Every dramatic playoff series usually has a “tipping point” that shifts the momentum in favor of the eventual winning team. For the New Jersey Devils a few years back it was Dougie Hamilton’s overtime goal in Game 3 against the New York Rangers in the first round during their 2023 playoff run. That goal changed the series from a 2-0 New York lead to an eventual Game 7 Devils victory to give them their first playoff series win since their Eastern Conference championship run in 2012.
A similar chance presented itself at Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon. New Jersey was down 2-1 in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes, a notable playoff foe for multiple reasons, but coming off of a Game 3 double overtime win, courtesy of a Simon Nemec goal. The Devils found themselves down 3-0 in the opening minutes of a third. A Nico Hischier goal cut the deficit to 3-1.
Then Carolina netminder Frederick Andersen was injured in his crease
The referees conferred for a few second before announcing Timo Meier of the Devils had been assessed a five minute major penalty. Upon further review, the penalty was rescinded, but Andersen was injured and replaced in net by Pyotr Kochetkov.
That’s not to say the Devils saw Kochetkov as the easier opponent to face. Kochetkov has had a pretty good showing against the Devils in his short NHL career. His first NHL victory was an overtime victory against New Jersey during the 2021-2022 regular season. Kohetkov’s lifetime numbers against the Devils is a 5-3-0 record with a 2.25 goals against average and a 0.914 save percentage in four regular season meetings before Sunday.
Anything can happen in the playoffs and Kochetkov has the least playoff experience out of the Hurricanes tandem with seven career playoff games and two starts. That unexpected change could have been a giant momentum swing in New Jersey’s favor.
That’s how things appeared to be going in that direction when Meier scored on a sharp angle try to put the Devils within one. Ironically it was Meier who was called for the initial major penalty on the play that necessitated the goalie change.
From the beginning of the second period on the Devils played much better than a disastrous first period when they were constantly overmatched. Devils continued to have good chances to tie the score at three apiece to the point some fans felt it was almost inevitable.
Unfortunately a Jordan Martinook shot would get passed the Devils net minder Jacob Markstrom to give Carolina a 4-2 lead which would thwart a Devils comeback. New Jersey would lose 5-2 after a Sebastian Aho empty net goal gave him a hat trick.
Taking away the empty net goals in the three Devils defeats New Jersey either lost by only one or two goals which makes the box score look like this is a closer series than the 3-1 advantage the Canes have heading back to Raleigh.
Game 4 remains a huge missed opportunity to even the series as it moves back to Carolina. Carolina is expecting more information on Monday as to the extent of Andersen’s injury, so a Game 5 starter is still up in the air.
The goalies in this series have been remarkably strong on both ends of the ice. Both Andersen and Markstrom are in the top three for goals saved above expected. The sudden and unexpected goaltending change could have been an opportunity for the Devils to pounce, at least for game four.
Part of Carolina’s Game 4 victory does deserve to go to Kochetkov, who finished with a 0.3 goals saves above expected in about half a game of playoff action.