- Carolina Hurricanes netminder Antti Raanta said he’s recovered from an illness that kept him out for the past three games, meaning he’ll back up Frederik Andersen tonight for a potentially series-clinching Game 5. Raanta started the first five games of Carolina’s First Round series against the New York Islanders but has since been superseded by Andersen, who’s posted a 4-0-0 record and .930 save percentage in five starts.
Hurricanes Rumors
Teuvo Teravainen Will Not Return In Second Round
- Carolina Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff reported today that head coach Rod Brind’Amour ruled out any possibility that forward Teuvo Teravainen could return in their second round series against the New Jersey Devils. Teravainen suffered an injury to his hand after taking a slash in a game against the New York Islanders, he had surgery back in mid-April and has been rehabbing the injury ever since. He skated today with the club but is “a long way away,” according to Brind’Amour. Teravainen put up 12 goals and 25 assists this season in 68 games this season and would provide a good depth scoring option for Carolina if the Canes advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
MacEachern Returns To Lineup
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Game Four roster of the Carolina Hurricanes will look a bit different, as forward Mackenzie MacEachern replaces Jesse Puljujarvi in the lineup before tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils. MacEachern has been out of the Hurricanes lineup since the series-winning Game Six victory against the New York Islanders in late April.
In his first taste of action for the Hurricanes this season, MacEachern scored one goal and one assist in Carolina’s Game Four victory against the Islanders in this year’s playoffs. Throwing 10 hits in three playoff games, the Hurricanes could use some more physicality in the lineup after their blowout loss to the Devils in Game Three of the second round.
Puljujarvi, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to produce to the level Carolina may have been hoping for after acquiring him from the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline. In seven games played for the Hurricanes in this year’s playoffs, Puljujarvi has only managed one assist. Needing more production on the defensive side of the puck from their forwards, MacEachern will replace Puljujarvi in the lineup for the time being.
- Once again missing a game due to illness, Dan Rosen of the NHL reports that Hurricanes’ goaltender Antti Raanta will miss Game Four. Replacing him in the lineup is Pyotr Kochetkov, who will be backing up goaltender Frederik Andersen. Raanta has not played since the team’s Game Five loss to the New York Islanders in the first round when he gave up three goals on 22 shots in a losing effort.
Antti Raanta Returns To Hurricanes Practice
- Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta returned to the ice for practice today after missing Games 2 and 3 of the team’s Second Round series against the New Jersey Devils with an illness. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reported that Raanta participated in the team’s practice, along with current starter Frederik Andersen and third-string netminder Pyotr Kochetkov. Raanta played the first five games of the postseason for Carolina, helping them jump out a 3-2 series lead against the New York Islanders in Round One before Andersen came in to clinch the series.
Antti Raanta Will Travel With Team
For Devils’ fans, the moment they have been waiting for is finally here, as defenseman Luke Hughes will make his playoff debut in Game Three against the Carolina Hurricanes. Unfortunately for the New Jersey Devils, this comes with some unfortunate news, as Hughes will be filling in for defenseman Ryan Graves, who is out with an upper-body injury.
As the Devils find themselves down two games to none against the Metropolitan Division champion Hurricanes, New Jersey definitely has a tall task ahead of them. As they toe the line of playoff hockey desperation, Hughes will be an exciting player to add to the mix for the Devils.
- Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that Antti Raanta will travel with the Hurricanes to New Jersey. In Game Two, the netminder was unable to serve as backup to Frederik Andersen, due to an illness. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour still says the netminder isn’t feeling great but is feeling good enough to travel with the team for Game Three. In five starts so far in this year’s playoffs, Raanta holds a 3-2-0 record, carrying a .906 SV% and a 2.59 GAA.
Teravainen Participates In Off-Ice Workout
- In some positive news regarding an injury for the Carolina Hurricanes, Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that forward Teuvo Teravainen participated in an off-ice workout today. Teravainen is currently healing from a broken hand, and although this is a major step in the right direction for his return, it is still unknown whether or not he will be back for the playoffs. In somewhat of a down year compared to his previous standards, Teravainen only managed 37 points in 65 games this year, but would undoubtedly be a welcome return to a surging Carolina team.
