100% this.absolutely want nothing to do with losing a series to the Devils. I'd rather get facef***ed by a cactus than deal with their fans in the event of a loss, besides the fact that we don't matchup well with them.
I not only think we have a better chance against CAR. but i'd just much rather lose to them.
TBH though, I think folks are looking past Carolina too easily. There's really no team in the East I'm "comfortable" facing; that's just the reality. Honestly, the team I'd most want to face is Tampa...
OTOH, it's not worth stressing over. Just like I don't want to face any team, I doubt there's a team in the East that wants to face us. The Rangers have the star power and the depth to match anybody--actually anybody. As always, comes down to Shesterkin. We need him to be a lot better than the Vanaceks, Andersons, Samsonovs, Ullmarks, etc. On paper, we have potentially the best goalie in the East--only Vasy and Sorokin get consideration. But in a 7 game series, paper goes out the window.