Recap: LaFontaine's First Start Spoiled By New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ. -The first start of Jack LaFontaine's National Hockey League career did not go according to plan, as he allowed seven goals in a 7-4 defeat to the New Jersey Devils Saturday.

The Rundown
For the third time in as many games this week, the Carolina Hurricanes got off to a fantastic start, scoring twice in the opening 5:44. Despite all the unique circumstances, which included the team traveling to Newark during the late morning hours of the day due to the North Carolina snowstorm diverting the team's initial plans of traveling post-game Friday, there appeared to be no rust or signs of sluggishness for the Canes.
Andrei Svechnikov and Ian Cole were the first two goal scorers of the night, both beating Jon Gillies, who was playing just his third game of the season for the Devils.

Carolina appeared to be the better team through the majority of the first period, until two goals just 1:43 apart from Nathan Bastian of New Jersey evened the contest inside the final three minutes of the opening frame.
The tie contest moved into the second, this time with the teams trading goals back-and-forth. First 3-3 and then 4-4, Carolina's goals came off the tape Josh Leivo for his first of the year and then Brady Skjei for his sixth of the season.

However, again, inside the final three minutes of the period New Jersey struck again, taking a 5-4 advantage and the momentum into the third period.
Despite a push from the road side in the final 20 the only scoring came from the hosting club, sending the contest to its 7-4 final.
They Said It:
Brady Skjeisharing his thoughts on the game as a whole...
"That definitely wasn't the way we wanted to play our game. We just kind of never found it. Our game is getting pucks behind their defensemen and making it hard on them. We have to learn from this. Everyone in the locker room knows that's not the way we play."
Skjei, continuing on how to try and uplift LaFontaine after a night like tonight...
"We didn't help him out at all, really. We kind of left him out to dry on a few of those. It's tough that that's his first game. We'll be there to support him. He's a good goalie and we know that he'll bounce back from this.
Rod Brind'Amouroffering his thoughts on the night...
"We had a couple guys play pretty well, but not 20, and that's what you need. Give them credit. They played hard, they did what they wanted to do and we didn't really do much of anything."
What's Next?:
The team will fly back to Raleigh immediately post-game and have an off day Sunday.
Bonus Notes:
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