The New Jersey Devils host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in Game 4 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Carolina leads the series 2-1 after NJ got on the board with a dominant win in Game Three.
Match Overview
The Devils held a practice on Monday and had full attendance. Ryan Graves missed Game 3, but participated in the practice after skating on his own prior to the practice, per Sam Kasan.
Vitek Vanecek got the start in Game 3 and appears to be getting the start again tonight. He was in the starter’s net and was the first goalie off the ice, per Kasan. This postseason, Vanecek has a .845 save percentage and -5.53 goals saved above expected (GSAx) in six appearances.
The Devils also went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen in Game 3. At practice, they had four full forward lines, so it remains to be seen what route Lindy Ruff goes tonight. Stay tuned to our social channels closer to puck drop for updated lineup info.
As for Carolina, Brady Skjei was the only skater to miss the Hurricanes’ optional practice, but Rod Brind’Amour said it was for rest reasons, per Walt Ruff.
Netminder Antti Raanta was back on the ice after battling an illness in recent days. However, he told Walt Ruff that he was not sure if he would be available for Game 4.
That means there is a good chance Frederik Andersen is back in net after being pulled in Game 3. Both Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov allowed four goals on Sunday. This postseason, Andersen has a .925 save percentage and 2.80 GSAx while Kochetkov had a -1.87 GSAx in his first playoff appearance this year. Raanta owns a .906 save percentage and a 1.68 GSAx in five starts, if he is able to play.
Projected Lines
New Jersey Devils
Forwards
Palat – Hischier – Bratt
Meier – J. Hughes – Mercer
Haula – McLeod – Tatar
Wood – Lazar – Bastian
Defensemen
Siegenthaler – Hamilton
L. Hughes – Severson
Smith – Marino
Goaltenders
Vanecek
Schmid
Carolina Hurricanes
Forwards
Noesen – Aho – Jarvis
Martinook – Kotkaniemi – Fast
Drury – Staal – Necas
Stepan – Stastny – Puljujarvi
Defensemen
Slavin – Burns
Skjei – Pesce
Gostisbehere – Chatfield
Goaltenders
Andersen
Raanta
What to Watch For
Devils’ Top Line
The trio of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Ondrej Palar was phenomenal in the Game Three win. The top line had a tremendous 88.33 expected goals-for percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five and controlled scoring chances 15-2 with high-danger chances being 10-1.
This trio was completely tilting the ice while leading the Devils’ forward lines in ice time at five-on-five. They unsurprisingly look like they are back together for Game 4. If Hischier, Bratt, and Palat can continue to dominate the flow of play, they could lead the Devils to a series tied at two.
Luke Hughes
The 19-year-old Luke Hughes made his playoff debut in Game 3 and played well. He had a 58.40 xGF% while having a 7-4 edge in scoring chances at five-on-five. Hughes also picked up a pair of assists. His only real blemish was a poor pass on the power play that led to a breakaway and penalty shot goal for Carolina, that fortunately did not impact the result.
After an overall solid performance in Game 3, Hughes looks like he’ll be back in the lineup tonight. If he can continue to utilize his mobility and learn from his mistake on the power play, there’s a good chance Hughes remains in the lineup the rest of the way for the Devils.
Devils’ Power Play
The Devils finally broke through on the power play for the first time in seven games against Carolina this season. The problem? They also allowed three shorthanded goals in the 8-4 win.
Luckily for New Jersey, those shorthanded goals did not end up mattering, but it is a worrying trend. For the season, the ‘Canes penalty kill has outscored the Devils power play 7-1.
In Game 3, the Devils had 3:34 of five-on-four power play time. In that time, the Devils generated just 0.12 expected goals with Carolina creating 0.24, a 66.67 xGF% while shorthanded, which is an absurd figure.
Where to Watch
Game 4 will be on ESPN with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Note: All statistics via Natural Stat Trick.