Bratt helps Devils rally for 7-4 win over Hurricanes
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jesper Bratt scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the New Jersey Devils rallied to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 7-4 Saturday night.
Nathan Bastian scored twice, Andreas Johnsson had a goal and two assists, Michael McLeod and Pavel Zacha each added a goal and an assist and Jack Hughes also scored for New Jersey, which snapped a three-game skid. Ryan Graves had three assists and Dawson Mercer added two.
Jon Gillies finished with 31 saves while filling in for Mackenzie Blackwood to pick up his first win in four games since being acquired from the St. Louis in December.
Andrei Svechnikov and Josh Leivo each had a goal and an assist for Carolina, and Ian Cole and Brady Skjei also scored. Jack LaFontaine finished with 31 saves in his first career start — nine days after the former University of Minnesota goalie gave up two goals on three shots in his NHL debut.
Bratt’s goal, his 11th of the season, with 1:41 left in the second gave New Jersey a 5-4 lead —- it’s second advantage of the game after it earlier trailed 2-0 and 3-2.
After Cole was called for holding on Janne Kuokkanen, Hughes got his 10th on a wrist shot on the power play with 7:09 left in the third to put the Devils up two. Zacha scored his 10th just over a minute later to make it 7-4.
Leivo got his first at 3:25 of the second to give Carolina a 3-2 lead before McLeod’s third tied it up again nearly 5 1/2 minutes later.
Johnsson received a centering pass from Mercer and beat LaFontaine with 8:44 left in the middle period to give the Devils their first lead.
Skjei tied it again with 4:26 remaining in the period.
Svechnikov got the Hurricanes on the scoreboard first 2:20 into the game and Cole doubled the lead 3:24 later.
Bastain scored twice 1:40 apart late in the opening period to tie it. His second of the night and eighth of the season came on a slap shot from inside the blue line and past LaFontaine.
NOTES: New Jersey D Ty Smith (upper-body) was put on injured reserve, retroactively to Jan, 19. D Colton White was recalled from the taxi squad. … LW Teuvo Teravainen (lower body) took part in pregame warmups and was a game-time scratch.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Host Vegas on Tuesday night.
Devils: Host Los Angeles on Sunday night.
