The Devils look to bounce back from their Game 1 loss to Carolina with a big performance in Game 2 against the Hurricanes.

Puck drop on Friday at PNC Arena is set for 8 p.m.

You can watch the game on TNT or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Check back following morning skate for your pre-game story and pre-game videos. Read below for your game preview!

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

GAME DAY VIDEO

WATCH: Devils Minute

WATCH: Hischier | Graves

WATCH: Head Coach Lindy Ruff

BY THE NUMBERS

Stats Comparison: Devils vs. Hurricanes

Media Game Notes

Head to Head: Devils vs. Hurricanes

Devils Player Statistics

Hurricanes Player Statistics

RECENT VIDEOS

DEVILS NOW: Similar Styles

REWIND: Looking to Rebound

BTS: Round One Recap

RECENT ARTICLES

FEATURE: Fourth Line's a Charm

NOTEBOOK: Prepared for Best in Game 2

10 TAKEAWAYS: Enjoying the Ride

TV & RADIO

You can watch the game on TNT at 8 p.m.

You can listen to the game on the Devils Hockey Network.

PRE-GAME STORY

RALEIGH, NC - The Devils are motivated to bounce back and pick up a win in Game 2 of the Second Round, after a 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

New Jersey hit the ice at PNC Arena for morning skate with

.

Lindy Ruff rarely reveals his starter and despite some creative questions to get an answer, Ruff only had this to say about which goaltender will lead the Devils on the ice tonight:

"That is an awesome question," Ruff laughed. "I have three options and I'm going to come up with one by game time."

The Devils didn't have any line rushes during the skate but Ruff confirmed they were looking at a potential lineup change.

First Round Turnaround

Within 48 hours of winning Game 7 against their Hudson River Rivals, the Devils were kicking off Game 1 of the Second Round in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was a packed two days between travel, switching focus to a very different team, and getting prepared for a whole new playoff series.

"It's a quick turnaround, emotions are high in Game 7," Ryan Graves said reflecting on the 48 hours between the First and Second Rounds. "It's not an excuse. I think we let ourselves down in Game 1 and we'll be better tonight."

Devils Captain Nico Hischier agreed with the impact and that it wasn't an excuse for the team's 5-1 loss.

"It was definitely an emotional win and quick turnaround," Hischier said pre-game. "But it shouldn't be an excuse, we should be able to refocus. We knew it's going to be a new team, they have some new things we got to take care of. It was not a good start. It's that simple. But this is behind us and now we're looking forward to tonight."

To get a better start tonight, the focus is on more energy and a strong start against a team that has only two goals against in the opening frame, but five goals for through seven playoff games this year.

"Carolina's a team that comes out fast and strong," Hischier explained. "It's really important to get the first goal or even just hold them 0-0. That's the mindset we're going to have tonight."

Matchup with the Hurricanes

The first game of the series provided a good blueprint of what the Devils need to do to be successful against the Hurricanes Friday night.

"A lot of the same (from the regular season)," Graves said on the Hurricanes. "They forecheck hard. We just didn't move pucks the right way, we didn't create enough pressure, kind of putting back on their heels and they kind of took it to us a lot of the night."

"(It's) a high paced game out there," Hischier said. "They're forechecking really hard and I think we weren't connecting our forecheck. We definitely can be able to forecheck harder."

After a strong Hurricanes start in Game 1, the Devils found more of their game in the second period. This led to better opportunities and nine shots on net, up from only one in the first period.

"It's a game where you got to win your battles on the walls," Ruff said pre-game about facing Carolina. "I thought the second period we started to win battles, we started to get opportunities, we played quicker. We were a lot more connected, our puck support was better and that led to better opportunities."

"They didn't play a pretty game but that's what it's all about," Hischier said. "Playoff hockey shouldn't be pretty and they did the right things out there and we weren't ready to play so we had no business to win Game 1."

Meier's Impact

Devils forward Timo Meier missed Game 1 of the Second Round and is still considered day-to-day.

"Timo will be a game-time decision," Ruff confirmed following morning skate where Meier participated.

Although Meier didn't score a goal in the First Round his impact on the game was noticeable; whether throwing hits, setting up plays, or bringing a high level of compete.

"Big, physical guy," Ruff explained about Meier's impact. "Can get to the net, good on the rush. Creates some of his own opportunities. He was a big part of getting inside, getting round the net. Although he didn't score he probably lead our team in Grade-A opportunities."

Meier's fellow countryman had high praise for the impact he had in the First Round and the type of play he brought.

"He's a playoff hockey type guy," Hischier said about Meier. "He's hard on bodies, he's a hard guy to (face), he's so big he can get in your face. You saw it in the Rangers series, they didn't like him at all. So I think that it's really important to have a player on your team that just creates chaos and just gives 100% every shift."

