Hurricanes Fast Start, Top Devils 2-1

RALEIGH, N.C. — Justin Williams and Micheal Ferland scored in the game’s first 30 seconds and the Carolina Hurricanes held on for a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves for Carolina.

Carolina’s two-goal outburst in the first half-minute is tied for fifth-fastest in NHL history.

Pavel Zacha scored his second goal of the season late in the first period for New Jersey. Cory Schneider finished with 20 saves.

Coming off a 4-1 home loss to Columbus a day earlier that Williams called a “dud,” Carolina’s captain got the team off to a quick start.

Jordan Staal sprung Williams, who cut between Travis Zajac and Taylor Hall and beat Schneider just 22 seconds into the game.

Eight seconds later, New Jersey defenceman Damon Severson turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Teuvo Teravainen fed Ferland who scored past Schneider to make it 2-0.

The Devils, who lost 3-2 in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, cut the deficit in half when Zacha flipped a backhander past McElhinney at 6:33 in the first.

Pavel Zacha #37, New Jersey Devils
Pavel Zacha #37, New Jersey Devils (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The Devils were 0 for 3 on the power play in the second period. New Jersey finished the game with a 34 to 25 shot advantage. It was the second time this season that the Hurricanes have been out-shot.

New Jersey’s Will Butcher had the best chance to tie it up at 5:57 of the second period, but McElhinney made his best save. McElhinney also stopped Butcher in the final minute of the third period.

NOTES: Devils centre Nico Hischier was out for the fourth straight game with an upper-body injury. … Ferland’s goal in the first period was his team-leading 10th of the season and third in four games for Carolina. … Schneider, who missed the first eight games with a hip injury, is winless in four starts this season.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.

Hurricanes: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

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The Associated Press