NEW JERSEY DEVILS at CAROLINA HURRICANES
Series: Hurricanes lead 3-1
The Devils attempt to stave off elimination tonight with a game in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.
You can watch on MSGSN and TBS/MAX or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.
Read below for your game preview and check back around noon for the pre-game story, lineup updates, videos and more.
• TV: MSGSN, TBS, MAX
• RADIO: Devils Hockey Network
RALEIGH, N.C. – Check back following the Devils morning skate around noon ET.
GAME STORY
THE SCOOP
The Devils face elimination tonight as they head back to Raleigh for Game 5 against the Hurricanes, trailing 3–1 in the first-round series. After a hard-fought win in Game 3, New Jersey struggled in Game 4, falling 5–2 at Prudential Center and putting themselves on the brink of elimination.
Andrei Svechnikov led the way for Carolina in Game 4 with a hat trick — the first of his playoff career — while Frederik Andersen was steady once again in net, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Carolina’s special teams remained a major factor, killing off all three Devils power plays and scoring a power-play goal themselves, pushing their playoff penalty kill to a perfect 12-for-12.
Meanwhile, New Jersey’s offense struggled to generate enough pressure, despite goals from Dawson Mercer and Nico Hischier. Hischier’s second-period tally gave the Devils a brief glimpse of life, cutting the deficit to 2–1, but Svechnikov’s third-period outburst sealed the outcome.
“We weren’t good enough for long enough,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame. “Our urgency and execution need to be better from the start.”
The Devils know they will need a complete effort to extend the series. Jacob Markstrom will once again get the start in net after making 24 saves in Game 4, while the lineup on defense remains thin. Brenden Dillon, Luke Hughes, and Johnathan Kovacevic remain unavailable, meaning the “Fantastic Five” defense group — Brian Dumoulin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Simon Nemec — will have to carry the load once again.
Offensively, New Jersey will look to its core leaders — Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier — to drive the attack. Hischier leads the Devils in playoff goals with three, while Bratt and Meier are tied for the team lead in points with three apiece.
Special teams will again be a major storyline heading into tonight. The Devils’ power play is 0-for-12 in the series, while Carolina’s penalty kill ranks first in the postseason at a perfect 100%. Additionally, Carolina’s aggressive penalty kill has generated a shorthanded goal, courtesy of Jordan Martinook.
“We know we have another level to find,” said Bratt after Game 4. “And if we find it, this series isn’t over.”
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Devils at Hurricanes, Lost 1-4
Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Lost 1-3
Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils,
Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Lost 2-5
Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, April 29, time 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, May 2, time TBD*
Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, May 4, time TBD*
*If necessary
WHO’S HOT
Devils: Timo Meier has points in back-to-back games (1g–2a) and continues to bring physicality and a net-front presence for New Jersey. He’s also leading the Devils in hits (14) through the first four games of the series.
Hurricanes: Svechnikov exploded in Game 4 with three goals, becoming the Hurricanes’ leading scorer in the series with five points (4g-1a). His speed, strength, and finishing ability have been a handful for the Devils to contain.
INJURIES
Devils: Kovacevic (undisclosed, day-to-day), L.Hughes (undisclosed, out), Dillon (undisclosed, out), J.Hughes (shoulder, LTIR)
Hurricanes: Fast (neck, LTIR), Gostisbehere (upper-body)
REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS
