RALEIGH, N.C. — New Jersey Devils couldn’t even play spoiler in this lost season.
Justin Faulk scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, and the Carolina Hurricanes clinched their first playoff berth in a decade by beating the Devils 3-1 on Thursday night.
Warren Foegele scored and Nino Neiderreiter added an insurance goal with 3:25 left to help the Hurricanes snap the NHL’s longest active playoff drought.
The victory — coupled with Montreal’s loss at Washington — wrapped up Carolina’s first postseason berth since 2009 and just its second since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.