2024-25 Regular Season, Game 2 Preview: Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

Opening Night for the Carolina Hurricanes didn't play out how we hoped it would. Despite Jordan Staal scoring the opening goal late in the first period, the Lightning scored four unanswered, getting two goals on the power play and two more into the empty net, three of which came courtesy of Nikita Kucherov, to win 4-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy was phenomenal through two periods before sitting back and watching his teammates dominate the third period. The Martinook-Staal-Carrier line did the heavy lifting for the Canes, while several others had good individual efforts. It wasn't nearly enough to get the job done, giving the Canes their first regulation loss in a season opener under Rod Brind'Amour. After having Saturday's game in Tampa Bay canceled, the Hurricanes waited for the New Jersey Devils to make their way to Raleigh for Game 2. With an extra few days to prepare, the hope is that Carolina will find a new gear before their long road trip.

The Opponent: New Jersey Devils (4-1-0, 8 Points this season)

After making the playoffs in 2023, the Devils suffered through injuries and inconsistency between the pipes during their 2023-24 campaign, finishing seventh in the division and outside of a playoff spot. The Devils made big changes during the offseason, replacing Travis Green with Sheldon Keefe, acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the Flames, and adding a pair of former Hurricanes during free agency. They started their season with a pair of games abroad, sweeping the Buffalo Sabres. Since returning to North America, the Devils have won two of their three games, including a 3-0 shutout victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Monday afternoon. The Devils have been a very balanced team across the first few weeks, getting contributions from the entire lineup. They are dealing with a few injuries, most notably on defense. Brett Pesce, one of their biggest additions, is still nursing his broken leg from the postseason, while Luke Hughes is recovering from shoulder surgery. They are primed to be far greater threats than they were last season.

Last Season's Meetings- The Hurricanes swept the Devils last season, carrying their momentum from winning in the second round of the playoffs in 2023. All three games were tightly contested, with both meetings in Raleigh being decided by one goal. They didn't meet for the first time until late January at PNC Arena. Sebastian Aho started the scoring early by burying a breakaway against Nico Daws 90 seconds into the contest. Two quick goals in the second period spelled the end of the night for Daws, making way for Vitek Vanecek. The Devils made it close with two goals in the third period, but the Canes came away with a 3-2 win. 

New Jersey was back in Raleigh two weeks later as the Hurricanes celebrated Whalers Night. Vanecek and Pyotr Kochetkov dueled to a scoreless draw through 60 minutes before Aho was the hero in overtime, batting a puck out of mid-air to win 1-0. Vanecek ended the night with 31 stops, while Kochetkov recorded a 34-save shutout. The lone meeting in New Jersey came in early March. Martin Necas and Nico Hischier traded goals through 40 minutes before Jesperi Kotkaniemi broke the tie early in the third period. Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen scored empty-net goals to help the Canes finish the sweep with a 4-2 victory.

Stories of the Night

1. Stefan Noesen Returns

While Brett Pesce may travel with the team to Raleigh, it's unlikely that he'll play as he continues to work toward his return after breaking his leg during the playoffs last season. However, Stefan Noesen will definitely be in the lineup for the Devils in the hopes of continuing his hot start. Noesen is playing on one of the most productive lines in the league right now, next to Paul Cotter and Erik Haula. Noesen has six points in five games, while Cotter has four goals to lead the team. In his second tour with the Devils, Noesen is proving to be a valuable asset, something we in Carolina are more than aware of.

2. Putting Opening Night Behind Them

Opening Night wasn't a fun game to live through, so Tuesday offers a chance to turn the page and start anew. Pyotr Kochetkov will likely get the start, making his season debut, and he has a knack for getting the team going. It'll be up to the top line to get the offense rolling after being held scoreless against the Lightning. There are 81 games left in the season, so there's plenty of time for the Hurricanes to find their magic. It would be nice if they found it before hitting the road for two weeks.

3. Take Advantage of a Tired Devils Team

The Devils have already played five games, making Tuesday night their sixth. It'll be their fourth game in six games since playing in the Global Series. The Hurricanes are playing in just their second game. They were one of the last teams to play their opener and Saturday's cancelation pushed it back even further. While Jacob Markstrom, who I'd anticipate will be in the net after Jake Allen shut out Utah, will be rested, the team in front of him might be a little tired. The Canes need to set the tone from the drop of the puck and make life miserable for the Devils.