NEWARK -- Tuomo Ruutu said the Carolina Hurricanes didn't play with enough emotion Wednesday night in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

Didn't bang enough. Didn't fight hard enough.

But the question, simply, was why?  The Canes went into the game in eighth place in the East, but with the Atlanta Thrashers and Buffalo Sabres close behind. Why come out so cautiously, with little physical play or edge?

"I don't know what it was," Ruutu said. "I don't know if it's preparation or being ready. I don't know. You're not going to win playing like that."

The New Jersey Devils know what to expect tonight at the RBC Center. Noise, a lot of it. Excitement, a lot of it.

"You expect a great atmosphere," Devils forward Zach Parise said. "The last time they had a playoff game here they won the Cup."

NEWARK, N.J. — The Devils did it in Game One, very effectively, very efficiently.

Now, can they do it again in Game Two?

The line of Jay Pandolfo, John Madden and Brendan Shanahan shut down the Canes' top line of Tuomo Ruutu, Eric Staal and Erik Cole in the Devils' 4-1 win Wednesday in the playoff opener. Call it a mostly quiet night for the visitors — no goals, no assists, four shots.

"We have to play it the same," Pandolfo said today after the Devils' skate. "They have three great players on that line, three strong guys.

"You have to limit their time and space. Like any good players, if they have time they'll make things happen and create things, so you have to limit the time they have with the puck."