NEWARK, N.J. — The Hurricanes have faced some adversity despite being in control of their first round series against the New Jersey Devils since their few minutes of the opening game.
But not even a Game 3 double-overtime loss felt like as dire a situation as goaltender Frederik Andersen being flat on his back in the net in Sunday’s Game 4 after a second period collision with Devils forward Timo Meier.
“It was a tough moment for us,” said stablemate Pyotr Kochetkov, who came on in relief when Andersen went to the locker room, knocked out of the game with the Hurricanes leading by two goals just before the midway point of regulation.
It got tougher when Meier’s spinning shot from the side boards skittered past Kochetkov, cutting Carolina’s lead to one just over three minutes after Andersen was helped off the ice.
“When he scored, it’s my goal,” Kochetkov said, taking the blame for allowing New Jersey to get within a goal. “I try to just focus for the next shot. … I needed to feel the puck, and after I had a couple shots, the game (came to) me.”
He also had the help of Andrei Svechnikov.
Svechnikov finished with the second postseason hat trick in franchise history and Kochetkov shut the door the rest of the way, stopping the other 14 shots he faced, as the Hurricanes won 5-2 at Prudential Center to take a 3-1 series lead and push the Devils to the brink of elimination.
“It was kind of a hard season for me, but right now, in playoff time, it’s kind of my time,” said Svechnikov, who also scored the other hat trick, in the COVID season qualifying round against the Rangers, in 2020. “I love this time of the year. I love playing a physical game and just trying to do everything that’s going to help my team win the games.”
Svechnikov helped set the tone for Game 4 by scoring in the game’s first minute and, after a highlight-reel individual effort goal by Jaccob Slavin, added a second goal in the opening minute of the second period on the power play as Carolina built a 3-0 lead.
“I (can’t) say (anything) bad about my Russian friend, right?” Kochetkov said with a smile. “Yeah, very happy for him.”
The real challenge, however, was still ahead for the visiting Hurricanes.
Nico Hischier got New Jersey on the scoreboard just over two minutes later, then Meier, engaged with Svechnikov, crashed into Andersen shortly thereafter, knocking the Carolina goalie from the game.
No penalty was initially called, and then the officials opted for a five-minute major on Meier, which allowed for a video review. After the review, the referees determined there was no penalty on the play.
“There’s clearly contact, and you’re not really supposed to go in there,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the contact by Meier, who has been stymied by Andersen throughout the series. “And maybe even if we had a little bump, it’s still — he’s a big guy, he could stop. But it wasn’t egregious, I get it.”
The crowd ignited when the penalty was rescinded and reached another level when Meier scored to cut the Carolina lead to 3-2.
To their credit, the Hurricanes resisted seeking retribution on Meier and instead tried to reestablish their game.
“We know in a game you’re leading … that we don’t need any fights or anything, any more penalties,” Svechnikov said. “And we just tried to stay focused and try to play our game.”
With the Devils searching for the equalizer, the Hurricanes got the all-important next goal instead.
Jacob Markstrom (24 saves) misplayed the puck up the boards to Brent Burns, and the Carolina defenseman’s point shot snuck past the New Jersey goalie to give the Hurricanes a 4-2 lead with just over five minutes left in regulation.
Svechnikov then finished off his hat trick, scoring into an empty net to seal Game 4 and send the Hurricanes back to Raleigh with a chance to close out the series on Tuesday.
“Your best players have to be your best players. … He was around it,” Brind’Amour said of Svechnikov.
Carolina may need to do it without Andersen, whose history of injuries has always served as a looming dark cloud over his successes.
“He wasn’t good enough to continue,” Brind’Amour said. “So that’s not a good sign. But I don’t have any other information, so we’ll know more, I guess, tomorrow when he gets evaluated.”
Notes: Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake each finished with two assists. … Carolina won 59% of the faceoffs, led by Jordan Staal (18 of 26) and Aho (11 of 16). … Andersen was credited with the win since the Hurricanes’ game-winning third goal, Svechnikov’s power play tally, was scored when he was still in the game. … Carolina’s penalty kill improved to 12 for 12, and the Hurricanes are the only team yet to allow a postseason power play goal. … The Hurricanes’ power play improved to 4 for 13 (30.8%) in the series.
