Carolina led the NHL during the regular season with 59 goals from their defense. However, in Round 1, just one of the team's 16 goals came from the blue line.
Instead, it was depth scoring that rose to the occasion for the Canes. Only Sebastian Aho (4) had more goals than "fourth line" center Paul Stastny, who scored in Games 2 & 5 before ending the series during overtime in Game 6.
Before Stastny became the hero in the series-deciding affair, Mackenzie MacEachern, who did not play in a single regular season game with Carolina before being thrust into the lineup for Game 4, burst onto the scene with a multi-point performance and hasn't come out of the lineup since.
Who could be the next to step up for Rod Brind'Amour's group?
On the other side, some of the Devils' top talent were held largely mute during their series against the Rangers.
Captain Nico Hischier and trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier both went goalless. Jesper Bratt, Tomas Tatar, and Dougie Hamilton all only had one goal each as well, but their lack of scoring was picked up by former Hurricane Erik Haula, who led the club with four goals and six points.
Will Haula's impressive postseason continue as he returns to PNC Arena for the third time in three postseason runs, or will New Jersey's big dogs find their scoring touch?
