Hurricanes get 'contributions from everybody' again in Game 2 win

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Another complete effort by the Carolina Hurricanes resulted in a 6-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PNC Arena on Friday.

That makes two one-sided victories in a row with an aggregate score of 11-2, including a 5-1 win in Game 1 on Wednesday, giving Carolina what feels like a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series heading into Game 3 in New Jersey on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; TBS, SN1, TVAS).

RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Devils series coverage]

If you are looking for perfect examples of why and how the Hurricanes have done it, you need look no further than their first two goals Friday.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored each after Carolina won puck battles along the boards. The first was on the power play 1:35 into the second period and started with Jack Drury and Jesse Puljujarvi outworking Nathan Bastian and Damon Severson along the left-wing boards to get the puck back to the point for Shayne Gostisbehere, who in turn fed Kotkaniemi in the right face-off circle.

The second goal came just 3:23 later at even-strength after a hard forecheck by Hurricanes forwards Jordan Martinook and Jesper Fast against defensemen Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton. Martinook and Fast eventually worked the puck free to Kotkaniemi to the right of the net for a shot past Devils goalie Akira Schmid on the short side.

"We were able to get the bounces on those, but it starts with second and third efforts, which you have to have," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We had a lot of good contributions from everybody tonight, and that's what we've talked about all playoffs. That's what we need to continue to have."

After getting goals from five different players in Game 1, the Hurricanes did it again in Game 2, with Kotkaniemi scoring twice and Jordan Staal, Martin Necas, Stefan Noesen and Martinook each scoring once. Carolina controlled almost every facet of the game during 5-on-5 play, special teams (killing off two early New Jersey power plays, including a 5-on-3, and scoring a power-play goal) and goaltending with Frederik Andersen making 28 saves and Schmid being pulled for the second straight game.

But it's been as much about effort as skill for the Hurricanes, evidenced by those first two goals.

"Obviously, that's the way we want to play and what we want to do," said Staal, the Carolina captain. "That's been our style all year long, is really first and foremost give them nothing and just be tenacious on the puck and create turnovers and send it to the net. It slowly kind of got our game going and it started to create even more chances, and we were fortunate enough to put in the back of the net."

The matchups again went the Hurricanes' way, with Staal's line with Drury and Necas containing Jack Hughes, who set a Devils record with 99 points during the regular season, and linemates Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat. Staal has three points (one goal, two assists) and is plus-4 in the first two games; Hughes has no points and is minus-4.

Fast, Kotkaniemi and Martinook have done similar against the Devils line of Tomas Tatar, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. Fast (one goal, two assists) and Kotkaniemi (three goals) each has three points, and Martinook has a team-high four (one goal, three assists). Tatar, Hischier and Bratt have no points, and Hischier, a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, like Hughes, is minus-4.

The Hurricanes are missing Andrei Svechnikov (torn ACL), Max Pacioretty (torn Achilles) and Teuvo Teravainen (broken hand), three of their top-six forwards, but are outscoring and outplaying a highly skilled Devils team with their work ethic.

"If you can get in first on the forecheck and try to and just keep pucks in there, that's what we're doing," Martinook said. "We're trying to grind them down. We know how skilled this team is and if you're one and done, and they're getting out clean, then you're chasing them on the way back."

Martinook scored his goal on a breakaway after picking off a soft Hischier pass to make 5-1 at 12:48 of the third period, but his crashing into Siegenthaler prior to Kotkaniemi's second goal was more indicative of the relentless blue-collar approach he brings each game.

And that kind of effort is contagious for the Hurricanes.

"It's no secret we're missing some firepower, so where are you going to find it?" Brind'Amour said. "And right now, we're getting it up and down the lineup. … Everybody is doing their job right now, and that's why we're having success."