Nemec's OT Heroics Seal Devils' Game 3 Victory Against Hurricanes
Simon Nemec's OT winner and great performance helped the New Jersey Devils earn a deserved Game 3 win over the Hurricanes
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Well, that was thrilling, wasn't it? The New Jersey Devils were essentially in a do-or-die situation against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3. Had they lost, that was likely curtains for their season. But Šimon Nemec played hero and won the game early in the second overtime period to make it a series.
There were nervy moments. There's no question about it. The Devils blew a 2-0 lead in the third period, but they didn't waver and played some of their best hockey in the two overtime periods.
One of the Best Games of Nemec's Young Career
Nemec was the hero last night, but it wasn't just the goal he scored in overtime. Yes, that was a pretty play, as he dangled through two Hurricanes defenders at the blue line and fired a shot through Freddie Andersen, who was fantastic for most of the night. But Nemec had an excellent game from the get-go.
I was worried (I think most of us were) about how Nemec would look against an aggressive forechecking team like the Hurricanes, but he's held up well in his two appearances. He was solid in Game 2, which likely gave him some confidence heading into last night's tilt.
After his first shift, in which he gave up a breakaway, Nemec settled in and played one of the best games of his young career. He was excellent on defensive zone puck retrievals, winning most of his one-on-one battles.
Nemec also did well killing the Hurricanes' attack. There was one instance where the Hurricanes dumped the puck into the right corner, but Nemec won the race there, knocked the puck away from a Hurricanes skater and helped get the breakout started the other way.
Plays like that, which Nemec struggled with during the regular season, were of no issue last night. They don't always show up in the box score, but it's part of why the Hurricanes weren't as dominant at five-on-five.
The Devils had to lean on Nemec more than they anticipated, too, as Johnathan Kovacevic left the game after the first period and did not return, leaving the team with five defensemen.
Aside from the game-winning goal, Nemec finished with an expected goals share (xG%) of 63.47 percent. He was one of the Devils' best players and helped them get a deserved win.
Devils Outplayed the Hurricanes
The Devils showed they could compete with the Hurricanes in their Game 2 loss, but they were the better team last night, and they mostly got better as the game went along.
Much like Game 2, the Devils got off to a stronger start than the Hurricanes. Nico Hischier scored off a terrific feed from Timo Meier to give the team a 1-0 lead, and they outplayed the Hurricanes in the first. They out-chanced them 8-4 at five-on-five and allowed just 0.25 expected goals.
The Hurricanes made a push in the second period, as they had done in the previous two games. But the Devils weathered the storm and held the 1-0 lead heading into the third, something they couldn't do in Raleigh.
Even in the third period, the Devils were the better five-on-five team. They didn't allow a high-danger chance and controlled just over 85 percent of the expected goals. Had the Hurricanes not scored twice on the power play, the Devils probably would have won that game in regulation.
Sheldon Keefe talked about his team's resolve after the game, and it showed after the Hurricanes scored those two power-play goals. Across the third period and two overtimes, the Devils didn't allow a single high-danger chance at five-on-five.
This came with them playing five defensemen, making that win all the more impressive. Could it be a series-changer? Time will tell.
Devils Need to Figure Out Their Special Teams
If there was one blip last night, it was the Devils' special teams. They allowed two power-play goals and were 0/5 on the power play, moving them to 0/10 on the man advantage in this series.
Stranger things have happened, but I can't imagine the Devils taking the series if they can't correct their special teams. I'm less concerned about the penalty kill since the Hurricanes' power play ranked 25th in the NHL this season. I think the Devils can figure that out, but the power play?
The Hurricanes had the first-ranked penalty kill in the NHL this season, and it's easy to see why. The Devils haven't been able to generate much of anything on the man advantage through three games, so that will have to change.
Getting Luke Hughes back for Game 4 would help, though I'm not counting on it, so the Devils need to adjust on the power play. They had some zone time yesterday, but for the most part, they couldn't get many grade-A chances through to Andersen.
I'm not sure there's much the Devils can do personnel-wise since both Hughes brothers are out, so they'll have to find some sort of tactical adjustment. Going 0/5 on the power play almost cost the Devils the game last night, so they will need it to come through sooner rather than later.
Quick Hits
Brian Dumoulin, take a bow. Who cares now about what the Devils gave up for him at the trade deadline, right? Dumoulin was a monster yesterday, logging a team-high 36:28(!), and he thrived in those minutes, finishing with an xG% of 60.78 percent. He's not the most offensively gifted defenseman, but he wasn't afraid to jump into the attack and create chances while maintaining a steady defensive game. He won a couple of Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and you can see how those experiences helped in a win like last night's.
Jacob Markström was always going to be a key to the Devils having a chance in this series, and he's doing his part. He made numerous timely saves last night, including a flashy glove save on Jesperi Kotkaniemi with nearly 30 seconds left in regulation to preserve the 2-2 tie. Markström made 25 saves on 27 shots and stopped 1.44 goals above expected. He's saved six goals above expected this series, leading the NHL among qualified goaltenders this postseason.
There's still a long way to go in this series, but any questions about whether Hischier and Jesper Bratt can compete in the playoffs should be put to bed. Hischier has two of the Devils' five goals this postseason, while Bratt has a point in every game. Dawson Mercer's goal yesterday wouldn't have happened without Bratt driving the net and pulling Andersen out of position. They're doing their part to give the Devils a chance at the upset.
Game Score Chart
Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick, MoneyPuck