Devils 'gave everything they had' in Game 5 of Eastern 2nd Round

RALEIGH, N.C. --Emotions were raw and still very fresh for the New Jersey Devils as they began to ponder the reality of the sudden end to their season.

One by one, they expressed not just disappointment but optimism after they were eliminated with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PNC Arena on Thursday.

"We'll be back," New Jersey forward Erik Haula said.

Said captain Nico Hischier: "I don't think anybody counted us in, but here we were. ... But it doesn't make things better."

Forward Michael McLeod added: "Getting to the second round was huge for our team, and beating the New York Rangers (in seven games in the Eastern Conference First Round) was memorable, but now we have to figure out how we can be better in certain ways. But, I'm just really proud of our group."

RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Devils series coverage]

The Devils were a resilient bunch, and one that played a solid road game in what was the lowest scoring and tightest outcome of the series.

"I said in the morning they were going to give me everything they had, and they gave me everything they had." New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said.

After the game, it was learned that center Jack Hughes, who led the Devils with six goals and 11 points in 12 playoff games, played through an upper-body injury that he sustained during the 6-1 loss in Game 4 on Tuesday. Hughes battled through the pain, however, and finished with one assist and one shot in 14:16 of ice time, more than five minutes less than his playoff average.

"I got to give him a lot of credit," Ruff said. "I didn't think he was even going to play tonight, and for him to put the skates on and play just says a lot of a lot about his character, the fact he didn't even want to be out of the lineup."

Hughes was in no mood to make any excuses.

"It was what it was," he said. "I think we got a really special group. I know a lot of teams believe that, but with the corps we got, we got a good group. Hopefully we can bring a lot of guys back this summer and have another great regular season and get back to the playoffs."

Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who had his best regular season in the NHL with 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) and a plus-27 rating while averaging 20:09 of ice time in 80 games, was assessed the delay of game penalty at 5:36 of overtime that gave Carolina the opening it needed.

Jesper Fast then scored on a deflection 1:33 later to end New Jersey's season.

"There's not much you can say (to Siegenthaler)," Ruff said. "He feels the pain like we all do. We said all year long we'll win as a group and lose as a group. It's a tough break and situation, but when you look back at the year he had, he's got to be happy where he got himself."

When asked if he feels the playoff experience will benefit the team next season, Hughes said, "I don't think it matters about young team or whatever."

"They just played better than us and we all got some serious playoff action," he continued. "We won a round, but we're a competitive group and want to go deeper, so it is what it is."

Regardless, Devils players and fans can hold their heads high after qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018 and advancing past the first round for the first time since losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.

"We just got to be a little bit better," Haula said. "It's a first taste for a lot of guys, first playoffs. I definitely know how hard it is to win, especially against that team. They don't give you much and you got to fight for every inch."

Haula would know. It was the third straight season his team has been eliminated by the Hurricanes. He lost to them in six games the first round with the Nashville Predators in 2021, and in seven games in the first round with the Boston Bruins last season. He also played 41 games with Carolina in the 2019-20 season.

"I think we showed what we had in this locker room," said Haula, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. "I think it'll be a bright future and I want to be a part of it."

Ruff said his club learned a valuable lesson in how hard playoff hockey can be.

"I told them I'm proud of the task we had in front of us and how we executed and where we got to," Ruff said. "I think a lot of guys gained a lot of experience and now realize, 'Wow, playoffs is a different beast.' It's hard to get there, even harder to move on. You've got to be firing on all cylinders."

The Devils were close, but that doesn't take the sting away from the ending of their season.

"We played a pretty good game, had some looks and some opportunities to put the game away," Hughes said. "What are you going to do. … They scored so it's not a great way to lose, but we had our looks and played well. ... It just wasn't enough."