Series Matchups

STANLEY CUP FINAL
Carolina vs Edmonton

ROUND THREE
Western Conference
Anaheim vs Edmonton
Eastern Conference
Carolina vs Buffalo

ROUND TWO
Western Conference
San Jose vs Edmonton
Anaheim vs Colorado
Eastern Conference
Ottawa vs Buffalo
Carolina vs New Jersey

ROUND ONE
Western Conference
Detroit vs Edmonton
Dallas vs Colorado
Calgary vs Anaheim
Nashville vs San Jose
Eastern Conference
Ottawa vs Tampa Bay
Carolina vs Montreal
New Jersey vs NY Rangers
Buffalo vs Philadelphia

Carolina (2)	VS	New Jersey (3)
Carolina wins best-of-seven series 4-1

Eric Staal (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Hurricanes knock off Devils

The New Jersey Devils failed to take advantage of numerous power-play chances, then watched a special-teams goal eliminate them from the Stanley Cup playoffs Sunday night in Carolina. » FULL STORY

Carolina Hurricanes:

Regular-season statistics | Roster | Depth Chart

New Jersey Devils:

Regular-season statistics | Roster | Depth Chart

Past Stories

TEAM ANALYSIS

	Strengths	Weaknesses	Key Player
Carolina Hurricanes 2nd in East 52-22-8 112 points Key Numbers GF: 286 (3rd) GA: 258 (T-19th) PP: 17.9% (17th) PK: 81.8% (T-17th) » Season leaders	The Hurricanes can score, as they showed by piling up the second-most regular-season goals in the East, and they boast a balanced attack. Six Carolina players scored at least 21 goals this season and four hit 30. Despite ranking in the bottom half of the league in special teams efficiency, Carolina showed a knack for staying on the happy side of the special teams battle: the squad led the East in power-play opportunities while surrendering the fourth-fewest such chances in the conference.	Carolina's run-and-gun style can lead to scoring chances at both ends of the rink. No playoff team allowed more goals in the regular season, and the Hurricanes gave up 11 goals to Montreal in losing their first two games of the playoffs before settling down to win the next four. GM Jim Rutherford's big-name veteran acquisitions haven't helped in that department: Doug Weight and Mark Recchi are a combined minus-17 since joining the Hurricanes.	Cam Ward: Perhaps no player is more important to the freewheeling Hurricanes than their rookie goaltender. After Carolina was outgunned in the first two games of the Montreal series, Ward, who stepped in for erstwhile No. 1 goalie Martin Gerber during Game 2, performed brilliantly in allowing just five goals over the next four games, all Carolina wins. Now the precocious 22-year-old will go head-to-head with his childhood idol, three-time Stanley Cup winner Martin Brodeur. » Complete Stats
New Jersey Devils 3rd in East 46-27-9 101 points Key Numbers GF: 233 (22nd) GA: 225 (9th) PP: 17.8% (18th) PK: 81.9% (16th) » Season leaders	The NHL's new rules were supposed to spell the end of the Jersey-pioneered neutral zone trap, but the Devils' hallmark remains defence. Despite a slow start by goalie Martin Brodeur and the retirement of Scott Stevens, the Devils gave up the third-fewest goals and fifth-fewest shots per game in the East in the regular season. The first round of the playoffs was no different, as Jersey allowed just four goals in a four-game sweep of the Rangers. The Devils have also proven extremely adept at staying out of the penalty box, surrendering, by a wide margin, the fewest power-play chances in the NHL this season.	In the East, only the lowly Capitals, Bruins and Islanders scored fewer regular-season goals than New Jersey. Special teams weren't a strong suit, either. While the Devils didn't get called for a lot of penalties, they didn't draw many either, earning the fourth-fewest power-play opportunities in the league. Meanwhile, New Jersey defined special-teams mediocrity, hovering near the middle of the pack in both power-play and penalty-killing efficiency. The listless Rangers couldn't capitalize on any of these shortcomings in the first round, but a better opponent might.	Patrik Elias: In the East, only the lowly Capitals, Bruins and Islanders scored fewer regular-season goals than New Jersey. Special teams weren't a strong suit, either. While the Devils didn't get called for a lot of penalties, they didn't draw many either, earning the fourth-fewest power-play opportunities in the league. Meanwhile, New Jersey defined special-teams mediocrity, hovering near the middle of the pack in both power-play and penalty-killing efficiency. The listless Rangers couldn't capitalize on any of these shortcomings in the first round, but a better opponent might. » Complete Stats

