Carolina tends to split matchup minutes between Jarvis and Aho on the top line and Jordan Staal on the third. Against a Jack Hughes-less Devils team, Staal (and potentially Stankoven and Jordan Martinook, depending on how the lines shake out) may start with that burden to free up Jarvis and Aho to cook a bit more offensively.

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, a series often can be decided by goaltending, special teams and roster depth to offset injuries. How do the Hurricanes stack up against the Devils?

Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day our writers here at Last Word on Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out.