-Catherine Bogart, NJD.TV

PREVIEW

Game 2

TV: 8 p.m. ET; Televised on TNT

RADIO: 8 p.m. ET; Live on Devils Hockey Network

SERIES SCHEDULE:

Game 1: Devils 1, Hurricanes 5, Carolina leads 1-0
Game 2: Friday, May 5, 8 p.m., at Carolina, TNT
Game 3: Sunday, May 7, 3:30 p.m., at New Jersey, TBS
Game 4: Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m., at New Jersey, ESPN
\Game 5: Thursday, May 11, time TBD, at Carolina, TNT
\Game 6: Saturday, May 13, time TBD, at New Jersey, ESPN
*Game 7: Monday, May 15, time TBD, at Carolina, ESPN

*If necessary

Projected Lineups*:

Devils

Tatar - Hischier - Bratt
Palat - Hughes - Haula
Sharangovich - Mercer - Boqvist
Wood - McLeod - Bastian

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Graves - Marino
Bahl - Severson

Schmid

Hurricanes

Noesen - Aho - Jarvis
Martinook - Kotkaniemi - Fast
Drury - Staal - Necas
Stastny - Stepan - Puljujarvi

Slavin - Burns
Skeji - Pesce
Gostisbehere - Chatfield

Andersen

*Not official. Subject to change.

Injury Updates:

Devils

Bernier (Hip - IR)
Meier (upper-body - day-to-day)

Carolina

Gardiner (Hip - IR)
Kase (Concussion - IR)
Pacioretty (Achilles - IR)
Svechnikov (Knee - IR)
Teravainen (Hand)
Drury (Upper-body, Day-to-day)

Who's Hot:

NJD: Michael McLeod has been a consistent performer all throughout this post-season. He was one of the more effective players in Game 1 against Carolina, continuing to play in all situations, taking the important faceoffs and his fourth line generated some of the better momentum shifts in Game 1. McLeod assisted on Nathan Bastian's goal on Wednesday and also had the game-winning goal in Game 7 against the Rangers.

CAR: Sebastian Aho may have only had one assist in Game 1, but he was giving the Devils all kinds of problems with his speed. On several occasions, Aho was able to get back by the defense, force turnovers and his blazing speed makes you hold your breath hoping for a save. Aho didn't score in Game 1, but he certainly gave the Devils defenders all kinds of trouble on Wednesday, and he's a player you simply cannot give too many chances too before he buries them.

Aho is on a four-game point streak with three goals and three assists.

By the Numbers:

Devils

McLeod lead all Devils players with four shots in Game 1 against Carolina.

The Devils had just one shot on goal in the first period of Game 1.

Vitek Vanecek replaced Akira Schmid early in the second period. He stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced.

Jack Hughes was just short of a 20-minute game, with 19:43 of ice time.

The Devils penalty killers went 3-for-3 in Game 1.

Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have the top penalty kill of the post-season with an incredible 95 percent efficiency. The Carolina penalty killers took care of business going 2-for-2 against New Jersey in Game 1.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi's goal was his first goal in 21 playoff games with Carolina.

2022-23 Regular-Season Series Recap

The Devils and Hurricanes split their season series with two wins a piece. The Devils (2-1-1) had the edge in points over the Hurricanes (2-2-0).

The Hurricanes won the opening game of the four regular season meetings between the two teams, on Dec. 20, 2022. The two teams met on New Years Day in New Jersey where Carolina beat the Devils in the shootout, 5-4. The Devils won the final two games of the regular season between the clubs, first a 5-3 win in Raleigh and in the final game between the two clubs this season, New Jersey shutout Carolina in a 3-0 final with Vitek Vanecek posting the victory.

By the Numbers (Regular Season):

Devils

Set franchise records in 2022-23 with 52 wins and 112 points. The club also set an NHL record with a 49-point improvement from last season (82-game schedule).

The Devils led the NHL and set a franchise record this season with 26 comeback victories and nine multiple-goal comebacks.

The Devils tied a franchise record with 28 road victories this year, going 28-9-4.

The Devils had two 40-goal scorers on the roster: Hughes, 43; Timo Meier, 40.

The Devils had four 30-goal scorers: Hughes, 43, Meier, 40; Jesper Bratt, 32; Nico Hischier, 31.

Jack Hughes set a franchise record with 99 points (43g-56a) to best Patrik Elias' 96 points in 2000-01.

Tomas Tatar finished with a plus-41, a career high that ranked 5th in the NHL.

Dougie Hamilton's 22 goals tied Barry Beck (Colorado, 1977-78) for the most in franchise history.

Goalie Vitek Vanecek set a career high with 33 wins this season, joining Martin Brodeur as the only 30-win goaltenders in franchise history.

Hurricanes

For the sixth straight season, Sebastian Aho lead the team in goals with 36.

The Hurricanes set a franchise record with 59 goals this season from their blueliners.

Like the Devils, the Hurricanes finished the season with 52 wins. Carolina went 52-21-9 (113 pts)

Carolina had the fourth-best home record league-wide going 28-10-3 at PNC Arena.