"A Very Un-4-2-nate Return": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 35: Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils

With Christmas behind us, the Hurricanes and the Devils locked horns for the first game of a back-to-back in New Jersey on Friday night. The Devils, perched atop the division, tried to add separation from the Canes, while the visitors tried to rebound from a tough loss in Nashville before the break. With these two set to meet again on Saturday, both teams sent their starters out for the front end, trying to gain the early advantage for the weekend set. 

Scoring Summary
1st Period
CAR (10:03)- Eric Robinson (9) (Jackson Blake (4) & Brent Burns (8))
NJD (16:12)- Ondrej Palat (7) (Jonathan Kovacevic (10) Jonas Siegenthaler (7))
NJD (16:54)- Nico Hischier (18) (Stefan Noesen (10) & Luke Hughes (14))
2nd Period
CAR (0:22)- Brent Burns (3) (Jack Roslovic (6))
NJD (4:15)- Luke Hughes (3) (Brett Pesce (3) & Jesper Bratt (32))
NJD (8:47)- Dawson Mercer (9) (Jack Hughes (31) & Brendan Dillon (9))
3rd Period
None

My Thoughts
If you're like me, you needed the three days since Monday's loss to regroup and celebrate with family. Being a hockey fan can be stressful. Sometimes, it's more stressful than being around your relatives for hours at a time. With three days to gameplan for the New Jersey Devils, I have to expect this isn't quite how they drew it up. The Canes didn't play poorly, despite the result. They got out to the lead and showed signs of life while trailing. However, the Devils showed, once again, that they are a much different team than the one the Canes played last season. Each of their top scorers found the scoresheet, with Luke Hughes leading the way with a goal and an assist. Just like the last game in New Jersey, one of the differences was the end of the first period. The Canes scored first but fell apart in the final few minutes, allowing New Jersey to build their game.

There are many reasons why the Devils beat the Hurricanes tonight. The biggest, to me, was between the pipes. Pyotr Kochetkov was fine. Jacob Markstrom was great. In Kochetkov's defense, the first three New Jersey goals were a deflection, a 2-on-1, and a perfectly-placed blocked shot that landed in the slot. The problem was the fourth goal. Jack Hughes was shooting for a rebound and it worked to perfection. The puck bounced right to Dawson Mercer for an easy goal. Meanwhile, Markstrom stood on his head, especially after the Canes made it 2-2. The Canes made strong pushes after New Jersey's third and fourth goals. Each time, Markstrom was there to keep the lead intact. The stop on Jack Roslovic after the 4-2 goal was the save of the night. He has been unbeatable in his last ten starts now. 

What a night for Brent Burns. The 39-year-old looked a decade younger with how he was moving. Burns was the only Hurricane with two points, recording an assist on the opening goal by having his shot deflected before scoring to tie the game 22 seconds into the second period. Burns was solid on both ends of the ice. He was diving to break up 2-on-1s, firing everyone on the power play, and making the young guys look bad. The break must've been kind to him.

I liked how the fourth line looked tonight, too. The Canes' best forward tonight was Jackson Blake. After 11 games without a point, Blake redirected Burns' shot, allowing the puck to squeak through Markstrom for Eric Robinson to poke home. He finished tied with a team-high three shots and drew the first penalty of the night, which allowed the second goal to materialize early in the second period. It was good to see him contributing. I also thought Andrei Svechnikov started to put things together. He also had three shots, looking especially good early in the second period, despite missing the net a few times. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction for both Blake and Svechnikov.

When We Meet Again- The Hurricanes and the Devils will fly to Raleigh tonight to meet for the fourth and final time on Saturday night at the Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes must win in regulation to earn a split with the Devils. 

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Brent Burns
Brent Burns did a little of everything tonight. He had a goal and an assist. He had a million and a half shot attempts, though only three were on target. He made a few good defensive plays, including a perfect defense of a 2-on-1 in the second period. He blocked a couple shots, too. Burns looked good, earning this spot with solid competition from Jackson Blake. 

The Road Ahead- The Canes will finish 2024 with the Devils on Saturday and the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Tuesday. Their first stop in 2025 will be in the defending champions' barn on January 2nd before a weekend back-to-back at the Lenovo Center against Minnesota and Pittsburgh.

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