For the sixth time in franchise history, the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils will square off in the NHL postseason.

The two teams are the first set matchup of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Metropolitan Division has pretty much been locked in place for months now.

The Hurricanes, who currently in second place in the Metro, seven points ahead of the third place Devils, need just one more point to clinch home-ice advantage in the opening round.

The Canes and Devils split the season series this year: 2-2-0.

Both teams won their home games (@Carolina: 4-2 [W] Oct. 15; 5-2 [W] Dec. 28 / @New Jersey: 4-2 [L] Nov. 21; 4-2 [L] Dec. 27).

The Canes had three different goaltenders face the Devils this season as Pyotr Kochetkov (1-1-0. 0.878 Sv%), Spencer Martin (0-1-0, 0.810 Sv%) and Dustin Tokarski (1-0-0, 0.913 Sv%) all suited up.

For New Jersey, Jacob Markstrom started three games (2-1-0, 0.916 Sv%), while Jake Allen played just one (0-1-0; 0.900 Sv%)

Leading scorers for each team in the regular season were Jack Roslovic (3g, 5pts) and Jesper Bratt (2g, 7pts).

The Devils however have major injury concerns.

Star forward Jack Hughes had his season ended after sustaining a shoulder injury against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 2 and defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler could both be out for the first round too.

The two teams last went head-to-head in the 2023 Playoffs, meeting in the second round.

Carolina made short work of the Devils that season, winning the series in five games.

In fact, Carolina has an all-time 4-1 edge in postseason series against New Jersey, having only lost once in the first round of the 2001 postseason (six games).

The Hurricanes beat the Devils in the 2002 first round (six games), in the 2006 Conference Semi-Finals (five games) and in the 2009 first round (seven games).

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