'Hard one to explain': Ruff blasts Devils after Game 4 loss - ESPN

NEWARK, N.J. — Coach Lindy Ruff said he has never been as disappointed in a crucial game as he was watching the New Jersey Devils' humbling 6-1 Game 4 loss at home to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

«That's a hard one to explain. That's about as poorly we've skated and supported the puck in any game this year,» said Ruff, whose team trails 3-1 in its Eastern Conference second-round series and faces elimination in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday.

Ruff said the cohesion the Devils showed in their 8-4 win against Carolina in Game 3 was missing in action.

«We had guys that just went rogue. You can't call that lack of experience. Even the power play turned into one man trying to do something and the next guy trying to do something,» he said. «There was no team effort. We weren't good.»

Ruff said the effort reminded him of the first two losses of this series, as the Devils couldn't build on the momentum from their Game 7 win over the rival New York Rangers and were outscored 11-2 by Carolina.

«I look at the way we played after Game 7 and it resembled some of this. Are we having a tough time dealing with a little bit of success? Play a really good game, and then you bounce back with a game like that?» he said. «Playoffs are hard. We didn't make it to a high enough level to win a hockey game tonight.»

For the first half of the opening period, New Jersey looked like the team that rolled in Game 3, using speed and pinpoint breakouts to keep the Hurricanes on their heels. The Devils took a 1-0 lead on a Jack Hughes goal just 1:55 into Game 4.

But then things started to change. Carolina's forecheck got going. The Devils' breakouts were as sloppy as their neutral zone had become. Martin Necas tied the game at 1-1 with