Devils Lock Up Stanley Cup Playoff Spot, Ready To Take On Hurricanes in First Round

The Devils punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Next weekend, they'll start their quest in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

A solid 3-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday sealed their spot. After missing postseason action last year, New Jersey's back in the hunt for hockey's biggest prize.

Forward Jesper Bratt spoke about what lies ahead. "We're going to need our best from every single guy to be successful there. That's going to be a test during these four games to see how we can carry ourselves and raise our bar," said Bratt to News 12 New Jersey.

With four matchups left before playoff intensity kicks in, the squad aims to sharpen their skills. The upcoming battles will prep them for their first-round clash with the Hurricanes.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe struck a balanced tone about the team's position. "We're proud this group will still be standing when half the league will be packing up next week, but recognize the challenge ahead and just want to keep growing," Keefe said.

The NHL will set dates and times once regular-season games wrap up. Fans can snag playoff tickets starting Friday morning.

The last playoff meeting between these teams happened back in 2009. This season's matchups ended in a split, each team won their games on home ice.