After a dominant 4-1 victory over the Mammoth Saturday evening, the New Jersey Devils (22-17-2, 6th Metropolitan) will face the Carolina Hurricanes (24-13-3, 1st Metropolitan) Sunday night as the team enters the second half of their schedule.
Overview
The Devils are coming off two straight wins against Columbus and Utah after losing four in a row. Both wins were cathartic for the Devils. They staged an epic third-period comeback against Columbus, something they have struggled to do all season, and dominated Utah from start to finish. Both these games saw the Devils score three or more goals, with big names like Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, and Dougie Hamilton making an impact. New Jersey will look to carry this momentum into a heavyweight bout with Carolin.
The Hurricanes are coming off three straight losses with the latest coming against the juggernaut Colorado Avalanche Saturday night. Carolina has shown vulnerability despite their spot atop the division. Their defense collapsed against the Penguins and the Canadiens, both games in which they allowed five or more goals. The Hurricanes find themselves in the tightest division battle we’ve seen in years, with the Islanders right behind them at 51 points, and with the entire division still in contention. They’ll look to give themselves some breathing room with a win over the Devils.
Lines and Pairings
Devils-
Forwards
Hughes-Hischier-Bratt
Meier-Mercer-Gritsyuk
Palat-Glass-Brown
Cotter-Glendening-Noesen
Defense
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Hughes-Pesce
Dillion-White
Goalies
Allen
Markstrom
Hurricanes-
Forwards
Ehlers-Aho-Svechnikov
Hall-Jankowski-Blake
Martinook-Staal-Stankoven
Carrier-Kotkaniemi-Robinson
Defense
Gostisbhere-Chatfield
Miller-Walker
Nikishin-Nystrom
Goalies
Andersen
Bussi
Keys to the Game
Devils’ Scoring Turnaround
The Devils’ lack of scoring was a major source of frustration to end 2025, but they’ve managed to turn it around over the past couple of games. Interestingly, their five-on-five numbers don’t match their recent scoring outburst, with 2 and 1.93 expected goals, respectively, over their last two games. The difference has been their finishing ability, with 9.09 and 13.33 shooting percentages over their last two games. Compare that to their four-game losing streak, when their highest shooting percentage was 7.89 against the Capitals. Quantity of chances is always welcome, but the Devils have found a way to make fewer chances count. Look for them to keep that mentality against Carolina.
Tight Eastern Conference
It’s anyone’s guess who comes out on top in the East, even as we approach the halfway mark of the season. The entire conference is separated by just 11 points, while seven bubble teams, including the Devils, are within three points of a playoff spot. Needless to say, this is an all-important matchup when it comes to divisional and conference standings. We may point to this game at the end of the season as one of the deciding factors.
Where to Watch
Sunday night’s game can be seen on MSGSN at 7:00 pm ET.