Roslovic gets 3 points, Hurricanes defeat Devils

Jack Roslovic had two goals and an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes scored four straight goals in the third period to defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday.

Rod Brind'Amour (300-143-45; 488 games) became the fastest coach to 300 wins in the NHL, ahead of Bruce Boudreau (496).

“It’s the guys,” Brind’Amour said. “Coaching is interesting because you get way too much credit when your team wins and you just get abused when it doesn’t. It’s like, ‘Wait a minute.’ It’s not quite how it really works out. It’s the group that you have. I’ve been blessed.”

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist, Jackson Blake scored a go-ahead goal in the third, and Seth Jarvis had three assists for the Hurricanes (22-13-1), who had lost three of four, including 4-2 at New Jersey on Friday. Dustin Tokarski made 21 saves.

Paul Cotter and Ondrej Palat scored for the Devils (24-12-3), who had won three in a row and six of seven. Jake Allen made 36 saves.

“There were just moments in the third period we did not manage well at all,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We’ve got the lead on the road, we’re in a great spot. We give it right back to them right away. It’s little things like that.”

Palat put New Jersey in front 2-1 at 1:05 of the third with a snap shot just outside the crease off a backhand pass from Jesper Bratt.

Aho scored 51 seconds later, tying it 2-2 at 1:56 on a wrist shot from the left circle.

Devils forward Timo Meier was then assessed a major penalty for kneeing Martin Necas at 6:28. Necas went to the locker room but returned before play resumed.

Blake scored on the ensuing power play, giving Carolina a 3-2 lead at 10:43 by tipping a shot from Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

“We got that one and then we were playing the right way, played the way Rod wants us to play,” Blake said. “I think we stuck with it. That’s the way we’ve got to play come every night. I even thought last night was good, just didn’t get the result.”

Roslovic made it 4-2 with a one-timer at 12:06 and scored an empty-net goal at 16:38 for the 5-2 final.

“It felt like a playoff game out there,” Allen said. “It’s a good battle test for us. Obviously, they’re a good team, especially in this building. But it’s going to be a bunch of those games coming down the stretch here.”

Cotter put New Jersey ahead 1-0 at 2:56 of the second period, ending a 19-game goal drought with a wrist shot past Tokarski’s blocker on a breakaway.

“They’re a good team,” Cotter said. “Playoff hockey, that type of game. Obviously, they know we’re a good team. We know they’re a good team. We played them yesterday. It didn’t go the way they wanted. So, we knew they were going to come out with a lot of extra fire. It’s the way it goes sometimes.”

The Devils nearly scored short-handed later in the period. Tokarksi slid out of the crease while making a stick save on a backhand from Nico Hischier, leaving the net empty for Dawson Mercer, but Necas blocked his shot with his right skate at 9:26.

Dmitry Orlov tied it 1-1 at 19:30 with a one-timer just inside the right post from the right face-off circle.

“I think the message was just, ‘Stick with it,’” said Walker, who had two assists. “I think, again, whole night, we played really good. Even when they scored their first goal, it was just the way it was going. But I think, overall, we were playing a really solid game.”

NOTES: The Hurricanes earned their 12th comeback win, which is tied with the Devils and Winnipeg Jets for the third-most in the NHL, behind the Vegas Golden Knights (14) and the Washington Capitals (13). ... New Jersey forward Curtis Lazar had one hit in 9:10 of ice time after missing the previous four games with knee swelling he experienced on Dec. 17, when he returned from knee surgery that he had on Oct. 31. ... Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere did not play with an upper-body injury. ... Blake is the fifth rookie in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history to score at least four game-winning goals in a season, joining Shane Willis (six in 2000-01), Jarvis (four in 2021-22), Aho (four in 2016-17) and Dean Evason (four in 1985-86).