It’s not as though Carolina didn’t know what might happen in Game 3. They knew New Jersey clawed its way back from 2-0 down in Round 1 versus the Rangers. They also remembered how they themselves coughed up a 2-0 Round 2 lead last year. Result? An 8-4 drubbing by the host Devils, who now have plenty of wind in their sails.

With respect to the fourth contest, the NHL odds favour the Devils at -154 on the moneyline and +173 on the puckline. The total is established at 5.5.

Hurricanes vs. Devils NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

Despite the disastrous effort in Game 3, the hockey experts haven’t given up on the Hurricanes for the series. As the board indicates, they’re now -179 (previously -345). New Jersey has seen its price change as well, going from +296 to +156.

All three tilts in this series have connected with the over. The total is once again 5.5 despite that it hasn’t helped the under a single time yet. If anything, each successful contest has seen more goals scored.

There is no point repeating ourselves for the third preview in a row about Carolina’s history. It is, however, important to point out that goalie Antti Raanta is listed as Day-to-Day as of Monday afternoon. The Devils might miss the services of defenceman Ryan Graves, also Day-to-Day.

Carolina Hurricanes

What a way to lose! Riddle us this: Carolina scored on the shorthand three times – a difficult feat if there ever was one – and lost by four goals.

For all intents and purposes, Game 3 felt like what happens when, after stuffing an opponent a couple of times like the Canes did the Devils at home, the unit thought this was going to be easy. Quite the contrary, as it turns out. The visitors were slower, less aggressive, and allowed far too many quality scoring opportunities on plays that could have easily been nullified. The first period alone, which concluded with the Devils leading 3-0, was a microlevel reversal of the first two games in the series. The home team simply dominated. The effort on defence on the third goal – shorthanded, ironically – was appalling.

There weren’t many positives, but Sebastian Aho earned his fifth of the postseason to make it 4-1 in the middle frame, and Jordan Martinook got his second on a sweet penalty shot move. Frederik Andersen was mercifully replaced after conceding four times on eight shots. Wonder kid Pyotr Kochetkov, who once upon a time was a highlight of an NHL Best Bets column, gave up another four. Ouch.

New Jersey Devils

Can they do it again? Can the Devils look like an all-around bad team for two games, only to storm back and claim a series? There may not be more 12-goal festivals, but New Jersey is at least a quarter of the way toward a comeback.

Pardon the pun, but New Jersey was a team possessed on Sunday. They raced out to a 3-0 first period lead, and it was Timo Meier who opened the floodgates with, finally, his first playoff goal on a clever misdirect from behind the Carolina net. Jack Hughes’ awesome snipe (fourth) from the right side made it 2-0, and Michael McLeod (second) took advantage of some lackadaisical defence and netminding on a penalty kill for the team’s third marker. Carolina bombarded them with goals in the first two bouts, so New Jersey made sure to keep applying pressure for a full 60 minutes. Although conceding three shorthanded goals looks bad, they scored eight! Nico Hischier can also breathe a sigh of relief with his first of the playoffs. For that matter, Hughes had a brace, the second goal making it 7-2 in the third period.

Game 4 Prediction: Who Will Win Hurricanes vs. Devils?

Injuries

Carolina

Stefan Noesen (RW)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 08 / 04 / 23

Teuvo Teravainen (LW)

Ques Thurs Illness - 30 / 03 / 23

Jesper Fast (RW)

Ques Tues Personal - 28 / 03 / 23

Stefan Noesen (RW)

Ques Thurs Lower Body - 28 / 03 / 23

Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 26 / 03 / 23

Antti Raanta (G)

Early April Lower Body - 07 / 03 / 23

Jalen Chatfield (D)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 23

Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)

Late March Personal - 03 / 03 / 23

Jaccob Slavin (D)

Late Feb Lower Body - 21 / 01 / 23

Max Pacioretty (LW)

out for season Achilles - 19 / 01 / 23

New Jersey

Dougie Hamilton (D)

Ques Tues Illness - 10 / 04 / 23

Michael McLeod (C)

day-to-day Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 23

Curtis Lazar (C)

Prob Thurs Lower Body - 19 / 03 / 23

Nathan Bastian (RW)

Prob Tues Upper Body - 14 / 03 / 23

Miles Wood (LW)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 14 / 03 / 23

