The Carolina Hurricanes look to push the New Jersey Devils to the brink of elimination as they take a commanding 2-0 series lead into Game 3 at Prudential Center on Friday night.
Rod Brind'Amour's squad has dominated this first-round matchup with stifling defense, allowing just one goal per game while Frederik Andersen has been nearly impenetrable with a .960 save percentage.
The desperate Devils, who've dropped their last five home games, must find offensive answers against the NHL's top penalty kill if they hope to avoid falling into a virtually insurmountable 3-0 hole.
New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes prediction: who will win?
For today's New Jersey Devils vs Carolina Hurricanes matchup, our predictive model gives the Hurricanes a 57.33% chance of defeating the Devils.
Pre-game probabilities
New Jersey Devils
Moneyline
Win %
42.67%
57.33%
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils: 42.67% win probability
- Recent form struggles (LWLLL indicates inconsistency)
- Lower point total in standings (91 points vs 99 points)
- Less scoring efficiency (242 goals for vs 266 goals for from Carolina)
Carolina Hurricanes: 57.33% win probability
- Superior overall record (47 wins vs 42 wins)
- Better defensive performance (233 goals against vs 242 goals against)
- Higher position in standings (4th vs 7th in Eastern Conference)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts.
Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
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New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes preview
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to push the New Jersey Devils to the brink of elimination when they visit Prudential Center on Friday night, already holding a commanding 2-0 series lead in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup.
Frederik Andersen has been a wall for Carolina, posting a stellar .960 save percentage while allowing just one goal per game through the opening two contests.
The Devils' offensive struggles have carried over from their late-season slump, managing just two goals total in the series despite Jacob Markstrom's admirable .930 save percentage.
Carolina's penalty kill has completely neutralized New Jersey's power play, which has gone 0-for in the series and contributed to the Devils' scoring woes.
The Hurricanes have dominated recent meetings between these teams, winning eight of their last ten against New Jersey, with Logan Stankoven emerging as a playoff revelation with two goals already.
With the series shifting to Newark, where the Devils have dropped five straight home games, Carolina looks primed to tighten their grip on this first-round matchup.
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