"Why Can't We All Just Get Along?": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 36: Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

For the final time in the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes faced the New Jersey Devils. After the Devils won on home ice on Friday, the Canes wanted a little bit of revenge. Brett Pesce finally made his return to Raleigh as a Devil after missing the first meeting of the season. The backups took the net for both teams after the starters dueled at The Rock. With both teams possibly tired from last night's game and traveling, who knows what time of game we'd get on Saturday night in Raleighwood. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

None

2nd Period

NJD (2:56)- Paul Cotter (8) (unassisted)

CAR (19:30)- Dmitry Orlov (4) (Sean Walker (5) & Seth Jarvis (13))

3rd Period

NJD (1:05)- Ondrej Palat (8) (Jesper Bratt (33) & Dougie Hamilton (19))

CAR (1:56)- Sebastian Aho (12) (Jack Roslovic (8))

CAR (10:43)- Jackson Blake (8) PP (Jesperi Kotkaniemi (11) & Brent Burns (9))

CAR (12:06)- Jack Roslovic (15) (Seth Jarvis (14) & Sean Walker (6))

CAR (16:38)- Jack Roslovic (16) EN (Sebastian Aho (26) & Seth Jarvis (15))

My Thoughts

This didn't look like a game between two teams that just played last night. If last night's game was about playmaking and finesse, tonight's game was about brute strength and hitting people as hard as possible. This had every bit of the anger and passion of a playoff game. By the end of the night, the Canes had their hands raised. The fourth meeting of the season was the only one that didn't finish 4-2, with the Canes deciding to get a fifth goal into the empty net to spice things up. It allowed Rod Brind'Amour to achieve his 300th win against the division-leading Devils before the end of the year. 

After only two goals through 40 minutes, the Canes and the Devils combined for five goals in the third period. Carolina scored four, responding to an early Ondrej Palat goal, and three came from the team's top line. Jack Roslovic is now two goals clear of Martin Necas with 16 after another multi-goal performance. Sebastian Aho scored the tying goal in response to Palat. Seth Jarvis recorded three assists, including a beautiful helper on Roslovic's first goal. Overall, the line finished with eight points, with Roslovic and Jarvis enjoying three-point games. It was a much-needed result from a top line that had been floundering recently.

The crux of the post-game response and discourse has centered on the physicality, with two moments during the third period receiving most of the attention. First, Timo Meier and Martin Necas collided knee-on-knee at center ice early in the period. Necas stayed down for a bit before hobbling off the ice. Meier was given a major penalty, which was upheld with a game misconduct added. Honestly, I didn't love the hit, but it didn't warrant five and a game. The Canes should've come out of it with a power play and things should've gone from there. I also didn't love the insinuation from Devils fans that Necas dove because of how quickly he was back on the ice. Watching the collision in slow motion, Necas' knee bears the brunt of the impact and it reacts in a way that doesn't look comfortable. I have no doubt that it hurt a lot, even if he didn't miss much time.

Then, as the Canes seized complete control at 4-2, Erik Haula hit Dmitry Orlov behind the Canes' net, busting Orlov open. There was a lot to unpack with this sequence. Orlov's positioning is low, but Haula could've avoided contact with Orlov's head, especially since he threw an elbow to the nose. Also, Orlov doesn't have the puck, meaning Haula appears to be searching for the hit without any intent of getting the puck, which is clear-cut interference. Now, I get why people are mad at Orlov for coming back at Haula after skating to the bench for a towel. For that, Orlov was properly penalized. How Haula managed to only get two minutes for roughing it beyond me because it's not a good hit. That Haula was the player delivering the hit only makes it worse. 

While it might age both fanbases terribly, I need a playoff series between these two teams this season. Two years ago, when the two met in the second round, the Devils weren't ready to face the Hurricanes. This time, it might actually be a good series. New Jersey has a better team with much better goaltending to battle this experienced Canes team. The intensity in the series would be unlike anything we've experienced since the Canes' return to the playoffs in 2019. These two used to have a strong rivalry based on several postseason encounters. It's a cruel joke that the season series has ended before the new year because a battle later in the season might've been even more exciting. Instead, we'll have to ponder what could come in April or May, under the right circumstances. 

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Sebastian Aho

It bears repeating that big players show up in big moments. With his team down a goal early in the third period, Sebastian Aho knocks down a clearing attempt before circling around and squeaking a shot through Jake Allen to tie the game. It's one of the most important moments of the night because it allows the Canes to immediately regain control. Aho finishes the night with five shots, four hits, and two points as he closes in on Martin Necas for the team lead.

The Road Ahead- The Hurricanes will hit the road for two more games, beginning on New Year's Eve against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canes will be in Sunrise on Thursday to face the defending champions. Their first home game of 2025 will be the first half of a back-to-back against the Minnesota Wild next Saturday, followed by a visit from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.