duel. Many times they could have dug in or consolidated their lead. Timo Meier shooting wide from a completely abandoned goal in the second half. Nathan Bastian who imitates him shortly after. Ondrej Palat who misses the net by a hair in the third period. Clearly, despite falling 3-1 in the series, the visitors put up a good fight.

The Hurricanes, however, were better. After the missed chance of Palat, precisely, the last commitment was theirs. Without Akira Schmid, who at least ends his series on a good note after two false starts, we would not have had to go to overtime.

It’s a bit of a shame, moreover, at a time of year when the quality of officiating is so volatile, that the game ended on the power play after an infamous penalty for sending the puck into the stands. On this one, we could have wished a better fate for the Devils. But overall, the best team won. The game and the series. For injustice, we will come back.

Without weakness

We look at the list of teams remaining in the playoffs, and we can only wonder: who can beat the Carolina Hurricanes?

Despite the absence of two important strikers, Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen, this formation does not present any obvious weaknesses. The main question mark of the end of the season and the first round has been dispelled: here are finally the Hurricanes capable of scoring goals. Twenty-four in total, including only one in an empty net, in just five games. Seventeen of these goals were scored five against five, a phase of play until then problematic.

Against the Devils, the attacking cavalry finally arrived. Jordan Martinook came out of his silence and exploded with 10 points in five games. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, unseen against the New York Islanders in the first round, had five points, including an assist on the series-winning goal. Captain Jordan Staal stood up. What awfully complicates the life of the Devils, who suddenly had many other worries than the trio of Sebastian Aho.

All this while Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei weaved their web in defense, past a Frederik Andersen who looked very, very well.

The Dane kept from his time in Toronto an unenviable reputation in the playoffs. For obvious reasons, we know that he had never reached the second round in the Queen City. Too bad for the Maple Leafs, because he seemed awfully comfortable under this pressure, except for a small stain on his record in Game 3. He will be difficult to dislodge in the next round.

The Devils, let us insist, have nothing to be ashamed of their performance. In a duel between two teams that look alike, but are decidedly at two different stages of their development, the master beat the student, quite simply.

We can expect this young and hungry group to come back even stronger next year, especially with Timo Meier in the line-up from training camp and a certain Swiss goaltender who will be difficult to send back to the American League.

Neither of these two clubs is badly taken, finally. There is just one who is a little disappointed. Not bad, probably.

Up: Jesper Fast

There is of course his goal in extra time, but he had obtained high quality scoring chances throughout the game.

Down: Tomas Tatar

Second to last on his team in terms of ice time, he has still contributed very little to the collective good. The playoffs are still not his cup of tea: only one point in 12 games.

The number of the match: 6

With six shots on Thursday, Brent Burns has now hit the net 47 times since the start of the playoffs. That’s 11 more than his closest pursuer, Brandon Montour.