The Carolina Hurricanes haven't faced a team in the postseason more since relocation than the New Jersey Devils. Going back to their first meeting in 2001, the now-division foes have met six times in April and May. However, while the Devils got the best of them during that initial encounter, it has been all Carolina since, rattling off five straight series victories.
We've already covered two of those series, the aforementioned 2001 loss and their 2023 trouncing of the Devils in the second round. Today, we're double-dipping with a pair of bouts that share a few similarities. Namely, they both ended in five games. There are still some iconic clashes to come, but one of these series featured one of the biggest goals of that season's run.
#15: A dominant start by the Canes gave way to an exciting finish in 2025
The Hurricanes controlled the first two games at home in 2025. Jalen Chatfield got the ball rolling with a silent wrister from the point that Jacob Markstrom never picked up through the traffic. Logan Stankoven showed what he could become in the playoffs, scoring twice in the second period, and Andrei Svechnikov added the empty-netter in a 4-1 win to start it off.
Game 2 began with Jesper Bratt getting the first goal, but goals less than three minutes apart by Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Martinook put them in the lead for good in the second period. Martinook's goal came short-handed, haunting the Devils again after terrifying them in 2023. Seth Jarvis did the honors into the empty net to close it out, putting his group ahead 2-0 in the series.
Even in losing Game 3, the Canes found a way to make it exciting. They trailed 2-0 early in the third before Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored on the power play to tie it up. Of course, the night didn't end with the Canes celebrating, falling in double overtime after Simon Nemec scored to get the Devils in the win column.
Their response in Game 4 was swift, thanks to Svechnikov doing something only he can do in the playoffs. For the second time in his career, and the second time in franchise history, Svechnikov recorded a postseason hat trick, helping the Canes pull away for a 5-2 win. However, the team lost Frederik Andersen early in the second period, putting Pyotr Kochetkov in the net for Game 5.
The Devils took it to the Canes in the first period, scoring three times in 6:07 to bolt out to a 3-0 lead. However, the Canes turned that around in the second, responding with a trio in 3:54 to tie it up. Nico Hischier scored his fourth goal of the series less than two minutes later to put the Devils back in front, but Aho hammered a one-timer on a 5-on-3 to tie it up again.
On their 54th shot of the night, and their 183rd in the series, the Canes finally finished the job. In double overtime, Aho wired another one-timer on the power play to beat Markstrom and end the series. This series had more of the fireworks than their collision in 2023 while giving us a closer series. It's not as grand as a few others. In fact, their battle 19 years earlier was slightly better.
#14: The Canes extinguished the league's hottest team in 2006
No one was playing better than the Devils when they met the Canes in the conference semifinals in 2006. They hadn't lost in over a month, rattling off 11 straight wins at the end of the season and sweeping the Rangers to begin the playoffs. They were welcomed to Raleigh by allowing six goals, five of which came on the power play, in a one-sided 6-0 spanking by the Canes in Game 1.
Game 2 is the game that everyone remembers from this series, and for good reason. It's one of the most iconic endings in franchise history, though they were dangerously close to seeing that slip away. After trading goals in the first two periods, a double deflection with under 21 seconds left put the Devils on the verge of evening the series.
Instead, Eric Staal scored the latest tying goal in franchise history, sneaking it past Martin Brodeur with three seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. When you need a goal in overtime, you could turn to many players. Naturally, it was Niclas Wallin to get the winner, scoring his third-career overtime goal to extend the series lead.
With the series in New Jersey, Game 3 was a little closer. New Jersey took the lead early before Matt Cullen and Justin Williams scored less than two minutes apart to push the Canes in front. Patrik Elias tied it again in the second, but the captain restored Carolina's lead on the power play in the third. Cam Ward outdueled Brodeur once more, giving the Canes a 3-0 series lead.
There wouldn't be a sweep, with the Devils controlling the game with three goals on special teams in the first period, including two on the power play by Scott Gomez. They added two more early in the second and coasted to a win. Mark Recchi scored the Canes' only goal to prevent the shutout, but it didn't matter in a 5-1 loss.
The Devils' last hurrah came when they scored in the opening minute of Game 5. It would be their last goal of the series. The Canes rattled off four unanswered goals, rolling their way into the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-1 victory. The lasting image of the rookie shaking hands with his idol looms large as the Canes put the Devils in their place once again.
After losing to them in 2001, the Canes have proven that they know how to handle the Devils, with 2006 and 2025 representing two shining examples. Both series share similarities, though the makeup of those teams was very different. The 2025 group was considerably younger, while 2006's team saw Eric Staal leading the way offensively with a group of veterans pulling their weight as well.
Ultimately, I give the edge to their series with New Jersey in 2006 over 2025 for two key factors. First, Game 2's lasting impact and memory make it stand out against an otherwise lacking series. Second, they made it look very easy against the hottest team in the league. 2025 was a bit closer overall, but I'm a sucker for an iconic moment.
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