ECQF Preview: Your New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes - We're Playoff Bound!

[Richer's Ghost]

I'm actually ok starting on the road. Steal a game there and come home with momentum. I feel like 2 losses on home ice would basically seal the series if we were home.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Bcap88]

He really isnt wrong. They play a really strong 5v5 system, but their scoring depth isnt good, would argue its worse then when we played them last. Their goaltending stinks. Their PP stinks.

They are a team begging to be goalied right out of the playoffs

He basically said you lose both Rantanen and necas and there’s no way to replace either of their production with what they got

 

[MachoDiablo]

Really don't mind being the underdog; I have too many memories of post-2003 seasons where the Devils entered the playoffs as division champs or something and then meekly bowed out in the first round or whatever, so coming in with all these injuries and lower expectations isn't so bad.

And it honestly might not be so bad for the team, either; this is still a talented core in spite of the injuries that'll get to go in with fewer expectations heaped on them, and one of those cliche "just play our game" approaches plus strong goaltending could make this series pretty winnable, as the Canes aren't exactly a juggernaut this season.

Go in, get more playoff experience, and ideally steal one of the first two in Rawly and see what happens. Really feel like this series could go any number of games, tough to pick a specific length it'll go.

Of course, if there's a sweep either way it'll be oddly funny: a Canes sweep would be the first time the Devils have been swept out of the playoffs since coming to Jersey, while a Devils sweep would mean...dear god, it'd mean winning four games in a row...

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

again Carolina is a bad road team. They only have 16 road wins this year. Only LA has less among playoff teams.

Steal a game in their barn and then its anyone's series.

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

He basically said you lose both Rantanen and necas and there’s no way to replace either of their production with what they got

Hey now, they got Taylor Hall!

 

[thebeernerd]

I admire PK's commitment to the bit.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Really don't mind being the underdog; I have too many memories of post-2003 seasons where the Devils entered the playoffs as division champs or something and then meekly bowed out in the first round or whatever, so coming in with all these injuries and lower expectations isn't so bad.

Only been past the 1st round 4 times since that 2003 Cup. 2006 / 2007 / 2012 / 2023

 

[theoptimist]

I don’t get it. Team sneaks into the playoffs on a down year and PK thinks we’re going to upset the Hurricanes. Engagement farming?

 

[Better Call Sal]

I don’t get it. Team sneaks into the playoffs on a down year and PK thinks we’re going to upset the Hurricanes. Engagement farming?

How's that differ from the daily Fire Fitz posts other than being on the other side of the fence?

 

[NjDevsRR]

They didn’t sneak into a playoff spot

They regressed during the season

But they didn’t sneak in. Literally the only team in a playoff spot the entire year and they clinched with 4-6 games to go for everyone around the league…

 

[Whaddagoal]

They didn’t sneak into a playoff spot

They regressed

But they didn’t sneak in

Thank you. We have been in spot 3 for the whole season, practically speaking. That's definitely not sneaking in.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Don’t want to jinx the Dev’s!, but I think they have a shot. Not sure the would win a game 7 in Carolina. So they probably have to take the series in six. I might be hoping for to much.

 

[HersheyBob27]

They didn’t sneak into a playoff spot

They regressed during the season

But they didn’t sneak in. Literally the only team in a playoff spot the entire year and they clinched with 4-6 games to go for everyone around the league…

We literally might end up with less points than every other playoff team. We play in a shitty division. We are sneaking in

 

[Lou is God]

We literally might end up with less points than every other playoff team. We play in a shitty division. We are sneaking in

If we were sneaking in we'd still be playing for a spot right now.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Look, the Canes are a pretty clear favorite this year

Probably means we're going to win this one

 

[NjDevsRR]

We literally might end up with less points than every other playoff team. We play in a shitty division. We are sneaking in

We regressed

We didn’t sneak in. You’d have to be out of a spot late to sneak in.

Its all semantics. We all agree they regressed.

But sneaking in is not a logical term to use in this instance.

 

[HersheyBob27]

If we were sneaking in we'd still be playing for a spot right now.

Ok we are slithering in

 

[NjDevsRR]

Ok we are slithering in

I like it

 

[Guttersniped]

RED ALERT: NOW WE RAISE HELL & ROCK THE RED

 

[Better Call Sal]

The "Swarm it Up" year was so much fun.

 

[NjDevsRR]

NOW WE RISE

 

[CalamityX23]

If Nico can actually translate his regular season goal scoring into the playoffs, that'll be a huge lift to both the offense and the overall impact in the series in order to win this.....

Nico had a great regular season, he can't "disappear" goal scoring wise with the playoffs... I feel good about him and his confidence heading in....

 

[Clam Jensen]

Ok we are slithering in

Snape would be proud

 

[Guttersniped]

The "Swarm it Up" year was so much fun.