After a masterclass performance against the Utah Hockey Club, the Devils left Raleigh with no points after the Carolina Hurricanes beat them 4-2 on Monday.
The Devils started sluggishly in the second half of a back-to-back. Jacob Markstrom kept the Devils in the game, making save after save and keeping the game scoreless in the first period.
Jack Hughes opened up the scoring as he netted his first goal of the season. After being locked in the zone and rushing plays, Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis made the Devils pay as he put one in the back of the net and tied the game. It looked like the two teams would go into the third period tied at one until the Hurricanes added another goal with less than a minute left in the period.
The Hurricanes entered the third period with all the momentum. They added their third goal about halfway through the last period. The Devils had a push, and captain Nico Hischier ended up adding a second goal, but the comeback fell short, and the Hurricanes added an empty net, bringing the final score to 4-2.
Despite the loss, there are still positives to be looked at.
The penalty kill was a perfect 1-for-1 and the power play went 1-for-3. Hischier got the power play goal towards the end of the game. Special teams have the ability to win games, and with success brewing, the Devils give themselves an opportunity to win more games.
Markstrom looked good in net, ending the night with a save percentage of .900. With goaltending giving the Devils a chance, the players simply need to perform better.
The Devils are 4-2-0 as they look to Thursday night, where they will take on the Buffalo Sabres for the third time this season. The Devils opened their season with two wins against Buffalo.
The Devils will travel to Buffalo for a puck drop at 7 p.m. ET.
