NHL playoffs: Hurricanes push past Devils 3-1 for 2-0 lead in first-round series

By Canadian Press on April 22, 2025.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Martinook scored a go-ahead short-handed 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 NHL 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 short-handed Devils than in a Game 1 romp.

Andersen made 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 six minutes left.

Jesper Bratt scored the Devils’ lone goal while Jacob Markstrom finished with 25 saves for New Jersey.

Elsewhere in the NHL playoffs on Tuesday:

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MAPLE LEAFS 3 SENATORS 2 (OT)

TORONTO (AP) — Max Domi scored at 3:09 of overtime as Toronto survived a blown 2-0 lead to defeat Ottawa and go up 2-0 in their first-round playoff series.

The winger moved into the offensive zone in the extra period and ripped his first of the post-season upstairs past Linus Ullmark.

John Tavares, with a goal and an assist, and Morgan Rielly provided the rest of the offence for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves.

Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette scored for Ottawa. Ullmark stopped 18 shots.

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PANTHERS 6 LIGHTNING 2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk had two power-play goals and an assist in his first game after a two-month absence and Florida opened defence of its Stanley Cup title with a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay in the first game of the teams’ first-round playoff series.

Nate Schmidt scored on a power play and finished with two goals, and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart each added a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves.

Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy had 10 stops.

The Lightning played the final 33:30 without centre Anthony Cirelli. There was no immediate word why the 27-year-old centre was out.

The teams meet for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday at Amalie Arena.

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The Associated Press