Explore New Jersey Hockey | April 30, 2025
It’s over. The New Jersey Devils’ 2024–25 season came to a gut-wrenching conclusion in Raleigh Tuesday night, with a 5-4 double overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the first round. Despite storming out to a 3-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the game, the Devils were undone by a second-period collapse, costly penalties, and a catastrophic special teams performance that ultimately sealed their fate.
The Hurricanes, now advancing to Round 2, capitalized on every opportunity the Devils gave them—especially on the man advantage. In the end, it wasn’t just one moment or one mistake. It was death by a thousand breakdowns: missed power plays, defensive lapses, and inconsistent goaltending. The Devils lost the series 4-1, but make no mistake—this series was far closer than the final tally suggests.
A Dream Start Turns Into a Nightmare
The game couldn’t have started better for New Jersey. Dawson Mercer opened the scoring by redirecting a point shot less than four minutes in. Just two minutes later, Timo Meier ripped a laser past Pyotr Kochetkov to make it 2-0. Then, on the heels of a power play that failed to convert (a recurring theme), Stefan Noesen tipped a Simon Nemec shot home for a 3-0 lead midway through the first. The Devils had momentum. The crowd in Carolina was silenced.
But the collapse came quickly—and it started late in the first.
A questionable interference call on Cody Glass with 15 seconds left in the opening period gave Carolina a power play. While they didn’t score during the man advantage, they struck immediately after it expired. The Canes then took over the second period as Jacob Markstrom allowed two goals that he’ll be seeing in his nightmares. First, Jackson Blake spun and tossed a harmless wrister from the corner that somehow found twine. Then, Andrei Svechnikov beat Markstrom from distance—another stoppable shot. Just like that, it was 3-3.
Devils Fight Back—But Special Teams Failures Doom Them
Credit to the Devils—they didn’t fold. Nico Hischier restored the lead after a slick feed from Paul Cotter, but a 5-on-3 power play for Carolina later in the second proved too much to withstand. Sebastian Aho buried the tying goal, and the momentum swung for good.
The final blow came in double overtime, when Mercer was assessed a double minor for high sticking. With just under a minute left on that penalty, Aho struck again—clinching the series for Carolina and ending New Jersey’s season on a power play goal. Fitting, really.
Power Play Woes and Penalty Kill Collapse
If there’s one defining narrative from this series, it’s special teams. Carolina went 6-for-19 on the power play (32%), while New Jersey went 0-for-15—zero percent. Even worse, they gave up a shorthanded goal along the way. When you’re outscored 7-0 in special teams goals over five games, it’s nearly impossible to win a series.
This wasn’t just about Carolina being good. The Devils looked lost on the power play. Poor entries, predictable puck movement, and a lack of finish plagued every opportunity. The second unit often looked more dangerous than the first, which is saying something. New Jersey outscored Carolina 11-9 at even strength. That should have been enough. But a -7 special teams deficit was their undoing.
Injuries Piled Up—And the Depth Was Exposed
Injuries hit the Devils harder than any forecheck Carolina could muster. Star defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler returned earlier than expected but clearly weren’t at full strength. Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon were knocked out in Game 1. Johnny Kovacevic lasted just one period in Game 3. By the end of the series, New Jersey was leaning heavily on young blueliners like Simon Nemec, Seamus Casey, and Dennis Cholowski.
Nemec stepped up admirably, even scoring the overtime winner in Game 3, but the overall toll was clear. The backend was depleted, and head coach Sheldon Keefe had few reliable options.
Goaltending: The Best and Worst of Markstrom
Jacob Markstrom had a bizarre series. In Game 5 alone, he let in two soft goals in the second period but then stood on his head in overtime. He made 49 saves on 54 shots, including a stretch of 30 consecutive stops that kept the Devils alive deep into extra time. Blame him for the meltdown or praise him for keeping the team in it—either take is valid. He was both a liability and a savior.
Officiating Frustrations (But Not Excuses)
Let’s be clear: officiating didn’t cost the Devils the series. Their power play did. That said, the officiating was wildly inconsistent and generally tilted toward Carolina. Questionable calls—including the soft interference on Glass and a phantom trip by Tatar—gave the Hurricanes crucial advantages. Meanwhile, blatant infractions by Carolina (including a headbutt by Brent Burns earlier in the series) went uncalled.
Was it the reason New Jersey lost? No. But it certainly didn’t help.
Bottom-Six: Missing in Action
Perhaps the quietest—and loudest—storyline of the series was the bottom-six forward group. Simply put, they didn’t show up. Noesen’s redirect in Game 5 was the first point the third and fourth lines recorded all series. That’s not sustainable in the playoffs. Secondary scoring was nonexistent, and that imbalance cost the Devils dearly when their top lines couldn’t carry the load.
A Season of What-Ifs
Ultimately, this series—and this season—will be remembered for missed chances and “what ifs.” What if the Devils were healthy? What if they had even an average power play? What if Markstrom didn’t unravel in the second period of Game 5? What if just one bottom-six player stepped up?
Despite the disappointing result, this team fought hard. Outside of a Game 1 blowout, every game was competitive. At even strength, they were arguably the better team. But in the NHL playoffs, you don’t get moral victories. You either win or you go home.
Looking Ahead to 2025-26
The offseason now begins, and there are tough questions ahead. How do the Devils fix their power play? Do they need a goaltending upgrade? Can they finally find depth scoring that doesn’t disappear in April?
The core is strong. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and others will be back. Nemec and Luke Hughes are legitimate building blocks on the blue line. But this team needs reinforcements—and health—to truly contend.
A Final Thank You
To our readers, thank you for joining us this season. Whether you were cheering every win or gritting your teeth through each frustrating loss, your passion fuels this community. Writing about the Devils, even after a crushing playoff exit, is an honor.
We’ll have full offseason coverage, draft analysis, free agency previews, and roster projections for 2025–26. The journey never truly ends. It just resets.
Next Up:
Opening Night, October 2025. Let the countdown begin.
Your Turn:
How are you feeling about the Devils’ season and early playoff exit? Was special teams the difference-maker, or do you see other issues to address? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s keep the conversation going.