RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes shot, shot, and shot again but could not score enough and suffered another loss at home – a 2-1 shortfall to the New Jersey Devils at PNC Arena on Monday.
The Hurricanes outshot the Devils 40-16 overall, in every period, and at what seemed like every turn during the final 20 minutes of play.
In the third period alone, Carolina got 17 shots through to Devils netminder Cory Schneider compared to just one that New Jersey put on Carolina’s Cam Ward who finished the game with 14 saves.
“I don’t even know if it’s a hot goaltender; it’s just self-inflicted wounds, right?” Carolina head coach Bill Peters said afterwards.
“First one, we had the puck on our stick and it ends up in the net. Second one, we’re on the power play and next thing you know we’re killin’ a penalty and there’s the game-winner. It’ disappointing – it’s too good a league to give up freebies. We gave up two freebies tonight.”
Defenseman Justin Faulk scored Carolina’s lone goal in the second period at 7:11, but in a span of five minutes during the latter part of the frame, the Hurricanes all of a sudden trailed 2-1.
Future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr, playing in his 1500th career game, evened the score at 1-1 with his fifth goal of the season before assisting on Adam Henrique’s eighth of the year on the power play, the eventual game-winner with 14 seconds to go before the intermission.
Schneider played the most significant role in the Devils’ win with his 39-save effort that denied Carolina the chance to tie the game, let alone try to win it.
Losing its fourth game in its last five – all played at home – Carolina continued to occupy last place in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference with an 8-16-3 record.
Four power play opportunities as well as two-plus minutes with the extra attacker with Ward out of the net couldn’t be converted into goals by the Hurricanes.
“We’re gonna’ look back at this and regret it for sure,” Peters said.
“We’re 1-and-4, I believe scored seven times – scored seven goals at home. Opportunity on the power play – I don’t think that was dangerous enough. Not enough urgency.”
Notes: Jagr’s two-point night added to his career totals that put him into fifth (1,772 points), fifth (710 goals), and seventh (1062 assists) place overall in the NHL record books… New Jersey blocked 33 total shot attempts from Carolina’s shooters…When adding up shots on goal, blocked and missed shots, Carolina finished with 94 shot attempts in the offensive end, while New Jersey finished with 42…Jeff Skinner (5), Nathan Gerbe (4), Victor Rask (4), Patrick Dwyer (4) finished with the most SOG’s for the Hurricanes…Carolina forward Alexander Semin did not play due to a lower-body injury.
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Boxscore: New Jersey 2, Carolina 1
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