Devils overwhelmed in Game One

     I haven't watched nearly as much hockey as I usually do, and I'll be the first to admit that my New Jersey Devils knowledge (from watching their games) is lacking compared to the past. But I've been following the team through other avenues throughout the season.

And while I will be writing about their playoff run, I'll have a unique perspective this postseason- for the first time, I will not be swayed (for good or bad) by regular season play.

The Devils traveled to Carolina to face the Hurricanes for the first two games of their Eastern Conference Semi-Final series.

The game was essentially over in the first three minutes when Carolina's Jalen Chatfield scored, and it was all Hurricanes from there in a 4-1 win.

Nico Hischier scored New Jersey's only goal in the second period.

Game two is back in Raleigh on Tuesday evening.

Hell Raisers

1) The Devils were not only outplayed, they were outmuscled by a much larger Carolina team.

New Jersey's conversion through the years has changed them to a smaller team that may not fit an easy label.

They aren't really finesse, yet they aren't a team that can push teams around either.

Size-wise, the Devils aren't big up front, and Carolina is.

2) New Jersey spent capital in the off-season to obtain Jacob Markstrom, and while the score looks bad, I thought Markstrom played fine for the most part.

New Jersey has problems in this series for several reasons, but Markstrom isn't one of them.

3) I know the team isn't full strength without Jack Hughes, and the team is an underdog against a talented Carolina team, which eliminated them in the playoffs two years ago, but they seemed less than energetic in defeat.

I also know I've missed a lot of games this season, but they look very soft to me.

4) An injury-riddled team may have lost two more players as Brendan Dillon and Cody Glass each left the game with injuries and did not return.

The injury to Glass is especially galling as it came on a slash from Jacob Markstrom, who attempted to whack Andrei Svechnikov and instead slashed Glass.

When it rains, it pours.

5) The Devils goal was a pretty one when Nico Hischier fired a puck on a four-on-four into the goal for the only one of the game.

Jesper Bratt put the puck exactly where it needed to be, and the breakaway was the only one I remember feeling positive about the offense.

6) Carolina outshot New Jersey 45-24, which makes Jacob Markstrom's game look even better.

7) This looks like a short series unless something changes, and I'm not sure the Devils are capable of that change.

Many Devils fans appear ready to sack general manager Tom Fitzgerald, and there may be some good points for that change.