The New Jersey Devils played Game 1 of the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 20, and it could not have gone much worse for them. The Devils fell to the Hurricanes by a 4-1 final score and now trail 1-0 in the series.
The Hurricanes had more control in this matchup, as they finished the afternoon with 45 shots on goal, while the Devils recorded just 24. To make things worse, the Devils also lost Brenden Dillon, Luke Hughes, and Cody Glass to injury during it.
Overall, it was a rough contest in all aspects for the Devils, and they now must desperately bounce back in Game 2 against the Hurricanes from here. Going down 2-0 in the series would be a massive blow for the Devils, especially when noting that the Hurricanes are a deeply talented team. However, if the Devils turn things around and secure a victory in Game 2, that would put them in a better spot.
Following Game 2, the Devils will be back on home ice for Games 3 and 4, too. Thus, if they tie the series up, they would have the opportunity to try to gain the series lead back at the Prudential Center. Therefore, Game 2 is a massive matchup for the Devils.
While it is certainly unfortunate that the Devils lost Game 1, they still have time to get things on track. A win in Game 2 would be a major step in the right direction on that front, and it will be fascinating to see if they can do just that from here.
Game 2 between the two Metropolitan Division rivals is on April 22 at 6:00 pm ET.
Recent Devils News
Devils Lose Multiple Players In Game 1 Loss To Hurricanes
The <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/HUXGp7EjGJ">New Jersey Devils</a> did not get out of Game 1 against the <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes">Carolina Hurricanes</a> unscathed.
New Jersey Devils Star Entering Playoffs Red-Hot
While Timo Meier's numbers were a bit lower than expected for his standards this campaign, he was still one of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/">New Jersey Devils</a>' top offensive contributors. In 80 regular-season games, the 6-foot-1 winger finished third on the Devils with 26 goals and fourth on the team with 53 points.
Jacob Markstrom Not Taking Devils' Postseason Run For Granted
Over 19,000 people made up the "C of Red" inside Scotiabank Saddledome on May 26, 2022.