RALEIGH, N.C. — It was Whalers Night again Saturday for the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena — the green Hartford jerseys, iconic logo, Brass Bonanza, Pucky on the warning siren, ‘80s music, all that.
That’s been good for a little extra energy in the building and so it was again Saturday. And the Hurricanes needed it.
The Canes, beaten a week ago by the New Jersey Devils, again found themselves being tested by a team that has has been losing but has speed, skill and some spunk in the lineup. The Canes won, 2-1, but it was a hard-fought game and well-earned victory.
Jordan Martinook, back in the lineup, and Andrei Svechnikov had first-period goals for the Canes. Jesper Boqvist scored in the first for the Devils, and it was 2-1 deep into the third period as Canes goalie Antti Raanta and New Jersey’s Jon Gillies made several timely stops.
Raanta, in his first start since Jan. 1, had 24 saves and was named the game’s first star.
In the game in New Jersey, the Canes gave goalie Jack LaFontaine the chance to make his first NHL start. The Devils won, 7-4, against a player fresh out of the lineup at the University of Minnesota, a goalie who looked rushed into action and out of place.
The Hurricanes had Raanta in net Saturday. It was an important game for the veteran, who was playing his first game since Jan. 1, when he allowed three first-period goals — and was lifted after the first — in a game the Canes eventually won 7-4.
Raanta gave up a first-period goal Saturday to the Devils’ Jesper Boqvist as New Jersey beat the Canes down the ice in transition. That made it a 2-1 game and Raanta kept it that way in the second period with some terrific saves as the Devils outskated the Canes much of the period.
Raanta stopped Boqvist’s bid for a second goal. He denied Jesper Bratt with a pad save at the post. In the final seconds of the period, he coolly stopped a short-handed breakaway by Nathan Bastian when the Canes misplayed the puck on a power play.
Gillies, playing his eighth game for the Devils, made his biggest stops midway through the third to keep it a one-goal game. He barely got his left skate on a shot by Nino Niederreiter, then smothered another Niederreiter attempt.
Gillies soon got a big assist from defenseman Malcolm Subban. With the teams playing four on four, the Canes’ Brett Pesce got off a shot that slipped behind Gillies but was swept away on the goal line by Subban.
The Canes were without forward Teuvo Teravainen, out with an illness. But Martinook was back in the lineup after missing four games because of COVID-19 and had plenty of jump.
Martinook scored in the first after being denied by Gillies on a bang-bang play in front of the crease. Moments later, Jarvis’ pass from below the goal line found Martinook, whose backhander beat Gillies for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Svechnikov’s goal came in typical fashion, the power forward bull-rushing the puck to the net. It was the 15th goal of the season for Svechnikov.
Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, still recovering from a broken jaw, was with the team Saturday and part in the morning skate.
