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The New Jersey Devils overcame their hated cross-river rivals, the New York Rangers, to get to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New Jersey impressed in seven games, despite playing in just their second playoff series since 2012-13. But this is not about the past, this is about the future.
The Devils come into the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes with newfound experience and swagger. After finishing third in the NHL, New Jersey took down the Rangers in seven games, despite falling behind 2-0 on home ice in the series. They will now face one of the two teams that finished ahead of them in the overall standings.
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The Carolina Hurricanes handled the New York Islanders with more ease than a lot of people expected. After getting out to a 2-0 series lead, the Canes never really looked back, taking a lead of 3-1 and eventually winning 4-2 with an overtime victory in Game 6.
Carolina has advanced past the first round in each of the past five seasons. The Canes advanced to the third round just once over that time, reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2018-19 after sweeping the Islanders in the second round.
Carolina and New Jersey met four times during the 2022-23 regular season. The division rivals split the four games, with Carolina taking the first two (4-1 and 5-4) and NJ finishing out the season series with two wins (5-3 and 3-0).
The last meeting between the two teams was a huge statement by the New Jersey Devils. New Jersey dominated Carolina and recorded a 3-0 shutout while chasing down the Canes in the Metropolitan Division race. The goaltender in that game for New Jersey: Vitek Vanecek.
But it won't be Vanecek in Game 1, as 22-year-old Akira Schmid has stolen the crease and the starter's job ever since coming in for Game 3 vs. the Rangers. Schmid is 4-1 in the playoffs and has put up elite numbers with a .951 save percentage, 1.38 goals-against average, and two shutouts.
The Hurricanes' goaltending situation is a bit more fluid. After starting Anti Raanta for the first six games, Carolina turned to Fredrik Andersen in Game 6.
Andersen was stellar, stopping 33 of 34 in the 2-1 overtime victory. With that performance, it seems obvious that Andersen has earned the start in Game 1 of the second round.
New Jersey Devils projected lineup
- Tatar - Hischier - Bratt
- Palat - Hughes - Haula
- Meier - Mercer - Boqvist
- Bastian - McLeod - Lazar
- Siegenthaler - Hamilton
- Graves - Marino
- Bahl - Severson
- Schmid
- Vanecek
Carolina Hurricanes projected lineup
- Teravainen-Aho-Jarvis
- Noesen-Kotkaniemi-Necas
- Martinook-Staal-Fast
- Drury-Stastny-Stepan
- Slavin-Burns
- Skjei-Pesce
- Gostisbehere-Chatfield
- Andersen
- Raanta
Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils: Prediction
This is going to be an insanely physical and tight series. Both teams know how to defend, both have good goaltending, and both have elite talent up front that will make you pay for your mistakes.
It will be a tall task for the New Jersey Devils to go into Raleigh and take Game 1. But then again, it was a tall task to win two of three at Madison Square Garden too.
New Jersey Devils 3, Carolina Hurricanes 2
