The Carolina Hurricanes fell 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils at PNC arena Tuesday night, ending their 11-game home point streak. This was just the team’s fourth regulation loss on home ice all season.
Despite outshooting the Devils 30-18, the Canes did not generate enough offensively. The team could not find much space to operate against the Devils’ smothering defensive style of play.
“It was partly us,” forward Jordan Staal said. “I think we didn’t execute as well as we would like. They did a good job of clogging up the neutral zone and making it difficult for us to either enter the blue line with speed or get a forecheck on them.”
Following a scoreless first 35 minutes of the game, the Devils got on the board late in the second period. After a botched attempt at exiting their own zone, the Canes iced the puck. Off the ensuing faceoff, the Devils set up a nice passing play, as forward Michael Cammalleri set up forward Adam Henrique at the right circle, and he made no mistake for a 1-0 lead.
One of the Canes’ best chances to tie the game came about nine minutes into the third period. Schneider stoned Carolina forward Brock McGinn’s point-blank backhander, and the rebound went over the net.
New Jersey extended its lead with 8:30 to play, as Cammalleri, who had a hat trick last time the Devils visited PNC, fired a shot underneath the crossbar on a sharp-angle slapshot from the right circle to make it 2-0. The veteran forward has 11 goals and 20 points in 23 career games against the Hurricanes.
“I don’t think too many guys in the room are very happy about how we played as a team,” head coach Bill Peters said. “We can’t play like that and expect a result. That’s the biggest thing; there’s reality there. It’s not like we’re sitting there thinking we played well and deserved a better fate.”
Directly after Cammalleri’s goal, the Hurricanes cut the lead in half, as forward Sebastian Aho swept in the rebound of a shot off the end boards by defenseman Ron Hainsey. The goal extended Aho’s point streak to four games.
The Canes’ power play came up short tonight. The team could not score on any of its four-man advantage opportunities, continuing an extended drought with one power-play goal in its last seven games.
“Sometimes that’s the just the way it goes,” forward Jeff Skinner said. “Obviously that’s not the production you want to have. You want to get out there every time and create good lucks. You’re not always going to score on them, but you want to always try and create momentum if you don’t score. I think we have to keep continuing to strive for that.”
With Ward on the bench for an extra skater and two minutes to play, Devils forward Kyle Palmieri iced the game with an empty-net goal.
The loss was the Canes’ third to the Devils this season. The team has dropped three of four games since a four-day break for the holidays, with every point being precious as Carolina tries to stay in the playoff chase in the Eastern Conference.
“We haven’t played as well coming off the break, and that’s disappointing,” Peters said. “It’s just reality; we haven’t played as well as we were going into the break. We need to find a way to get that back.”
The Canes will begin a busy stretch of three games in four days on Thursday with a trip to Missouri to take on the St. Louis Blues.
