Noesen Nets Late Goal To Hand Devils Win Over Hurricanes

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Stefan Noesen scored on a rebound with 1:33 to play and the New Jersey Devils continued their playoff push with a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Kyle Palmieri had two goals and an assist and Taylor Hall had three assists for the Devils, who have won three straight and six of eight. Pavel Zacha also scored and Keith Kinkaid, who has supplanted Cory Schneider as the No. 1 goaltender, made 31 saves.

New Jersey extended its lead to three points ahead of idle Florida for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with the Panthers having played two fewer games. Carolina is nine points back.

Phil Di Giuseppe, Warren Foegele and Noah Hanifin also scored as the Hurricanes had a three-game winning streak snapped despite taking a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Scott Darling was outstanding making 41 saves, but Carolina's slim playoff hopes faded a little more.

Noesen's game winner and 12th goal of the season came after Darling gave up a rebound in front off a shot from the boards by defenseman Andy Greene.

Palmieri tied the game twice with power-play goals, with both being setup by great passes by Hall.

The second tied the game 3-all with 8:54 left in regulation as a penalty against Valentin Zykov about to expire. Hall sent a pass between the circle and Palmieri deflected it with an open blade into the top of the net.

Hanifin had given the Hurricanes at 3-2 lead 3:39 into the period with a shot from the left circle into a relatively open net after Jeff Skinner won the puck behind the net.

Kinkaid was the difference in the second period when he stopped breakaways by Skinner and Brock McGinn with the Hurricanes leading 2-1.

The save on Skinner in the opening minute of the period was spectacular. The 23-goal scorer made a move to his forehand to get Kinkaid out of position but the goaltender reached back at the last second and just the butt of his stick to keep the puck out of the net.

Hall then made a great cross-ice pass to find Palmieri low in the right circle for a quick power-play shot that beat Darling to tie the game 2-all with 5:53 left in the period.

New Jersey dominated the opening 10 minutes and took the early lead when Zacha put the rebound of a Palmieri shot into an open net at 5:47.

Darling kept the Hurricanes in the game, stopping a short-handed breakaway by Blake Coleman at 12:01.

Di Giuseppe tied the game a couple of minutes late with a shot from the left circle after Skinner won a battle along the boards. Elias Lindholm found Di Giuseppe.

Foegele, who scored in his NHL debut on Monday, got his second in two games with a wraparound goal at with 3:07 left in the period.

NOTES: Hurricanes hope to get D Justin Falk back before the season ends. He has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. ... Devils F Miles Wood returned to the lineup after missing three games a similar injury. ... Hall now has 52 assists, one shy of his career high with Edmonton in 2013-14. ... Palmieri has three goals in the last two games. ... Di Giuseppe has three goals in four games after scoring two in his first 40.

UP NEXT

Hurricanes: at Washington on Friday night

Devils: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night in third straight home game.

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