Czech forward Martin Nečas beat compatriot Vítek Vaněček twice and guided the Carolina hockey players to a 6-1 win in New Jersey. The Hurricanes are already 3-1 in the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs and are one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.
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Editing of the New Jersey – Carolina match including two goals by Martin Nečas | Video: Associated Press
Carolina trailed early on Jack Hughes’ run, but Nečas turned the score around. The Czech player equalized in the opening period when he drove in front of the goal on a counterattack and sent the puck behind Vaněček without being attacked by anyone.
Even in the second case, he came close, when he again found himself alone in front of Vaněček and did not give him a chance with an uncompromising shot under the crossbar.
Nečas started a goal storm with that. Carolina gave Vaněček four goals in a span of five minutes and twenty seconds.
First, Brett Pesce beat him from the circle, after a jam in front of the goal, Jesper Fast increased the score, and with a shot from behind the right circle, Brent Burns adjusted the score to 5:1.
Vaněček, who caught 12 of 17 shots in the game, then gave way to Akira Schmid.
At the end of the second period, only Jordan Martinook, who collected three points (1+2) and was declared the best player of the match, matured on him. Nečas took the award for the second star.
Dallas bounced back from a previous 2:7 loss and led 4:0 in the middle of the game thanks to two power plays. Towards the end of the opening period, Jamie Benn opened the scoring, followed by Thomas Harley, Max Domi and Joe Pavelski after the break.
The four-goal difference was still valid after two periods, Roope Hintz responded to the home striker Jaden Schwartz’s strike. Philipp Grubauer, who conceded five of Dallas’ 22 shots, did not play in the last act. He was replaced by Martin Jones and Seattle dramatized the development with goals from Schwartz and Adam Larsson. In a game without a goalkeeper, however, he sealed the victory for the visitors at home.
2. kolo play off NHL:
Eastern Conference – Game 4:
New Jersey – Carolina 1:6 (1:1, 0:5, 0:0)
Goals: 2. J. Hughes – 18. and 28. Nečas, 30. Pesce, 32. Fast, 33. Burns, 40. Martinook. Shots on goal: 22:29. Vaněček caught 32:46 minutes, conceded five goals from 17 shots and had a success rate of 70.59 percent. Spectators: 17,016. Stars of the match: 1. Martinook, 2. Nečas, 3. Burns (all Carolina). Series status: 1:3.
Western Conference – Game 4:
Seattle – Dallas 3:6 (0:1, 1:4, 2:1)
Goals: 32nd and 44th Schwartz, 56th A. Larsson – 30th and 58th Domi, 18th Jamie Benn, 25th Harley, 31st Pavelski, 40th Hintz. Shots on goal: 19:25. Spectators: 17,151. Stars of the game: 1. Schwartz (Seattle), 2. Harley, 3. Domi (both Dallas). Series status: 2:2.
