Hurricanes put Devils on brink of elimination with Game 4 win

The Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 in Game 4 on Sunday to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Forward Andrei Svechnikov led the way with the second playoff hat trick of his career. His first two tallies came in the opening minute of the first and second periods, and he capped it off with an empty-netter.

Svechnikov scored the first postseason hat trick in Hurricanes history in 2020 against the New York Rangers.

"For him to get going is huge for us," forward Jordan Martinook said postgame of Svechnikov's performance. "I thought he was around it, he was physical, he was holding onto pucks.

"I said to him after the game, 'If we're gonna make a run, we're gonna need that outta you.' He was a beast tonight."

Svechnikov also recorded five hits and six shots on Sunday.

He had a down year offensively in the regular season, recording 20 goals and 48 points in 72 contests for the second lowest point-per-game rate (0.67) of his career.

The Russian winger was more than happy to break through in Game 4.

"It was kind of a hard season for me," he said. "Right now, in the playoff time, it's kind of my time. I love this time of the year. I love playing a physical game, just trying to do everything that's going to help my team win the game."

Carolina held a 3-0 lead in the early goings of the middle frame Sunday, but the Devils picked away thanks to goals from Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. Veteran defenseman Brent Burns gave his club some breathing room with a goal past the midway mark of the final frame.

The Hurricanes have never lost a series when up 3-1. They've made it to at least the second round in each of the last four campaigns.

It wasn't all good news for Carolina, as starting netminder Frederik Andersen departed Sunday's contest in the second period following a collision with Meier. Andersen was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the tilt.

Pyotr Kochetkov allowed one goal on 15 shots in relief. At the other end, Jacob Markstrom turned aside 24 out of 28 shots for the Devils.

New Jersey got on the board in the series with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 on Friday.

Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday in Raleigh at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"We haven't lost the series yet," Hischier said, per team beat reporter Amanda Stein. "We've got to go out there, win a road game, and bring the series back here. That's all in my mind right now. The last win for them is the hardest."