2025-26 Regular Season, Game 72 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes ended their three-game road trip on a sour note, falling to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canes got off to a quick start, scoring on the power play for the fourth straight game. Nikolaj Ehlers' attempted pass to Seth Jarvis redirected off a Montreal stick and into the net, getting the group off to a quick start. Then, Jordan Staal found himself alone in the slot with the puck. He snapped it over Jakub Dobes' shoulder to double the lead. This is where the fun times ended. Oliver Kapanen tipped a shot from the point to cut into the Canes' lead before the end of the opening period. Cole Caufield was in the right spot to pop home a rebound to tie the game before his tipped chance deflected off Juraj Slafkovsky to give Montreal the lead. Ivan Demidov capitalized on a misplay by K'Andre Miller, skating the puck the other way and scoring on a breakaway to put the game away for good late in the third. Jake Evans added the empty-net goal to secure the 5-2 win for the Canadiens. Caufield, Slafkovsky, and Demidov each finished with a goal and an assist, and Dobes stopped 41 of 43 Carolina shots.

Injury Report

Shayne Gostisbehere: For the first time since the Edmonton game, he was on the ice with the group on Friday, signaling that he could be good to go for tonight's contest.

The Opponent: New Jersey Devils (37-32-6, 76 Points; 7th in the Metropolitan Division)

Last Meeting: The Hurricanes made their final trip to Newark in mid-January, just 13 days after doing so the first time. The night before, the Canes steamrolled past the Panthers, 9-1, looking to keep that ball rolling. For the first half of the game, Frederik Andersen and Jacob Markstrom went save for save, keeping their opponents off the board. It wasn't until Andrei Svechnikov got one through with 6:48 left in the frame that we finally got a goal. He enjoyed it so much that he did it again 57 seconds later, giving the Canes a two-goal advantage after 40. Timo Meier finally dented Andersen's armor on the power play early in the third, but Jackson Blake responded promptly to restore the multi-goal advantage. Svechnikov finished the job with his third of the night, picking up his second assist against the Devils, including the postseason, in a 4-1 win. Sebastian Aho provided the primary helper on all three of Svechnikov's goals, and Andersen made 29 saves in the 4-1 win.

Since We Last Met: The Devils won't be in the postseason this year, and injuries have played a big part in it. Jack Hughes has been limited to 50 games. Brett Pesce and Stefan Noesen, who both played fewer than 40 games, are done for the season. Arseny Gritsyuk is out for tonight. Only five Devils have played all 71 games, though two of them, Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier, are two of their three most important players, with the elder Hughes being the third. Bratt still leads the team with 60 points, with Hughes not far behind with 59. Hischier leads the group with 26 goals. However, it's not their offense that has been lighting up teams. It's their defense that has been surprisingly stout, especially since the break. Jacob Markstrom has wins in seven of his last ten starts, with a respectable .891 save percentage. He enters the night on a three-game winning streak. Jake Allen has split his last four decisions. His two losses have been miles better than his wins, allowing three goals in those defeats. They are 13th across the board in goals allowed, goals allowed per game, and on the penalty kill.

Stories to Watch

1. The return of Shayne Gostisbehere?

After skating as a full participant on Friday, all signs point to Gostisbehere being back in the lineup, which is a great thing for the Hurricanes. However, his presence shakes up a few things, particularly on the power play. I've really liked how Alexander Nikishin has looked on the top unit for a power play that is moving in the right direction at a fever pitch. Having a veteran like Gostisbehere on the top unit makes plenty of sense, so I can't be too upset.