Nathan Bastian scored twice in the first period and his teammates cranked up the offense after that as the New Jersey Devils defeated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 7-4 on Saturday night at Newark, N.J.
The Devils broke a three-game losing streak by matching their largest goals total of the season.
Michael McLeod, Andreas Johnsson, Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and Pavel Zacha also scored for New Jersey. Ryan Graves had three assists while Dawson Mercer and Johnsson both provided two assists.
The score was tied at 4-4 before Bratt’s goal with 1:41 to play in the second quarter. Hughes and Zacha had the only third-period goals.
Andrei Svechnikov, Ian Cole, Josh Leivo and Brady Skjei scored for the Hurricanes, who held an early 2-0 lead. Svechnikov and Leivo both supplied an assist each.
It was the first professional start for Carolina goalie Jack LaFontaine, who played in one previous NHL game. He made 31 saves.
New Jersey’s 38 shots on goal were its most in a seven-game span. The Devils had scored a total of six goals in their last three games combined.
Devils goalie Jon Gillies stopped 28 shots, including all 14 that he faced in the third period.
The Hurricanes led 2-0 on goals by Svechnikov and Cole in the opening six minutes. The Devils drew even by the end of the first period, with Bastian’s deflection with 54 seconds left in the period.
Leivo’s first goal of the season gave the Hurricanes the lead again, but McLeod and Johnsson countered in a three-minute stretch as the Devils went on top for the first time.
The Hurricanes won Friday night at home against the New York Rangers but didn’t travel to New Jersey until Saturday morning because of a wintry storm that altered their plans.
Carolina played without forward Teuvo Teravainen, who sustained a lower-body injury in the game against the Rangers.
–Field Level Media