Two of the NHL’s top defenses are set to meet at Prudential Center on Sunday, as the Carolina Hurricanes (24-6-6) travel to face the New Jersey Devils (23-11-2). Carolina is coming off a 4-0 win over the Panthers on Friday, their 10th straight win. The Hurricanes committed seven penalties in the game, though they held Florida without a power play goal.
Four players found the net for the Hurricanes. Antti Raanta had a great performance with 19 saves to earn his first shutout of the season. New Jersey beat the Penguins 4-2 on Friday. Jack Hughes was the leading goal scorer for the Devils, netting twice. Vitek Vanecek saved 25 of 27 shots in the win (.925%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Hurricanes won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 4-1 victory in December, their fourth straight win against New Jersey. Jaccob Slavin led Carolina with two points (0G 2A). Hughes scored New Jersey’s only goal. Pyotr Kochetkov got the win, saving 37 of 38 shots (.973%).
FACING OFF
Carolina is averaging 3.08 goals per game for the season, 20th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Devils team that is allowing only 2.56 goals a game (3rd). Meanwhile, New Jersey has found the net 3.33 times a game on average, eighth in the league, and the Hurricanes are holding opponents to 2.50 goals per game (2nd). Both teams average more shots/game than most teams in the league.
New Jersey’s 34.9 average ranks third, while Carolina ranks No. 4 with 34.9 shots. When it comes to shot-stopping, the Hurricanes have been more successful with a team save percentage of .909% (14th), while the Devils have stopped .909% of shots as a team (16th).
The Hurricanes’ 19.20% power play percentage ranks 24th in the league, while the Devils are 25th with a conversion rate of 18.75%. New Jersey has been more adept at penalty killing, boasting the league’s fifth-highest PK% at 82.76%. Carolina ranks ninth at 81.60%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov have been the top skaters for the Hurricanes this season with 35 and 32 points. In the net, Kochetkov (10-1-4) is Carolina’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 1.94 GAA, second-best in the league, and a .928% save percentage, also second-best.
Hughes leads the Devils in scoring with 41 points. He has 20 goals and 21 assists. Vanecek (12-5-2) is the top goalie for New Jersey with a goals against average of 2.39. He has a save percentage of .910%.
HOME AND AWAY
Carolina is seeking a fourth consecutive win away from home this season. New Jersey is looking to avoid a seventh consecutive home loss this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Carolina Hurricanes (-120)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
