Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Stanley Cup match.
The Carolina Hurricanes lead the series 3–1 and now have a chance to finish it off on home ice. The squad has been showing strong form, particularly in front of their home crowd. In contrast, the New Jersey Devils are struggling badly at both ends of the rink, facing serious problems in both attack and defence. Against a high-performing side like the Carolina Hurricanes, the visitors' prospects look bleak.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are in excellent shape. In Game 4, they delivered a commanding 5:2 win. Andrei Svechnikov recorded a hat-trick, while Brent Burns added a goal and an assist. This dominant display came despite the absence of starting goaltender Frederik Andersen, who was replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov. Kochetkov stepped up with a reliable performance, making 14 saves. The Hurricanes currently hold the best penalty kill percentage in the playoffs (100%). They have also scored at least three goals in 10 of their last 12 home fixtures.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils have gone nine games without a win in regulation time. In the previous contest, they conceded five goals, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom posted a save percentage of just 85.7%. On the offensive end, the Devils are underperforming, having scored only seven goals across the four games in the series. Nico Hischier is responsible for three of those, while Jack Hughes has been sidelined since early March, and the rest of the forward line has failed to make a meaningful impact.
Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils Prediction
The Carolina Hurricanes have full control of the series and are delivering consistent performances on both ends of the ice. On home ice, the squad is particularly dominant, having won their last nine games against the New Jersey Devils. Given their current form, the hosts are expected to close out the series without a slip.
