The New Jersey Devils got blown out by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four, spoiling their chance to tie up the series. (Hey, did you know that I’ve adopted the Devils this postseason? It has brought me nothing but pain.)
New Jersey scored first, a deflection off Jack Hughes following Brett Pesce’s giveaway. Martin Necas scored on the rush after a nifty pass from Jordan Martinook, leaving us tied after one period.
The second was all Hurricanes. Necas scored again after a nice centering pass – again from Martinook. Brett Pesce went post-and-in after a few quick passes, then Jesper Fast scored with a backhand in a net-front scramble, then Brent Burns got one with an outside slapshot. That was enough for Vitek Vanecek. Jordan Martinook, all alone, ripped one top shelf to make it 6-1 at the end of two periods.
Canes win 6-1. Carolina leads the series 3-1. Thursday is an elimination game.
- The Devils looked really strong to start the game, like it was a continuation of Game Three. But with five minutes left in the first, the Canes took the reins and didn’t let go. After that, the best the Devils could manage was choppiness – the Canes seemed to have an extra step on every chase.
- Brett Pesce was on for five Devils goals last game, and in the early goings here it seemed like he was going to do it again; his turnover to Jack Hughes was awful. But then he assisted on the go-ahead goal and scored the first of many insurance goals. I sold the stonks when they were low; I’m the fool.
RbA should bench Pesce if we're being real, he's having a rough go
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) May 9, 2023
- The real goat (not G.O.A.T.) of Game Four was poor Vitek Vanecek, chased from net after allowing five goals on 17 shots — a .706 save percentage. I’m going through those goals and thinking “oh that’s not entirely on him; that’s a toughie,” and I felt good about this exercise until the Burns slapshot, which was a real bad one to give up. The expected goal values of each goal were as follows: .27, .17, .08, .21, .03. So this Burns slapshot had a three percent chance of becoming a goal.
Brent Burns has entered the chat. 💥 pic.twitter.com/LrleJSUutr
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 10, 2023
- So, yeah, Vitek was bad, but we should be clear that the problem was in front of him. The Canes reasserted their forecheck and it unlocked the offensive zone to them. Here’s Moneypuck’s graph of each team’s expected goals through the first two periods. See how the Canes take off at the end of the first and then dominate in the second.
- Luke Hughes, playing in his second playoff game, was on the ice for four of those Hurricanes goals. I think he’s a very good player and a good player for this matchup and not among the five worst players on the Devils roster, but I can’t deny he had a terrible night. Just bad enough for Lindy Ruff to bench him for next game, citing inexperience, making the Devils less likely to escape elimination.
- Jordan Martinook had zero points in the entire Islanders series. Tonight alone he had two assists and a goal tonight. (He previously had three assists, but the scorekeepers took one away.) I love a playoff hero story, even if it’s for the opponent of the team I adopted on a whim because my actual team was really bad this season.
- Lindy Ruff is gonna play Mackenzie Blackwood next game, isn’t he?
Ruff was then asked if there's a chance that the Devils could turn to Mackenzie Blackwood.
"I'm not commenting on goaltending," he said.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) May 9, 2023
So Game Three was an anomaly then. The Devils have suffocated in their own zone in every game this series, except the one. Unless something dramatic happens, this series will be seen a resounding victory for Rob Brind’Amour, and a disquieting defeat for Lindy Ruff.
I feel that my adoption experiment is coming to an end. Maybe the Devils can play around the Canes forecheck, or maybe they can get some goalie magic. Otherwise, it’ll be Carolina in five.
Headline photo: @jared531
