Hurricanes win overtime thriller over Devils, advance to third round of NHL playoffs
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes are moving on. Moving on to the Eastern Conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Moving on after beating the New Jersey Devils, 3-2 in overtime in Game 5 of their second-round series on a Jesper Fast’s power-play goal.
Fast scored with 12:51 left in the OT, redirecting a Jesperi Kotkaniemi shot past goalie Akira Shmid.
The Hurricanes now will await the winner of the second-round Eastern series between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Panthers have a 3-1 lead in their series.
Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns each scored for the Canes in regulation with shots from the points. Timo Meier had a goal and assist for the Devils, scoring on a second-period power play, and Dawson Mercer had the game’s first goal.
Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler was called for delay of game in overtime after flipping a puck over the glass. The Canes went to the power play with 14:34 left in OT, with a chance to end it, and Fast did.
The Hurricanes again turned to goalie Frederik Andersen, who made his sixth straight playoff start, while the Devils went with Schmid in the elimination game.
Andersen fought the pucks at times, giving up a rebound that led to Meier’s power-play score in the second period. But Andersen made his share of big saves, stopping Ondrej Palat oneon-one from point-blank range midway through the third.
In what was a tense, tight-checking game from the start, with both teams showing playoff intensity and the willingness to make the plays.
Burns and Meier are said to be good buddies from their time together with the San Jose Sharks. But Burns put a big smack on Meier in the second period that had Canes fans on their feet and roaring. Meier is no small man at 6-1 and 220 pounds but the 6-5 Burns tattooed him in the Carolina zone.
Nathan Bastian had a chance to give the Devils a 3-1 lead late in the second period but his swat in front went wide of the net. Less than a minute later, Burns winged one from the right point for the tying goal with 38 seconds left in the period.
Of note, historically: Burns became the first NHL defenseman 38 or older to score in back-toback playoff games since Niklas Lidstrom in 2011.
Knights’ Pietrangelo suspended for Game 5 of Oilers series
LAS VEGAS — Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was suspended one game by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Thursday.
Pietrangelo slashed Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl with both hands away from the puck with 1:27 remaining in Game 4 of the Knights’ second-round series Wednesday. Pietrangelo was given a major penalty and a game misconduct on the play.
This is the first suspension of his 15-year NHL career.
Pietrangelo has been the recipient of some late and aggressive hits in the series. Oilers right wing Evander Kane crosschecked Pietrangelo in the face well after the first-period buzzer in Game 3. Kane also sent Pietrangelo hard into the boards in Game 4 less than three minutes before the slash. Kane and right wing Jonathan Marchessault were given misconduct penalties after the play.
Pietrangelo’s suspension leaves the Knights without their No. 1 defenseman for Friday’s pivotal Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena. The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 after Edmonton’s 4-1 victory Wednesday.
The Oilers also will be dealing with an absence.
Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse was given an instigator penalty after fighting defenseman Nic Hague with 50 seconds left in Wednesday’s game.