Hurricanes HC gets honest after blowout loss to Devils

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Hurricanes HC gets brutally honest after blowout loss to Devils

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 5/7/23

Entering Sunday with a relatively comfortable 2-0 series advantage, the Carolina Hurricanes were dragged back down to earth by the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 Sunday, falling in a blowout, 8-4.

After the lopsided result, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour got brutally honest about his team's performance.

"We were horrible. That's putting it mild," Brind'Amour said via Dan Rosen of NHL.com. "We were no good. I don't know what else to tell you. I've never seen us play like that."

On the night, 13 Devils finished with at least a goal or an assist in Game 3. Meanwhile, seven Devils finished with multiple points, a franchise record for a playoff game, per ESPN Stats and Info.

While the Devils had several standouts on Sunday, center Jack Hughes led the way. Hughes was the only Devils player to score multiple goals, tallying twice while adding two helpers to finish with four points.

NEW JERSEY COMING OUT HOT IN GAME 3! JACK HUGHES OFF THE GIVE AND GO pic.twitter.com/agSMjm6a7u
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 7, 2023

After dominating the first two games of the series, outscoring New Jersey 11-2, the Hurricanes now find themselves in a tight series.

Carolina dominated Games 1 and 2 at home, outscoring New Jersey 11-1. However, after a deflating Game 3 loss, the Hurricanes are locked into a tight series. As for the Devils, they have to be riding sky-high following Sunday's massive win, especially after playing so poorly in Carolina.

New Jersey will host Carolina for Game 4 Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, looking to even the series at two games apiece.

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