New Jersey @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2019 ) New Jersey 1, Carolina 3

Andrei Svechnikov is giving the fans at PNC Arena a thrill, as the 19-year-old Russian followed up his eye-opening lacrosse-style goal with his fifth tally in the first three contests of a four-game homestand. Svechnikov and the Carolina Hurricanes aim to continue their successful ways on Saturday when they host the New Jersey Devils.

Svechnikov recorded his third straight two-point performance with a goal and an assist as Carolina erupted for a 7-3 victory over Detroit on Friday. Svechnikov's first-period tally made him responsible for the Hurricanes' last four goals at the time, a feat last accomplished by Eric Staal in Dec. 16-18, 2010. While Carolina boasts a 6-1-0 record on home ice, the Devils will bid for their first win of the season outside of the Garden State on Saturday when they kick off a five-game road trip. Defenseman Sami Vatanen scored a goal in his third straight game and the fourth time this season after mustering four tallies in each of his last two campaigns.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New Jersey), FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE DEVILS (2-5-4): Taylor Hall set up Vatanen's second-period goal to extend his point streak to four games before scoring midway into the third, but New Jersey once again was unable to maintain the advantage. "That's just kinda the way our season is going right now. We play well enough to win and we don't," the former Hart Trophy recipient said. "We're going to have to work for our breaks. No one is feeling sorry for us right now. We know we're right there. We know this is no time to quit on our game plan or quit on each other." Kyle Palmieri followed up his second career hat trick in a 7-6 overtime loss against Tampa Bay on Wednesday with two assists versus Philadelphia.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (9-3-1): Defenseman Dougie Hamilton set up Svechnikov's first-period goal to extend his point streak to a career-best six games (two goals, six assists) before adding an assist on goals by Sebastian Aho and Brock McGinn. Aho's 13th career three-point performance and first this season pushed his point total to eight (four goals, four assists) in his last eight games. Not to be outdone, Jaccob Slavin also enjoyed a three-point effort versus the Red Wings as he set up three goals on Friday to become the 11th defenseman in franchise history to reach 100 career assists.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey has scored a power-play goal in each of its last five games after failing to tally with the man advantage in the previous six.

2. Hurricanes G James Reimer is expected to draw the start versus the Devils, against whom he owns a 7-5-2 mark with one shutout in 14 career appearances.

3. New Jersey acquired G Louis Domingue from Tampa Bay on Friday in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 5, Devils 2