The Carolina Hurricanes are the first NHL team to advance to the second round of this year's playoffs after eliminating the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils, however, were one goal away from forcing a Game 6. They withstood a bombardment of shots by the Hurricanes from the third period to double overtime, with Carolina outshooting them 32-12 in that span.
But a double-minor penalty for high sticking 70 seconds into the second overtime frame led to the Hurricanes sealing the Devils' fate.
Devils center Dawson Mercer carried the puck out of the defensive zone when Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi challenged him. Mercer passed the puck off the boards and tried to lift his stick around Kotkaniemi to get by him.
Instead of avoiding contact, Mercer lifted his stick and caught Kotkamieni underneath the visor.
Dawson Mercer is assessed a double-minor for high-sticking on Jesperi Kotkaniemi at the start of double overtime. pic.twitter.com/u9ErnWdwab
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2025
The referees called the double minor and reviewed the incident to see whether to keep the penalty or rescind it. The call on the ice stood.
Carolina set up in the offensive zone, passing the puck around to look for the right chance to shoot. When Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere passed the puck to Sebastian Aho, the center took that chance.
Aho wired a one-timer slapshot that beat Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom. While Markstrom made some massive saves in overtime to keep his team alive, he and the Devils exited the first round with a 5-4 double-overtime loss in Game 5 and a 4-1 series loss.
Mercer did open the scoring on Tuesday night as the Devils took a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals in the second. Devils captain Nico Hischier gave the Devils another brief lead before Aho marked his first of two goals on the evening.
Aho is just the second player in Hurricanes franchise history to score the series-clinching goal in a game that required multiple overtimes. Brock McGinn was the first when he scored in Game 7 of the first round in 2019. Aho's eight points led the team in the first round.
The Hurricanes, which finished second in the Metropolitan Division in the regular season, are now just the fourth franchise in NHL history to win a round in seven straight post-seasons and the first since the New York Islanders accomplished the feat from 1979 to 1985.
As the Devils' off-season begins, the Hurricanes await the winner of the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens series. Game 5 of their series is on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with the Capitals leading 3-1.
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