Do the New Jersey Devils have a turnover problem? Breaking down their pressing issues ahead of Game 5

The New Jersey Devils are in do-or-die mode for the first time this postseason. After eliminating the New York Rangers in seven games, the Devils have lost three of four to the Carolina Hurricanes, trailing the series 3-1 heading into Game 5.

In Game 5, the Devils will need to focus on eliminating mistakes.

New Jersey Devils must focus on eliminating turnovers and mistakes in Game 5

In Game 4, the Devils turned the puck over 26 times.

In comparison, Carolina recorded only two giveaways. In the previous three games, New Jersey Devils averaged eight turnovers. So yes, this is a massive increase. And it cost the Devils in Game 4.

On the first Carolina goal, Devils forward Michael McLeod turned the puck over near the Hurricanes blue line. Carolina jumped on the loose puck, turned it back in transition, and Martin Necas made them pay.

"I mean, tonight [Tuesday] was probably as disappointed of a game, a crucial game. ... [the Hurricanes] kind of flipped it (from Game 3)," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "They competed harder on pucks, they won more battles than we did.

On top of the turnovers, have come a few key mistakes.

On that same opening goal for Carolina, rookie Luke Hughes made an error in judgment.

After throwing a pass to McLeod through the middle of the ice, Hughes immediately headed for the bench to make a change. What he did not recognize was that Carolina had turned the puck back over and the Canes were quickly heading back toward the New Jersey net.

Hughes was late to recover, his defensive partner was unaware that he had vacated, and Necas was given a wide-open lane to the net. That is playoff hockey. It can happen in the blink of an eye.

On the fourth goal, it was Jonas Siegenthaler that threw a puck blindly up the boards after a scramble in front of the New Jersey Devils net. The puck found Jalen Chatfield, who had time and room to throw his second shot in a 10-second span on net. Vitek Vanecek made the initial save but Jesper Fast was all alone in front to collect the rebound and give the Canes a 4-1 lead. Again, uncharacteristic for the New Jersey Devils.

Carolina scored five goals on 10 shots in the second period, including four in just 5:20 of playing time. The Devils took their foot off the gas after taking a 1-0 lead and it cost them the game that fast.

"The game was won in a five-minute span, right? That's hockey," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "Sometimes you don't need all those goals, but that's what happens. You just can't take a breather and, for us, we were able to capitalize right there."

The Devils know they have to clean up these types of plays to have any hope of winning Game 5. They have not been a sloppy team throughout the playoffs but will need to be focused to ensure those bad habits don't leak into their game on Thursday.