NHL Game of the Week: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

It is a tight battle for the top of the Metropolitan Division.

The Carolina Hurricanes will face the New Jersey Devils in a rivalry that has brewed even more in the last few years.

The Hurricanes arrive into this matchup with two wins against the St. Louis Blues and the Ottawa Senators. Their current overall record is 13-4-0.

The game against the Devils will be the second matchup in a three-game road trip for the Hurricanes.

On the other side of the ice, the Devils lost their last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 4-0 shutout. The New Jersey team holds a 12-7-2 overall record.

In their last matchup, at the beginning of the season, the Hurricanes took a 4-2 win at home.

This time, both teams will face each other in Devil's territory, in the Prudential Center on Thursday.

The puck drop is set to be at 7 p.m.


Hurricanes Keys to Win:

With Frederik Andersen’s long-term absence, the Hurricanes goaltenders will have to once again step up their game-playing.

To win against the Devils, the Hurricanes will have to prepare their defense against a truly agile and fast-paced team. The team will have to be careful with any penalties taken, as this will be a game in which the one who will lose, will probably be the team with the most errors.

In relation to penalty kill, the hurricanes and devils are sitting side-by-side. However, the Hurricanes lead with five percent more, being fifth in the league.

The Carolina Hurricanes will also be looking for a new segment of the “Martin Necas Show”. The player who was in multiple trade rumors during the last season, has taken an essential position with the team from Raleigh. The Czech native leads the team in assists, points and goals, also being third in the league in points (30).

Devils Keys to Win:

After struggling with goaltending through the 2023-24 season, the Devils seem to have finally found a consistent netminder. Jake Allen has two shutouts, is the tenth on save percentage with .916% and is sixth in fewer goals allowed in the league.

For this game, Brett Pesce, playing his previous team for the first time since signing with the Devils, and Timo Meier are supposedly making an appearance at the game’s final lineups. They were in practice on Wednesday after returning from injuries.

The team from New Jersey will have to use their best assets to get in front of the Hurricanes in the standings. One of those being their special teams.

The Devils are currently fifth in the league on the power play, while the Hurricanes trail right behind at eighth.

The New Jersey Devils will also count on their offensive abilities in this game like all matches. The captain, Nico Hischier, leads the team in goals, Jesper Bratt in assists and points, followed right behind by Jack Hughes.

Final Takeaways:

A matchup between the Hurricanes and Devils could potentially be seen once again in the early playoffs. This game will be essential for both sides to really make a statement to their opponents.

Devils against Hurricanes is always an entertaining game and it looks like this one will be no different.

Sofia Miranda is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email szc6483@psu.edu.