By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Martinook scored a go-ahead shorthanded goal in the second period and Frederik Andersen came up big in net all night to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Tuesday for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Shayne Gostisbehere also scored in the second for Carolina, while Seth Jarvis added a clinching empty-net breakaway goal in the final minute. That was enough for the Hurricanes, who had a much tougher fight on their hands against the shorthanded Devils than in a Game 1 romp.
Andersen stood up for 25 saves and didn’t allow the Devils to find the back of the net for the final 56 minutes, including a big stop on a shot by Nathan Bastian with about 6 minutes left.
Jesper Bratt scored the Devils’ lone goal while Jacob Markstrom finished with 25 saves for New Jersey.
The Hurricanes had dominated the series opener in Sunday’s 4-1 win, leaving coach Sheldon Keefe and his players lamenting the Devils’ inability to match Carolina’s relentless edge in what captain Nico Hischier described as “simple hockey, hard hockey.”
It didn’t help, too, that New Jersey was down defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon from Game 1 injuries. But the Devils got the determined effort they needed to stay in this one, starting when they pinned Carolina in its own end early to set up Bratt’s clean-up of a rebound for the game’s first score at 3:51 of the game.
It also included former Hurricane Brett Pesce personally saving two goals for the Devils on loose pucks against Markstrom, including one coming seconds after Gostisbehere pounced on his own rebound to beat Markstrom. On that one, Pesce knocked a puck out as it laid on the goal line — but not fully across it — behind Markstrom.
He also cleaned up one on Taylor Hall’s near score on a push under Markstrom in traffic.
But ultimately, Carolina did enough to keep pressure on. The winner fittingly went to the veteran Martinook on a strong attacking night, coming moments after the Devils were lined up for a faceoff to start a power play.
Dmitry Orlov collected the loose puck and sent a transition pace to spring Martinook, who blasted a shot past Markstrom at the 5:54 mark of the second to put Carolina ahead for good.
The series now shifts north to Newark for Game 3 on Friday night.