[SOURCE LINK]
Jack Drury To Return For Game 1
The New Jersey Devils are entering Game 1 on the road tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes with the status of their main trade deadline acquisition uncertain. Winger Timo Meier is a game-time decision after taking a hard hit from New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in the team’s Game 7 win on Monday, per head coach Lindy Ruff.
- Carolina Hurricanes winger Jack Drury is expected to return from an upper-body injury tonight when they host New Jersey to start their second-round series. Drury, 23, has slotted into Carolina’s top six with injuries to multiple key wingers. He’ll look to register his first point of the playoffs tonight, expected to flank Jordan Staal and Martin Necas on the team’s second line.
PHR Playoff Primer: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
With the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs now underway, PHR makes its first foray into playoff series analysis with our 2023 Playoff Primers. Where does each team stand in their series, and what storylines could dominate on and off the ice? We begin our second-round coverage with the Metropolitan Division matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils.
For the third time in as many years, the Carolina Hurricanes have won their first-round matchup and will try to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The New Jersey Devils, on the other hand, will make it to the second round for the first time since their run to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2011-12 season, beating their cross-town rival New York Rangers in seven games. This will be the fifth time these two teams have met in the playoffs, as the Hurricanes have won three of the previous four series.
Over the last 10 seasons prior to the current one, the Devils had failed to qualify for the playoffs in nine of those years. As the team has finally come together, led by the tremendous breakout of star center, Jack Hughes, the Devils look poised to continue winning. For Carolina, they are on a three-year run of clinching the Metropolitan division during the regular season but have failed to move past the second round for quite some time.
Much like the playoff series for both of these teams in the first round, this one will be another encompassed by a historical rivalry. Aside from the 2009 playoffs, in the other three playoff matchups between these two teams, one team has gone on to the Stanley Cup Final, and the Hurricanes would go on to win in 2006. Although both teams look considerably different than they did in 2009, expect this series to be hotly contested.
Carolina Hurricanes: 52-21-9, 113 points, +53 goal differential
New Jersey Devils: 52-22-8, 112 points, +65 goal differential.
Head-To-Head
December 20, 2022: Carolina 4, New Jersey 1
January 1, 2023: Carolina 5, New Jersey 4 (OT)
January 10, 2023: New Jersey 5, Carolina 3
March 12, 2023: New Jersey 3, Carolina 0
New Jersey takes the season series 2-1-1
Team Storylines
Although the rivalry has been addressed between these two Eastern Conference foes, one of the major points of consideration will be the health of the two lineups. As of right now, New Jersey comes in with a clean bill of health, but Carolina will still be missing talented forwards such as Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen.
In their first-round matchup against the New York Islanders, even with so many top-end forwards out of the lineup, the Hurricanes were able to pick up solid depth goal-scoring from both Stefan Noesen and Seth Jarvis. Both players scored four points in six games, as Noesen scored the eventual game-winner in Game One. Aside from those two for Carolina, Sebastian Aho led the way, scoring seven points in six games, continuing his point-per-game pace in the playoffs over the course of his career.
For the Devils, their high-end scoring came from the usual suspects this season. Although no player on the team averaged a point per game, Nico Hischier, Ondrej Palat, and Hughes, all scored five points in their series against the Rangers, and Erik Haula gave New Jersey six points in seven games. In the aspect of more players contributing to the offense, the Devils have a clear advantage heading into this second-round matchup.
On defense, both teams have positives and negatives attached to their back end. The Devils were a mixed bag against New York in their previous series, allowing 15 goals in three games (Game One, Two, and Six), but also held the Rangers to two goals in the four games that New Jersey won. So far in the playoffs this year, when the Devils lose, they lose big. For Carolina, in their six games against the Islanders, they gave up 15 goals in total. The major X-factors for both teams will be their top offensive defenseman, respectively. Brent Burns had a huge first round for Carolina, adding five assists, while New Jersey’s top defenseman, Dougie Hamilton, scored three points, including an overtime game-winner in Game Three.
