The New Jersey Devils came into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs hoping to at least keep up with the Hurricanes and find a way to get a win. Game 1 was the worst game the Devils have looked in the playoffs in quite some time. The team got outplayed and outcoached in five-on-five play. On top of the loss, which came by the score of 4-1, they also lost Brenden Dillon and Cody Glass to injuries.
Overall, they didn't seem to want to be there. After a bad game like that, the feelings from the fans and media give the impression that it looks like a Hurricanes sweep in the first round. While there is still time to change things, they will need many things to change on both sides, even to come close to being competitive in Game 2 on Tuesday.
However, at the end of the day, it's just one game in a seven-game series. This can be erased immediately with a Game 2 win. How does that happen?We can think of at least three ways.
Limit Logan Stankoven on Chances
There is one prominent player in Game 1 for the Hurricanes, and it’s Logan Stankoven, the guy the Devils passed on for Chase Stillman (yes, this has to be mentioned, because we can’t get enough of this story). Stankoven got two goals in the game, one at five-on-five and the other on the power play.
Stankoven had four shots the whole game but got a lot of ice time. Whenever the line of Stankoven came on with Jason Martinook and Jordan Staal, they were able to pressure the Devils on offense. They kept finding ways to get shots on goal. They will probably use those same lines in Game 2, so it’s up to Sheldon Keefe to find a defensive pairing on their roster to shut down Stankoven, which should also limit chances from Staal and Martinook. Which pairing that ends up being depends on what they see in practice on Monday and Tuesday morning.