Nothing breeds contempt quite like familiarity, and that's certainly the case where the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are concerned. Back in 2003, the Devils steamrolled past the 'Canes en route to a Stanley Cup win, and in 2006, the Hurricanes returned the favor. Check out this battle between two unlikely rivals in brilliant 1080i on HDNet, live on Saturday night at 7:00 pm ET.

Hurricanes to Watch

The Hurricanes' offense was one of the league's best during the season's first two months, but their production has dipped dramatically since, and injuries are the key culprit. Power play point man Matt Cullen is listed as day-to-day with vision issues, and has missed 12 games already this season. And Justin Williams is likely out for the duration of the regular season and playoffs following knee surgery. Without those two skaters, a much heavier burden falls upon the likes of Eric Staal and Rod Brind'Amour.

Staal is a tremendous talent, and with 48 points in 56 games, he's been reasonably productive this season. But his 100-point performance during the 'Canes' 2005-06 Cup-winning season raised the bar dramatically, and Staal really hasn't met the enhanced expectations. Staal's younger brothers Marc (New York Rangers defenseman) and Jordan (Pittsburgh Penguins forward) are both playing key roles in the NHL, and youngest brother Jared is expected to be a very high pick in this June's draft.

In Brind'Amour, the Hurricanes have one of the game's most complete forwards. A tremendous face-off man and a very reliable checker, Brind'Amour also happens to be quite accomplished on the offensive end, and his 48 points (in 55 games) has him tied with Staal for second on the team. Interestingly, Brind'Amour was once offered (along with goaltender Curtis Joseph) as the compensation for the Devils when power forward Brendan Shanahan signed as an RFA with the Blues. The Devils instead won the rights to future captain Scott Stevens in arbitration, and Brind'Amour was traded to the Flyers soon thereafter.

In goal, Cam Ward has had a bit of an up-and-down year. He came into training camp having lost 15 pounds in an effort to improve his mobility, and the early results were quite positive. But Ward's puck-stopping success rate has fallen precipitously each month (from .912 in October to .875 in January), and it's quite possible that the weight drop has affected his endurance. If Ward doesn't regain his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning form soon, it's unlikely that the 'Canes will emerge victorious in the parity-ridden Southeast Division.

Devils to Watch

The focal point for the Devils is, as always, goaltender Martin Brodeur. Quite possibly the finest netminder ever to lace up skates, Brodeur is expected to set NHL records for both wins and shutouts sometime during the 2008-09 season. This season, the Devils' masked leader has posted some very respectable numbers (.916 SV%, 2.22 GAA, 28-18-3 record) despite last summer's exit by two of the team's most skilled players (Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski).

The catalyst for New Jersey's offense is young Zach Parise. He leads the team with 48 points in 53 games, and his plus-12 rating is best amongst Devils forwards. He is particularly effective on the power play, where his 19 points (including eight power play goals) also leads the team. Selected with the 17th overall pick in the extremely deep 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Parise has been at least as valuable to the Devils as any of the 16 players chosen before him, including the 'Canes' Eric Staal (second overall).

On the blue line, though his offensive production might not be as prolific as some had hoped, Paul Martin is quickly emerging as the Devils' top defenseman. Steady in his own zone and skilled at moving the puck up the ice, Martin's low-risk style makes him the perfect fit in New Jersey. And with 21 points in 50 games (and a plus-13 rating), he's still on pace to set career highs in all major offensive statistical categories.

Former captain Patrik Elias has picked up his game nicely in recent weeks after a frustrating season-long slump, and appears to have finally rebounded to his typical All-Star form. Though he was held scoreless in the Devils' 3-2 shootout loss to the Sabres on Wednesday night, Elias has still managed to score 10 points in his last seven games (with a plus-four rating). Elias has scored 27 points in 30 career regular season games against the 'Canes (to go along with an impressive plus-13 rating).

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