Devils meltdown in 2nd, lose Game Four.

    When the New Jersey Devils have started fast, they usually are on their game, and when Jack Hughes redirected Timo Meier's shot into the net less than two minutes into the game for the first goal, New Jersey's hopes for tying the Eastern Conference Semi-Final series at two games each appeared bright and even when Carolina tied the game before the first intermission, it looked to be anyone's game.

That was the case until the second period when the Hurricanes suddenly scored four goals in just over five minutes, added another one before intermission, and cruised into the night with a 6-1 win and a three-to-one lead in the series.

Carolina can clinch the series at home with a win in game five on Thursday night.

New Jersey must win each of the next three games, two of those in Raleigh, or their season will end.

Hell Raisers

1) Vitek Vanicek allowed five of the six Carolina goals and was pulled after the second-period barrage for Akira Schmid.

Vanicek didn't play very well but some of the blame can go to the harried Devil defense, who generally allowed Carolina to continue to dominate this series through their forechecking, the key factor in the entire series to date.

2) I thought Lindy Ruff was too slow on the draw in using his timeout and a little delayed in his timing in removing Vanicek, who allowed five goals on only seventeen shots.

In that situation, I don't think there was a lot that Ruff was going to be able to do in order to slow the Carolina train but when you literally try nothing- it never looks good in these situations.

3) I have no idea what Lindy Ruff does in net now for game five.

The Devils have completed only one game with the same goalie starting and finishing, neither Akira Schmid nor Vitek Vanicek have looked strong in the series, and should Ruff want to go for broke and try Mackenzie Blackwood for a miracle cure, I'm not sure that Ruff has an appetizing option at all.

4) The Carolina forecheck has been so effective in taking control of the game, slowing the pace, and cutting the size of the ice down that the Devils, who have been at their best this season in open space, have just been unable to do anything against the forecheck for most of the series.

5) Ryan Graves missed the game due to injury, and while Graves wouldn't have made a difference in this game, his replacement Brendan Smith was just awful with poor decision-making and he's just such a slow skater that I'm surprised the Devils didn't try sliding a cone around in his place.

It wouldn't have been any slower.

6) The worst part was the lack of fight shown by the Devils and while it mattered not a bit, it makes you think down the road when this team is a bit more experienced in how they will respond when the going gets really tough.

I'm not blaming the players alone or the coaching staff alone- I'm blaming both.

You can play poorly and still give whatever best that you have on that particular evening- No one in red and black remotely did that in game four.