Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Devils will play their first game this season against the Carolina Hurricanes when they welcome the divisional foe for 7 p.m. game on Thursday at the Prudential Center in Newark.

The Devils have played one game against every team in the NHL this season other than the Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights.

With four meetings left between the Devils and Hurricanes, each will be important toward the Metropolitan Division playoff picture. Entering Thursday, both teams hold wild card spots in the Eastern Conference, with the Devils one point ahead of the Hurricanes for the first spot.

Here's how the Devils will line up coming off their dramatic 5-4 shootout win over the Flyers on Tuesday, plus notes and quotes heading into game No. 57.

Don't Edit

Eric Hartline | USA TODAY Sports

FORWARDS

Taylor Hall - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri

Jesper Bratt - Pavel Zacha - Nick Lappin

Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Stefan Noesen

Jimmy Hayes - Blake Coleman - Drew Stafford

Don't Edit

Bill Kostroun | AP Photo

DEFENSEMEN

Andy Greene - Sami Vatanen

John Moore - Damon Severson

Will Butcher - Ben Lovejoy

Don't Edit

Eric Hartline | USA TODAY Sports

GOALIES

Starter: Keith Kinkaid (21 GP, 11-7-2, 3.31 GAA, .891 save percentage)

Backup: Eddie Lack

Kinkaid will make his second straight start after winning in Tuesday's 5-4 shootout win over the Flyers. He has played well against the Hurricanes in has career. In five games, Kinkaid is 4-1-0 with a 1.55 GAA and .951 save percentage.

Don't Edit

Timothy T. Ludwig | USA TODAY Sports

SCRATCHES

Forward: Brian Boyle (right shoulder, day-to-day, skated on own), John Quenneville (right knee, day-to-day)

Defenseman: Mirco Mueller (healthy)

On IR: F Marcus Johansson (concussion, working out off ice); F Brian Gibbons (broken thumb, out 4-6 weeks); G Cory Schneider (groin, working out off ice)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

GAME NOTES

Don't Edit

How Devils are handling playoff race

The Devils are well aware how tight the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference has become. A win or loss on any given night could mean the difference between staying in the picture or dropping out.

While the Devils know the stakes and the standings — they're only human — they're trying to remain focused on what they can control. No one game is more important than the other, and they will try to take everything day by day.

Don't Edit

Eric Hartline | USA TODAY Sports

"It's understanding, if you look at the games, how intense the games get now," Devils coach John Hynes said. "It's really the mental game for us now, understanding the focus level and the importance of getting yourself ready to play at a certain level every night because every night is a battle."

Don't Edit

Devils going for win No. 29

The Devils will aim for win No. 29 on Thursday. Why's that number significant? It would surpass the Devils' win total from the 2016-17 season, where they finished 28-40-14. A win would still have them four points shy of their 70 points from last season, but they will be close to the mark that had them in last place in the Eastern Conference last season.

Don't Edit

Tom Mihalek | AP Photo

So far this season, the Devils are 8-7-1 against Metropolitan Division opponents. Their 64 points lead the Hurricanes' 63 points, and the Devils do have one game in hand on Carolina. The teams play three times over the next 16 days. Following Thursday's game in Newark, the Devils make stops in Raleigh on Sunday, Feb. 18, and Friday, March 2.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Could Tuesday's game turn tide for Kinkaid?

After Kinkaid gave up four goals over the first 36 minutes of Tuesday's game against the Flyers, he locked down to keep the Flyers off the board for the rest of regulation and the rest of overtime. Three saves on three shots in a shootout sealed the comeback for the Devils, and Kinkaid snapped a personal three-game losing streak.

With that streak over, he'll look to start another winning stretch, and the Devils want to do more to support him or Eddie Lack, with Cory Schneider still sidelined with a groin injury.

Don't Edit

Eric Hartline | USA TODAY Sports

"He made some big saves in OT, and down the stretch there in that penalty kill at the end of the game," forward Kyle Palmieri told NJ Advance Media. "He played well and gave us a chance to win, and we did our best to reward that effort in front of him. We don’t what’s going on and how long Schneider will be out, but whoever is in net, these two guys battle for us, and we want to put a good effort in front of them.”

Don't Edit

How Taylor Hall pushed Devils to desperately needed win vs. Flyers

Don't Edit

How tough is it playing against Hall?

While Palmieri was still with the Anaheim Ducks, he had some experience playing against current teammate Taylor Hall, who was still playing for the Edmonton Oilers.

Now that they're teammates for a second season, Palmieri has had plenty of experience playing with Hall, and he's been next to Hall for some big moments during Hall's current 15-game point streak.

Don't Edit

Jeff Curry | USA TODAY Sports

"Playing against him back west, it’s kind of similar to how you play with him on a line. Give him the puck and he’s got it and he's going, just get out of his way," Palmieri said. "He’s a dynamic player and obviously one of the fastest and most agile skaters in the league, and I think when you look at the way he kind of just carries the team. Whether it’s making big hits or doing the little things, back checking, having a good stick and blocking shots."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.