The Devils have risen to each challenge they have faced during these playoffs, but it never gets easier this time of year.
Such was a lesson learned following a momentum-crushing 6-1 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Prudential Center, in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series.
The Devils are now just one loss away from their Cinderella season coming to an end, while also tasked with the improbable feat of winning three in a row — two on the road — in order to advance.
Game 5 on Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C., will be do-or-die for the Devils, who have only faced elimination once so far these playoffs, in Game 7 of their first-round matchup with the Rangers.
“The most important game of the year is coming up for us,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said bluntly after the loss.
The Hurricanes erupted for five goals on 10 shots in the second period to cruise to victory Tuesday.
Martin Necas scored twice, one in the first period and another in the second, while Jordan Martinook posted his fourth-straight multi-point night with one goal and three assists for the Hurricanes. Martinook, who had just one multi-point playoff game in his career before this series, now has 10 points in four games against the Devils.
Carolina wore the Devils down with its signature heavy forecheck and strong transition game.
Vitek Vanecek reacts dejectedly after giving up a goal to Jesper Bratt during the Devils’ 6-1 Game 4 loss to the Hurricanes. APThe Devils simply looked overmatched in all three zones for a majority of the 60-minute contest, but the second period was particularly glaring to everybody in the home team’s locker room.
“That’s about as poorly we’ve skated and supported the puck in any game this year,” Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said.
“I look at the way we played after Game 7 [against the Rangers, in the first two losses to the Hurricanes], it resembled some of this. So for me, it’s: Are we having a tough time dealing with a little bit of success? Played a really good game [in Game 3], then you bounce back with a game like that. Playoffs are hard. We didn’t make it to a high enough level to win a hockey game tonight.”
Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek earned the starting nod for the second straight game after he had backstopped them to their first win of the series on Sunday. There was an opportunity for Vanecek to fully redeem himself for the role he played in the Devils’ 2-0 series deficit in the first round against the Rangers, but that never came close to fruition.
Ruff ultimately pulled Vanecek, who finished with 12 saves, for Akira Schmid after Carolina’s fifth goal.
Goalie Vitek Vanecek, Tomas Tatar and Luke Hughes react as Hurricanes center Martin Necas celebrates a goal in the second period of the Devils’ Game 4 loss. Bill Kostroun“When you look at how we played, and you look at what we gave up, I don’t think we should point the finger at the goaltender,” Ruff said. “There’s a lot of other places to look.”
Ruff opted to stick with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the second game in a row, a decision that was first brought about when Ryan Graves was unavailable with an upper-body injury in Game 3. The Devils defenseman was sidelined again, but Ruff evidently wanted to keep Luke Hughes in and ride the same lineup that won in Game 3 on Sunday. It did not produce anything close to the same results.
The Devils are now staring up at their loftiest challenge yet.
It will only get harder from here on out.
“We don’t really have much of a choice,” defenseman Damon Severson said of the need to have a short-term memory. “We know it’s not going to be easy. We have such a good team here, we’ve had such a great season that we don’t want it to end.
The Hurricanes are one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Getty Images“Now, we’ve got our backs against the wall and there’s only one way out of it. We got to climb out of it ourselves, no one else is going to do it for us.”
Power plays
Three starts
1. Jordan Martinook
Piecing together his fourth straight multi-point performance, Martinook was everywhere for the Hurricanes. He had a goal and two assists to go along with two hits and two takeaways.
2. Martin Necas
Necas scored Carolina’s first two goals of the game, his third and fourth of the postseason.
3. Brent Burns
With a goal and an assist, Burns became the sixth player in Hurricanes history to score a playoff goal at age 38 or older.
Key moment
Once Necas scored his second goal of the game, at 7:26 of the second period, the floodgates opened for the Hurricanes, who ultimately owned the middle frame from start to finish, with five goals on 10 shots.
Quote of the day
“We didn’t skate. We didn’t support. Our defense didn’t move their feet trying to leave the zone. All the things that we did so well in the previous game.” — Devils head coach Lindy Ruff
