Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Preview: Can upstart Devils knock off Hurricanes?

The Carolina Hurricanes have now won a post-season series (counting 2020’s qualifying round) five years running, but haven’t gotten past the second round since 2019. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils advanced past the first round for the first time since the franchise’s 2012 trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

One of them will be competing in the Eastern Conference Final this year.

The Hurricanes were able to overcome significant injuries to Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov to hold on and win the Metropolitan Division, edging out the Devils by one point in the standings, which gives them home-ice advantage in this series.

Sebastian Aho stepped up by leading his team in goals and points against the New York Islanders as the Hurricanes got out to a 2-0 series lead before taking Game 4 and Game 6 on the road to advance, and veteran centre Paul Stastny chipped in with three of his own, including the Game 6 OT winner.

The Devils’ path to the second round wasn’t so straight forward. They had to regroup after being outscored 10-2 at home and falling behind 0-2 to the New York Rangers. Lindy Ruff’s group has won four of their past five and has looked like a different team altogether following a goalie change.

Carolina will be the more rested team having eliminated the Isles last Friday night. New Jersey is travelling to Raleigh, N.C., on one day’s rest on the heels of a seven-gamer. Will that result in the Hurricanes having more pep in their step in Game 1 with the home crowd behind them?

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Hurricanes: 2-2-0

Devils: 2-1-1

These teams have competed four times previously in the post-season, but not since 2009. The four-game regular-season series in 2022-23 was split with each team winning once at home and once on the road. Carolina won the first two back in December and again on New Year’s Day then the Devils took the final two games in mid-January and March.

Hurricanes X-Factor: Whoever’s between the pipes

Carolina had difficulty finding the back of the net in Round 1 but, thanks in no small part to Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen, they still moved on. Raanta started the first five games as Andersen dealt with a combination of injury and illness before he returned to the crease and looked solid in the series clinching game, stopping 33 of 34 shots in 66 minutes of action.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has said he will consider using both netminders against the Devils. Raanta didn’t lose in regulation at home in the regular season, however he has struggled on the road historically in the playoffs. In fact, Game 4 against the Islanders was his first and only career playoff road win to go with seven playoff road losses. Raanta won his lone start against the Devils this season but Andersen didn’t play against New Jersey in the regular season.

Brind'Amour told reporters he’ll convene with Hurricanes goalie coach Paul Schonfelder to help him decide who will start each game, adding: “You just kind of day by day it and reassess after every game. That's really the only way to do it. We've got two good options now, and two healthy options, which we never seem to be able to have in the playoffs.”

Devils X-Factor: Akira Schmid

Sure, it’s an obvious choice, but who would’ve figured entering the post-season that Schmid would’ve had the massive impact he has thus far? The rookie netminder is 4-1 these playoffs, allowing just two goals in those four wins. Schmid is perhaps the unofficial leader in the still-early Conn Smythe race. His lone setback against the Rangers was when he allowed five goals this past weekend on just 29 shots yet bounced back with his second shutout in a five-day span, stopping all 31 Rangers shots during his first taste of Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 7 action.

Key Stat: Carolina’s lockdown penalty kill

The Hurricanes penalty kill operated at an opening-round best 94.4 per cent, only allowing one goal against when their opponent had a power play. New Jersey’s power play only clicked at 16.7 per cent against the Rangers, plus the Devils were 0-for-13 on the man advantage in their four regular-season games against Carolina.

PLAYOFF TEAM STATS

ADVANCED STATS

Regular season 5-on-5 numbers via Natural Stat Trick

How the Hurricanes win:

The supplemental scoring needs to step up. In addition to not having Svechnikov and Pacioretty, they lost Teuvo Teravainen to a broken hand in the opening round. The team only managed 2.67 goals per game against the Islanders and now face a more intimidating Devils roster backed by a goalie who’s clearly in the zone.

Carolina should have an easier time than the Rangers at keeping up with the Devils' speed. When New Jersey’s buzzing they play a run-and-gun style that can bewilder teams, and without that supplemental scoring support Brind'Amour's club could be facing an uphill battle.

The trio of Martin Necas, Jordan Martinook and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, for example, combined for just one goal and four points (three of which were from Necas) in the opening round after totalling 59 goals and 148 points in the regular season. Supplemental scoring also includes the blueliners. Carolina’s defencemen chipped in consistently during the regular season – Brent Burns and Brady Skjei scored 18 goals each – yet only contributed one goal versus the Isles.

How the Devils win:

By using that team speed at both ends of the ice and not giving Carolina space when they don’t have the puck. The Devils allowed the fewest shots against per game in the opening round despite also blocking the fewest shots per 60 minutes and also had the fewest hits per 60. Their team puck control and movement is impressive and their advantage in the faceoff circles could lead to plenty of puck possession and control time. Carolina only won 41.4 per cent of their defensive zone faceoffs against the Islanders and that could be advantageous for New Jersey if the trend continues in this series. If they can manage that and Schmid stays steady in net they’ll find themselves facing the winner of Toronto/Florida in the next round.