Global Courant 2023-05-12 07:32:36
Jesper Fast deflected in a Jesperi Kotkaniemi shot at 7:09 in overtime to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
Fast’s deflection as he shielded Akira Schmid provided a celebration for the Hurricanes, who never led to the final play and trailed twice by a goal before winning the best-of-seven series 4-1 to reach the final of the Eastern reach conference.
In the first tight game of the second-round game, Fast made amends when he threw a puck over the goal in front of an open net in the first period.
Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns also scored for Carolina, and Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.
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Jesperi Kotkaniemi #82 scores a goal as Jaccob Slavin #74 of the Carolina Hurricanes assists against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of Eastern Conference Game Five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 11, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier scored for New Jersey. Schmid stopped 36 shots.
This marks Carolina’s first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2019. The Hurricanes will face the winner of the Florida-Toronto series, with the Panthers leading 3-1.
The first four games of the series were filled with lopsided results, with each decided by at least four goals and a starting goaltender chasing early. Carolina won its first two home games by an 11-2 margin, then shrugged off a Game 3 loss by blowing it all open in the second period for a 6-1 win on Tuesday in Game 4.
The Hurricanes found themselves in this position in Round 1, with a chance to shut out the New York Islanders on home ice in Game 5. They lost it and instead had to clinch the series with a road win in Game 6.
This time they needed a dramatic ending to avoid a repeat.
The Devils’ departure comes in a season where a young group arrived earlier than expected to compete after the season.
New Jersey finished one point behind the Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division for the league’s third-best point total (112) and the franchise’s first playoff appearance in five years, then passed the rival New York Rangers in seven games despite a 0–2 deficit for the first playoff series victory since 2012.
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after a 3-2 overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils in Game Five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PNC Arena on May 11, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Cato Cataldo/NHLI via Getty Images)
OILERS’ DARNELL NURSE SUSPENDED FOR GAME 5 AFTER FIGHT
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Both teams missed seemingly easy putaways that loomed large as the game drifted into OT.
The Hurricanes’ early chances included Seth Jarvis’ deflection banging off the right post about 6 minutes into the game. Then came Paul Stastny who found Fast at the top of the crease – only to see Fast lift the puck over the open net in a play that left him shaking his head in exasperation once back on the bench.
The Devils’ frustrating moment came in a wild run of the second period.
Meier stole possession behind the Carolina net and began a pass-happy sequence that saw the puck go from Michael McLeod to Phil Hughes just outside the crease, then to Meier on the other side for a chance to put away – only to have seeing Meier send the puck harmlessly through and out of the crease.
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after a goal during the second period against the New Jersey Devils in Game Five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 11, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
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REMARKABLE
McLeod had a huge defensive play with about 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the third, getting his stick in to disrupt Fast’s attempt at an empty goal after Schmid lost the puck behind the net. … Carolina finished with a 39-29 shot advantage. … The Devils were 1 for 24 on the power play this season against the Hurricanes for Meier’s goal in the second period. … Carolina’s Jordan Martin also assisted Slavin’s goal in the second period, pushing him to 10 points in the series after a scoreless first round. … The former state of North Carolina and current Buffalo Bills running back to Nyheim Hines sounded the pregame storm warning siren for the Hurricanes to take the ice.
