The New Jersey Devils took a commanding lead in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a resounding 8-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 on Thursday night. After dropping the first two games of the series, the Devils put on a clinic, with a relentless offensive attack that kept the Hurricanes on their heels throughout the game.

The Devils came out strong in the first period, with goals from Travis Zajac, Damon Severson, and Yegor Sharangovich. The Hurricanes responded with goals from Warren Foegele and Andrei Svechnikov, but the Devils didn’t let up, scoring another goal before the end of the period to take a 4-2 lead.

The second period was a back-and-forth affair, with the Hurricanes scoring two quick goals to tie the game. However, the Devils regained their composure and scored three more goals, including two from Jesper Bratt, to take a 7-4 lead going into the third period.

In the third period, the Devils tightened up their defense and added one more goal, courtesy of Pavel Zacha, to seal the victory. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, were unable to mount any sort of comeback, as the Devils controlled the pace of the game and kept the pressure on throughout the period.

The Devils’ offensive onslaught was led by Bratt, who had two goals and two assists, and Zacha, who had a goal and three assists. Sharangovich, Zajac, Severson, and Janne Kuokkanen also scored for the Devils, who looked like a completely different team from the one that dropped the first two games of the series.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, struggled defensively and couldn’t seem to find their rhythm on offense. Despite goals from Foegele, Svechnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and Vincent Trocheck, the Hurricanes were unable to keep up with the Devils’ relentless attack.

With the series now at 2-1 in favor of the Hurricanes, the Devils have a chance to even things up in Game 4 on Saturday. If they can continue to play the way they did in Game 3, the Devils have a good chance of stealing another win on the road and tying the series at two games apiece.

The Devils’ victory in Game 3 was a testament to their resilience and determination, and it showed that they have the talent and ability to compete with the best teams in the league. If they can continue to play at this level, the Devils could make a deep run in the playoffs and perhaps even challenge for the Stanley Cup.