Devils dump Hurricanes in shootout

Ed Mulholland—USA TODAY Sports
New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson plays the puck while being defended by Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner during the Devils' 3-2 shootout winat Prudential Center.

NEWARK, N.J. — Devils newcomer Taylor Hall scored the winner in the shootout as New Jersey (6-3-3) earned its second consecutive win, 3-2, over the Carolina Hurricanes Wednesday.Devils goalie Cory Schneider stopped both Carolina shootout attempts after making 31 saves through regulation and overtime.The Hurricanes (3-5-4) lost for the fourth time in five games.”We could have had a better result,” Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal said.Devils rookie right winger Nick Lappin’s first NHL goal, 3:51 into the third period, tied the score 2-2. Lappin jammed a Sergey Kalinin rebound under Cam Ward. Carolina used its coach’s challenge in an attempt to see if Ward was interfered with, but replay held up the goal.Ward stopped 39 of 41 shots in regulation and overtime.”(Ward has) been good in his last four starts,” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. “That’s a positive sign for us.”In their second season under head coach John Hynes, the Devils are employing an attacking style of hockey. That was on full display in the opening period. The Devils outshot the Hurricanes 19-8 in the period and had a 1-0 lead at the intermission due to P-A Parenteau’s team-high-tying fifth goal of the season.The sequence began with the Devils forcing a turnover in their end of the ice and Hall gaining control of the puck. Hall found Travis Zajac with a pass, and the New Jersey center carried the puck into the offensive zone before finding Parenteau, who snapped a shot that beat Ward glove side at 16:50.Hall’s assist on Parenteau’s goal was the 200th of the left winger’s NHL career.”[It] seems like our line is playing well,” Hall said.As suboptimal as the opening 20 minutes for the Hurricanes, Carolina fought back in the second period, then took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission thanks to goals off the sticks of Staal and defenseman Klas Dahlbeck.Staal’s power play tap-in 4:23 into the second tied the game 1-1. Staal drove the far post and was able to poke Jaccob Slavin’s shot, which had been deflected by a Devil, past Schneider.”[Slavin] did a great job of finding a way to get the puck in,” Staal said. “Good players find a way to get it to the net and I was fortunate.”At 17:31 of the period, Dahlbeck threw a soft wrist shot from the left wing boards to beat Schneider. The goal was Dahlbeck’s first of the season.Carolina went 1-for-1 on the man advantage while killing all three New Jersey power plays.”It’s our pressure,” Staal said of the penalty kill. “It’s smart pressure. We know the right times when a team is vulnerable to force them to make a really good play.”NOTES: Prior to the game, Peters announced D Justin Faulk would miss three games with a lower-body injury. Prior to Tuesday night’s match, Faulk had played in all 11 games for the Hurricanes, totaling three goals and three assists. … The Hurricanes scratched D Ryan Murphy and LW Bryan Bickell. … LW Reid Boucher and RW Devante Smith-Pelley were New Jersey’s scratches. … Tuesday night’s game was a matchup of two of the NHL’s lowest scoring teams. The Hurricanes entered the game having scored 28 goals in 11 games for a 2.55 goals for per game average. New Jersey had scored 26 times, which equated to a 2.36 goals for per game average. Defensively, the Hurricanes have allowed 38 goals and have a 3.45 goals-against average. By comparison, the Devils have only surrendered 25 goals for a 2.27 goals-against average.