
The New Jersey Devils put on a dominant performance in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, winning by a score of 8-4. The Devils, who had lost the first two games of the series, came out firing on all cylinders and never looked back.
The Devils got on the board early, with Pavel Zacha scoring just 1:17 into the game. Jesper Bratt and Yegor Sharangovich each added goals in the first period to give the Devils a 3-0 lead heading into the second.
The Hurricanes tried to mount a comeback in the second period, with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov scoring to cut the Devils’ lead to 3-2. But the Devils responded with goals from Michael McLeod and Kyle Palmieri to take a 5-2 lead into the third period.
The Hurricanes scored early in the third period to make it a 5-3 game, but the Devils put the game out of reach with goals from Zacha, Sharangovich, and Miles Wood. The Hurricanes added a late goal, but it was too little, too late.
The Devils’ offense was firing on all cylinders, with eight different players registering points in the game. Zacha and Sharangovich each had two goals and an assist, while Palmieri had a goal and two assists.
But perhaps the biggest story of the game was the performance of Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood, who had struggled in the first two games of the series, was outstanding in Game 3, stopping 32 of the 36 shots he faced.
The Devils will look to build on their Game 3 performance and even the series at two games apiece when they take on the Hurricanes in Game 4. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will look to bounce back and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The Devils’ win was a much-needed boost for a team that had struggled in the first two games of the series. The team had been outscored 10-3 in the first two games, and there were concerns about whether they would be able to compete with the Hurricanes.
But the Devils put those concerns to rest with their dominant performance in Game 3. They looked like a completely different team than the one that had struggled in the first two games, playing with confidence and energy from start to finish.
One of the keys to the Devils’ success in Game 3 was their ability to generate offense from all four lines. Eight different players registered points in the game, and the team looked dangerous every time they had the puck.
Another key to the Devils’ success was their improved defensive play. After giving up five goals in each of the first two games, the Devils tightened up defensively and made it much harder for the Hurricanes to generate quality scoring chances.
But perhaps the biggest difference in the game was the performance of Blackwood. The young goaltender had struggled in the first two games of the series, but he looked like a completely different player in Game 3. He made several key saves early in the game to keep the Hurricanes off the board, and he was a rock for the Devils throughout the game.
Overall, the Devils’ win in Game 3 was a complete team effort. The offense was firing on all cylinders, the defense was much improved, and Blackwood was outstanding in net. The team will look to carry that momentum into Game 4 and even the series at two games apiece.