Miles Wood (LW)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 07 / 03 / 23

Timo Meier (RW)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 23

Erik Haula (LW)

Ques Sat Illness - 25 / 02 / 23

Mackenzie Blackwood (G)

Early April Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 23

John Marino (D)

Ques Tues Illness - 21 / 02 / 23

Injuries

Carolina

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Stefan Noesen (RW)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 08 / 04 / 23	8-12	9-10-1	+ -
Noesen missed the previous contest with a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Senators on Monday.
Teuvo Teravainen (LW)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 30 / 03 / 23	9-15	9-14-1	+ -
Teravainen has been absent from the previous four games due to an illness, and it is unclear if he will face the Predators on Thursday.
Jesper Fast (RW)	Ques Tues	Personal - 28 / 03 / 23	9-16	10-14-1	+ -
Fast is away from the team for the birth of his child, and it is unknown if he will be available for Tuesday's clash with the Lightning.
Stefan Noesen (RW)	Ques Thurs	Lower Body - 28 / 03 / 23	9-16	10-14-1	+ -
Noesen exited the last game with a lower-body injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up for Thursday's battle with the Red Wings.
Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 26 / 03 / 23	10-16	11-14-1	+ -
Puljujarvi sat out the last game with an unknown issue, and it is uncertain if he will take on the Lightning on Tuesday.
Antti Raanta (G)	Early April	Lower Body - 07 / 03 / 23	13-23	15-19-2	+ -
Raanta is out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, and he is not projected to return until the beginning of April.
Jalen Chatfield (D)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 23	13-23	15-19-2	+ -
Chatfield is sidelined due to an upper-body injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)	Late March	Personal - 03 / 03 / 23	14-24	16-20-2	+ -
Puljujarvi is tending to a visa issue, and he is not expected to suit up for his new team until the end of March.
Jaccob Slavin (D)	Late Feb	Lower Body - 21 / 01 / 23	23-29	22-28-2	+ -
Slavin is idle with a lower-body injury, and he will remain out of action until the end of February.
Max Pacioretty (LW)	out for season	Achilles - 19 / 01 / 23	23-30	23-28-2	+ -
Pacioretty has hit the long-term injured reserve list after tearing his right Achilles tendon, and he is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

New Jersey

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Dougie Hamilton (D)	Ques Tues	Illness - 10 / 04 / 23	7-7	9-5	+ -
Hamilton is dealing with an illness, leaving his status against the Sabres on Tuesday in question.
Michael McLeod (C)	day-to-day	Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 23	7-7	9-5	+ -
McLeod is dealing with an unknown injury, and it is uncertain if he will lace up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Curtis Lazar (C)	Prob Thurs	Lower Body - 19 / 03 / 23	12-13	15-9-1	+ -
Lazar has been out of action due to a lower-body ailment, but it is expected that he will return to the lineup for Thursday's clash with the Capitals.
Nathan Bastian (RW)	Prob Tues	Upper Body - 14 / 03 / 23	13-15	16-11-1	+ -
Bastian has been sidelined due to an upper-body injury, but he is expected to return against the Penguins on Tuesday.
Miles Wood (LW)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 14 / 03 / 23	13-15	16-11-1	+ -
Wood is out of commission due to an unlisted issue, and he is without a definitive timetable for recovery.
Miles Wood (LW)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 07 / 03 / 23	14-18	18-13-1	+ -
Wood exited the last contest with an unknown injury, and it has not yet been confirmed whether he will be available Thursday against the Capitals.
Timo Meier (RW)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 23	16-19	21-13-1	+ -
Meier is sidelined due to an upper-body injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Erik Haula (LW)	Ques Sat	Illness - 25 / 02 / 23	16-20	22-13-1	+ -
Haula is ailing from an illness, and it is unclear if he will take on the Flyers on Saturday.
Mackenzie Blackwood (G)	Early April	Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 23	17-21	23-14-1	+ -
Blackwood has been shifted to the injured reserve list a lower-body ailment, and it is unknown if he will return before the beginning of April.
John Marino (D)	Ques Tues	Illness - 21 / 02 / 23	17-21	23-14-1	+ -
Marino is nursing an illness, leaving his availability for Tuesday's match against the Canadiens uncertain.