Devils lose to Hurricanes for seventh loss in eight games

RALEIGH, N.C. — Antti Raanta made 24 saves in his first motion in almost a month because the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Saturday night time.

Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov scored within the first interval to assist the Hurricanes win their third straight and sixth within the final seven.

Jesper Boqvist scored for the Devils, who’ve misplaced seven of their final eight video games. The lone victory in that stretch got here final Saturday in opposition to Carolina. Jon Gillies stopped 21 photographs for New Jersey.

The Devils posted solely three photographs on purpose within the third interval.

“That’s how you need to play with the lead,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour stated. “Wasn’t nice the primary couple durations. However give the blokes a number of credit score as a result of when the sport was on the road, they turned it up.”

By then, the frustration may need been constructing for the Devils.

“I assumed we did higher than hanging in there,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff stated. “We weren’t in a position to capitalize on a few of these key offensive alternatives. … We performed most likely in addition to we have now defensively. Carolina is a troublesome crew to outskate and I assumed for the fist 40 minutes we outskated them. We didn’t outscore them.”

Dawson Mercer
The Devils’ Dawson Mercer is stopped on the doorstep by Hurricanes’ goalie Antti Raanta.
AP

5 of New Jersey’s final seven defeats have come by one purpose.

“It’s not enjoyable to lose these tight video games,” Boqvist stated.

As for Raanta, he hadn’t performed since Jan. 1 as a result of an higher physique harm. This was his first full sport since Dec. 30, with three different goalies making begins for Carolina since then.

“It has been a number of exhausting work,” Raanta stated of rehabbing. “Clearly, it’s good to get rewarded.”

His teammates appreciated the efforts.

“I stated to him after the sport, ‘That’s the Rants I’ve seen steal numerous video games,’ ” stated Martinook, who was a teammate with the goalie after they performed for the Arizona Coyotes. “That was type of classic Rants proper there. … He has had some accidents and he’s getting again to it.”

Raanta, who’s in his first season with the Hurricanes, stated he equipped all week anticipating he would possibly draw the project in opposition to the Devils.

“You begin to discover ways to play behind this crew,” Raanta stated. “You’re incomes the belief. Clearly, making these saves feels good.”

Raanta made a clutch cease on Nathan Bastian’s short-handed breakaway within the ultimate seconds of the second interval.

“Key saves at actual large instances,” Brind’Amour stated. “We weren’t at our greatest. Their crew was actually type of coming at us for a short while.”

Martinook, who has been out for many of the previous eight weeks, scored for the primary time because the season opener. His purpose got here on a back-handed shot at 8:02 of the primary after Seth Jarvis delivered a cross from behind the online.

Martinook hadn’t performed previously 4 video games. He made it again from an harm after which entered the COVID-19 protocol.

“One factor after one other for him,” Brind’Amour stated. “It’s good to see him contribute.”

Svechnikov produced his purpose with 5:38 left within the interval by taking the puck to the crease, the place Gillies wasn’t in a position to acquire management and it ended up within the internet.

Boqvist made it 2-1 with 3:34 remaining within the opening interval together with his first purpose of the season.

The Hurricanes additionally scored the primary two objectives final Saturday at New Jersey. The Devils responded to win that sport 7-4.

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