Overview
After a 5-2 loss vs. the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, the New Jersey Devils (27-43-7) host the Carolina Hurricanes (50-20-8) in a Saturday matinee. The two teams have split two meetings this season, with the Devils securing a 7-4 home win back in January. Carolina won the other contest 2-1 in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes are currently tied with the Rangers atop the Metropolitan Division with 108 points. Carolina holds the tiebreaker with 44 regulation wins to New York’s 43. Both teams have four games remaining. Carolina also enters on a two game winning streak with wins over Winnipeg and Arizona. Those wins follow up a 7-4 loss at Colorado.
Projected Lines (via Daily Faceoff)
New Jersey Devils’
Forwards
Tatar – Hischier – Zetterlund
Zacha – Mercer – Bratt
Sharangovich – Boqvist – Kuokkanen
Johnsson – McLeod – Bastian
Defensemen
White – Severson
Bahl – Hamilton
Smith – Subban
Goaltenders
Hammond
Gillies
Carolina Hurricanes’
Forwards
Teräväinen – Aho – Jarvis
Svechnikov – Trocheck – Necas
Niederreiter – Staal – Fast
Martinook – Domi – Lorentz
Defensemen
Slavin – DeAngelo
Skjei – Pesce
Smith – Cole
Goaltenders
Raanta
Kochetkov
Who/What to Watch
Sebastian Aho
Aho is the star of the Hurricanes’ forward group. The 24 year old Finn leads Carolina in goals (36), assists (42), and points (78), and is putting up a career-best 1.04 points per game. Also, Aho is on a three-game point streak. Before that, the centerman put up three points in Madison Square Garden in a 4-2 Hurricanes win over the Rangers on April 12 to keep the club atop the divison.
However, the Devils have been a tough matchup for Aho this season. New Jersey held Aho without a point in both games earlier this season.
Antti Raanta
Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen was having a phenomenal year for Carolina, but he has not played since April 16 in a 7-4 loss at Colorado. Andersen left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury. Before the injury, Andersen had a record of 35-14-3 with a .922 save percentage and 2.17 GAA. Backup Antti Raanta has had a good year in his own right, but his numbers are still a step below Andersen’s. Raanta is 14-5-4 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.44 GAA.
It’s worth noting that the Devils have not faced Raanta this year. Frederik Andersen made 24 saves in a 2-1 win over New Jersey while the Devils beat Jack LaFontaine 7-4 in his first (and so far, only) NHL start.
Nikita Okhotiuk
The rookie defenseman scored a goal in his NHL debut against Buffalo last time out. The 2019 second round draft pick also logged 15:54 time on ice in the loss. In Utica this year, Okhotiuk scored just three goals and 12 points in 63 games, so it is unlikely the scoring will continue for the more defensive-minded defenseman.
However, after the good debut performance (result aside), it will be interesting to see how Okhotiuk looks against one of the NHL’s best teams.
Where to Watch
Faceoff from the Prudential Center is scheduled for 12:30 PM ET. The game will be broadcast on MSG.