The Carolina Hurricanes had an excellent first-round series against the New Jersey Devils. The Hurricanes knocked the Devils out in just five games and are now set to face off against the Washington Capitals in the second round because of it.
The Hurricanes' top stars like Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis undoubtedly delivered in their first-round series against the Devils with their impressive offense. However, the Hurricanes' depth guys also helped carry them past New Jersey. This certainly includes Hurricanes rookie Jackson Blake.
Blake stepped up in a big way for the Hurricanes against the Devils, as he recorded four points and a plus-2 rating in five games. This included scoring his first career playoff goal in Game 5, which cut the Devils' lead at that point to 3-2.
Blake's goal in Game 5 was certainly a beauty, too. After retrieving the puck behind the net in the offensive zone, the youngster skated it in front and beat Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom with an incredible wrist shot.
If the Hurricanes hope to go on a real run this post-season, they are going to need players like Blake to continue to thrive. The 21-year-old forward just keeps getting better, and he has made a serious impact this post-season so far because of it. It will now be interesting to see how he builds on his impressive play against the Capitals from here.
Recent Hurricanes News
Hurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour Makes NHL History
With their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on April 29, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes">Carolina Hurricanes</a> have officially moved on to the second round. The Hurricanes are now set to face off against the Washington Capitals in the next round, which should be a great series between the two Metropolitan Division rivals.
Carolina Hurricanes Recall 3 Players From AHL
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes">Carolina Hurricanes</a> officially advanced to the second round with their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5. Now, they have made some roster moves in preparation for the second round.
Hurricanes Hit Home Run With Taylor Hall Extension
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes">Carolina Hurricanes</a> made a major move on April 30, signing forward Taylor Hall to a three-year, $9.5 million contract extension. This news was announced shortly after the<a href="https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqLQgKIidDQklTRndnTWFoTUtFWFJvWldodlkydGxlVzVsZDNNdVkyOXRLQUFQAQ/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwmeDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA:en"> Hurricanes</a> knocked out the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the post-season.