Newark, NJ—-Andrei Svechnikov delivered a dominant performance Saturday night, scoring three goals to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4–1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Frederik Andersen anchored the win in net, stopping 28 shots as Carolina continued its strong stretch of play. The Hurricanes have now gone 6-1-1 over their last eight games, building momentum just one night after dismantling defending Stanley Cup champion Florida in a lopsided home win.
Jackson Blake also found the back of the net for Carolina, while Sebastian Aho orchestrated the offense with three assists. Aho continues to pace the Hurricanes in scoring, now with 50 points on the season, while Svechnikov sits second on the team with 40.
After a scoreless opening period, Svechnikov broke through midway in the second, firing a shot past New Jersey goaltender Jacob Markstrom at 13:12. Less than a minute later, he struck again, doubling the Hurricanes’ lead and sending Carolina into the intermission ahead 2–0.
New Jersey cut into the deficit early in the third when Timo Meier converted a power-play opportunity at 4:27, ending Andersen’s shutout bid. However, Carolina quickly responded. Blake restored the two-goal cushion at 8:33, and Svechnikov put the game away late by completing his hat trick at 15:52.
Markstrom finished with 29 saves in the loss for the Devils, who saw their two-game winning streak snapped. New Jersey has struggled to find consistency in recent weeks, going 4-8-1 since mid-December.
Carolina remains atop the Metropolitan Division, holding a seven-point advantage over the New York Islanders. The Hurricanes have now swept the season series against New Jersey so far, winning all three matchups, with one remaining meeting scheduled for March 28 in Raleigh.
Up Next:
The Devils open a four-game road trip Monday night in Calgary.
The Hurricanes return home to host the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
