Carolina Hurricanes: Three keys to beating the Devils

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 18: Carolina Hurricanes Center Lucas Wallmark (71) shoots the puck between New Jersey Devils Defenceman Ben Lovejoy (12) and New Jersey Devils Center Travis Zajac (19) during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on November 18, 2018. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 18: Carolina Hurricanes Center Lucas Wallmark (71) shoots the puck between New Jersey Devils Defenceman Ben Lovejoy (12) and New Jersey Devils Center Travis Zajac (19) during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on November 18, 2018. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 18: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck during an NHL game against the New Jersey Devils on November 18, 2018 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 18: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck during an NHL game against the New Jersey Devils on November 18, 2018 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2.Keep the powerplay rolling

That scoring will need to come from all levels and from all scenarios on the ice. The New Jersey Devils will want to play spoiler to it’s Metro division rivals and the Carolina Hurricanes need to come in and play like everything is on the line, because it is.

That included playing the same good powerplay that has appeared in the last three games. In those games the Carolina Hurricanes managed to convert four of the five power plays they were awarded. That includes converting on two straight power-plays through the last two games in Pittsburgh and Toronto.

These powerplay goals have mostly come from the defense with Teuvo Teravainen being the lone forward to score one. Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, and Jaccob Slavin have each scored a powerplay goal in the last three games. Slavin and Faulk got their goals from the blue-line, while Teravainen and Hamilton got theirs digging deep at the crease and greasing them in:

That means that there is always an opportunity to score on the powerplay if you just get the puck to the net. Each of those four goals were not fully intended as unstoppable shots that are goals 100% of the time. Instead they were all goals that came from hard work and just getting the puck to the net.

If this team wants to do celebrate with the fans as never before tonight at PNC arena, it starts by making sure they take advantage of every opportunity to score, especially on the powerplay. Every little bit will help Petr Mrazek take advantage of the momentum and take control of the game. And with a little support from the out of town scoreboard, a take control of the season.