Strengths

Weaknesses

Key Player

Carolina Hurricanes
2nd in East
52-22-8
112 points

Key Numbers
GF: 286 (3rd)
GA: 258 (T-19th)
PP: 17.9% (17th)
PK: 81.8% (T-17th)

» Season leaders

The Hurricanes can score, as they showed by piling up the second-most regular-season goals in the East, and they boast a balanced attack. Six Carolina players scored at least 21 goals this season and four hit 30. Despite ranking in the bottom half of the league in special teams efficiency, Carolina showed a knack for staying on the happy side of the special teams battle: the squad led the East in power-play opportunities while surrendering the fourth-fewest such chances in the conference.

Carolina's run-and-gun style can lead to scoring chances at both ends of the rink. No playoff team allowed more goals in the regular season, and the Hurricanes gave up 11 goals to Montreal in losing their first two games of the playoffs before settling down to win the next four. GM Jim Rutherford's big-name veteran acquisitions haven't helped in that department: Doug Weight and Mark Recchi are a combined minus-17 since joining the Hurricanes.

Cam Ward: Perhaps no player is more important to the freewheeling Hurricanes than their rookie goaltender. After Carolina was outgunned in the first two games of the Montreal series, Ward, who stepped in for erstwhile No. 1 goalie Martin Gerber during Game 2, performed brilliantly in allowing just five goals over the next four games, all Carolina wins. Now the precocious 22-year-old will go head-to-head with his childhood idol, three-time Stanley Cup winner Martin Brodeur.

» Complete Stats

New Jersey Devils
3rd in East
46-27-9
101 points

Key Numbers
GF: 233 (22nd)
GA: 225 (9th)
PP: 17.8% (18th)
PK: 81.9% (16th)

» Season leaders

The NHL's new rules were supposed to spell the end of the Jersey-pioneered neutral zone trap, but the Devils' hallmark remains defence. Despite a slow start by goalie Martin Brodeur and the retirement of Scott Stevens, the Devils gave up the third-fewest goals and fifth-fewest shots per game in the East in the regular season. The first round of the playoffs was no different, as Jersey allowed just four goals in a four-game sweep of the Rangers. The Devils have also proven extremely adept at staying out of the penalty box, surrendering, by a wide margin, the fewest power-play chances in the NHL this season.

In the East, only the lowly Capitals, Bruins and Islanders scored fewer regular-season goals than New Jersey. Special teams weren't a strong suit, either. While the Devils didn't get called for a lot of penalties, they didn't draw many either, earning the fourth-fewest power-play opportunities in the league. Meanwhile, New Jersey defined special-teams mediocrity, hovering near the middle of the pack in both power-play and penalty-killing efficiency. The listless Rangers couldn't capitalize on any of these shortcomings in the first round, but a better opponent might.

Patrik Elias: In the East, only the lowly Capitals, Bruins and Islanders scored fewer regular-season goals than New Jersey. Special teams weren't a strong suit, either. While the Devils didn't get called for a lot of penalties, they didn't draw many either, earning the fourth-fewest power-play opportunities in the league. Meanwhile, New Jersey defined special-teams mediocrity, hovering near the middle of the pack in both power-play and penalty-killing efficiency. The listless Rangers couldn't capitalize on any of these shortcomings in the first round, but a better opponent might.

» Complete Stats