The Rundown:
With Saturday being the first of two games in two days for the Canes, Rod Brind'Amour and staff turned to Pyotr Kochetkov for his NHL debut in net. Less than a week after joining the team and just two months after coming to North America, the 2019 second round selection of Carolina was thrust into immediate action due to the injury of Frederik Andersen.
Unfortunately, for most of the day, it did not look like the 22-year-old's debut would have a happy ending. A sleepy first period flew by scoreless, with just six shots making their way onto Carolina's new #52. Then, in the second, a power play redirection gave New Jersey the first lead of the day.
Trailing 1-0 after two despite leading in shots 18-11, the visitors were in a position where they'd need a come from behind effort for a second consecutive game.
As they were still in search of an effort that would beat Jon Gillies, who was making his second start of the season against Carolina, the Devils doubled their lead, with Nico Hischier beating Kochetkov with a goal-scorer's shot that rang off the post and in.
Things started to look very bleak for the Canes, as they went into the final media timeout of the afternoon trailing by two and having just 4:59 to work with. Then, 24 seconds after an offensive zone draw for Carolina, Brady Skjei threw a puck on net that hit Devils defenseman Kevin Bahl and changed directions, going by Gillies.
The marker gave the Metropolitan Division leaders some hope and then just 2:40 later, they got the equalizer.
A shot from the point by Tony DeAngelo created a rebound right aside Gillies, one that was knocked home by Nino Niederreiter to make the game 2-2.