Between the pipes, both teams have used both goaltenders in their first-round matchups. The Hurricanes ran with Antti Raanta up until the series-deciding Game Six, where Frederik Andersen would come in and stop 33 of 34 shots. In New Jersey, Vitek Vanecek originally got the nod in net, but after getting blown out in Games One and Two, the Devils turned to young goaltender Akira Schmid, who produced a 4-1-0 record, posting a .951 SV% and a 1.38 GAA, including two shutouts.
Prediction
In this series, the number of injuries that Carolina has accrued recently may become insurmountable. Although they dominated their first-round matchup against the Islanders, New Jersey brings a much different style of play, and the Hurricanes will have to try and weather some serious offense coming their way.
Although they won their first-round matchup against the Rangers, the Devils’ lack of playoff experience showed, as they were considerably tested by New York. The players that lead the team, such as Hughes, Hischier, and Bratt, do not have the same experience that the Hurricanes team has accrued in the last several years. In defense, the Devils were down 2-0 in their previous series and still managed to come back and win in seven.
The prediction: New Jersey win in six games.
Vasily Ponomarev Will Travel With Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes could not seal the deal on home ice in game five and will have to travel to face the New York Islanders tomorrow night. Unfortunately, one player won’t be making the trip.
Jack Drury will not travel with the Hurricanes after suffering an injury in game four. Instead, team reporter Walt Ruff tweets that Vasily Ponomarev will be traveling as the extra forward.
Ponomarev, 21, was a second-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2020 and has yet to make his NHL debut. In his first full season of AHL action, he put up 24 goals and 46 points in 64 games for the Chicago Wolves.
While he isn’t expected to enter the lineup, just being the next man up shows how much the Hurricanes’ depth has been tested. Teuvo Teravainan, Andrei Svechnikov, Max Pacioretty, and Ondrej Kase would likely be in the lineup if healthy, but the group must find a way to win without them.
Ruff adds that Frederik Andersen is a possibility for tomorrow’s game, after missing the first several with injury. The veteran netminder hasn’t played since April 13.
NHL Notes: Zucker, Drury, Andersen
Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Live Sports is reporting that free agent winger Jason Zucker has made it clear that he wants to remain a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zucker was able to remain healthy this season for the first time since the 2018-19 season when he was a member of the Minnesota Wild. Zucker flourished in a top six role for the Penguins this year, which was a pleasant, albeit unexpected surprise. Zucker spent much of last summer as a possible trade or buyout candidate, but the Penguins never found a suitor for the California native and elected to hang onto him.
Zucker rewarded Pittsburgh with his best season as a Penguin. He tallied 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games while playing on a second line with Evgeni Malkin. Zucker was also one of the few Penguins who showed an emotional pulse as the team was free falling out of a playoff position in the dying weeks of the regular season. There were many nights in which Pittsburgh appeared to be sleepwalking through the game only to be awakened by a huge hit by the small forward.
Zucker will have suitors and could very well fetch a contract that exceeds his previous cap hit of $5.5MM. Zucker is just 31 years old, and while injuries are certainly a concern given his track record, the lack of game breaking forwards on the free agent market should allow Zucker to cash in on his bounce back season.
In other notes from around the NHL:
- Chip Alexander of Raleigh News & Observer is reporting that Rod Brind’Amour said that Jack Drury is feeling better today. This comes on the heels of Drury leaving game four yesterday after taking a hard hit into the boards in the first period. The center is in the midst of a 14-game goalless drought and played just 1:20 in the Hurricanes 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Drury had just eight points in 38 games in the regular season, but with the Hurricanes battling through various injuries the 23-year-old played over 15 minutes in both games two and three of Carolina’s first round series.
- Alexander also tweeted that Brind’Amour said goaltender Frederik Andersen is good to go for the Carolina Hurricanes. Andersen will likely be relegated to a backup role as Antti Raanta has backstopped the Hurricanes to a 3-1 series lead against the Islanders. Raanta has posted a solid .915 save percentage for Carolina after going 19-3-3 in the regular season. While it seems likely that Andersen won’t see action until the second round, he could get into a game should Raanta stumble in any of the next few games.