RALEIGH — In the first intermission, Jordan Martinook asserted that the Hurricanes, trailing by a goal, didn’t come ready to play to start Game 2 of their playoff series with the New Jersey Devils.
Carolina was certainly ready in the second period.
Shayne Gostisbehere scored in the first three minutes of the middle frame to tie the game, and Martinook’s shorthanded goal a few minutes later put the Hurricanes ahead to stay as Carolina finished off a 3-1 win to push its series lead to 2-0 at Lenovo Center.
“I can’t think about enough good things to say about that game,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Martinook, who now has points in all seven career playoff games against the Devils. “It might be his most impactful game as a Hurricane, and he’s had a bunch.”
After Gostisbehere tied the game at 2:57 of the middle frame, roofing the puck past Jacob Markstrom (25 saves) on a second effort, the Hurricanes went to the penalty kill after Sebastian Aho was called for slashing at 5:41.
It took only 13 seconds for the Hurricanes’ power kill to cash in.
After Carolina came out of a defensive zone faceoff with the puck, Dmitry Orlov hit Martinook in stride going up the left wing. Martinook got to the faceoff circle and scored off the far post to give the Hurricanes a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“It’s a scrum off the draw, and then they kind of get on the wrong side of it,” Martinook said, “and (Orlov) comes out, and I can see that we’re on the good side of it. And then I just know I can take off.”
The Devils pushed for the equalizer, but another faceoff win with Markstrom on the bench for an extra attacker led to Martinook springing Seth Jarvis into open ice for an empty-net goal with 37 seconds left to seal the win.
“We didn’t have a great start, but we’re a resilient bunch,” Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin said.
The Devils came out desperate, and it paid off in the game’s opening minutes.
After a prolonged shift in the defensive zone, Carolina executed a sloppy line change, and that opened the door for Jesper Bratt to score his first of the series — and the Devils’ only 5-on-5 goal in the first two games — at 3:51 to give New Jersey an early 1-0 lead.
“They were on their game,” Brind’Amour said, “and we weren’t. … I didn’t think we were sharp at the start.”
But after a slow seven minutes, the Hurricanes started to gain traction, and they tied the game early in the second period.
A dominant shift by the line of Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake led to a one-timer for Gostisbehere. Markstrom made a diving save, but the rebound kicked right back to the Carolina defenseman, and Gostisbehere put it in the top of the net to tie the game.
“I don’t really get too many shifts with that first line,” Gostisbehere said. “And they’re highly skilled. … Every time I had the puck, there was a guy open, so just pass it to them. (Blake) made a great play, and I was lucky the puck squirted back out to me, and I finished it.”
From there, New Jersey couldn’t figure out Frederik Andersen, who was starting his second straight playoff game and third overall — the first time he’s started in consecutive games this season.
“We brought him in here to be that guy,” Brind’Amour said.
Andersen finished with 25 saves and has allowed just two goals in the series, boasting a .960 save percentage. He is a perfect 5-0 against New Jersey in his Hurricanes career — all playoff wins.
“I try not to think too much about it,” Andersen said of his performance. “I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and be ready when called upon.”
Notes: Devils defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon did not play after being injured in Game 1. … Devils defenseman Brett Pesce blocked six shots. … Martinook led Carolina with five shots on goal.
