May 11, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (8) and New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier (96) hug after the Hurricanes victory over the Devils in game five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
(New York, NY) — The Carolina Hurricanes are the first team to reach the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Jesper Fast’s power play goal in overtime lifted the ‘Canes to a 3-2 victory over the Devils in Raleigh. This marks Carolina’s first trip to the Eastern Conference final since 2019, which came during head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s first season.
“We’re stacking memories here, and they’re giving them to me, too,” said Brind’Amour. “So it’s pretty special.”
As for the Devils, it ends a cinderella run.
“I said this morning they’d give me everything they had,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “They gave me everything they had.”
New Jersey finished one point behind the Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division for the league’s third-best point total (112) and the franchise’s first playoff appearance in five years.
“We knew we had to play better and I think the whole team bought in,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. “The effort was there and we had our chances.”
The Hurricanes will play the winner of the Panthers-Maple Leafs series in the Eastern Conference Finals.
