The New Jersey Devils (35-33-4) head north of the border to face the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-21-9) tonight. New Jersey blanked the Islanders on Sunday while Toronto fell to Carolina last time out. This will be the first meeting of the year between the two teams. The Devils are five points back of the final playoff spot with ten games remaining, although the Capitals have two games in hand.
Match Overview
In goal, Kaapo Kahkonen picked up his fourth career shutout against the Islanders, stopping 36 shots and 4.04 goals above expected. It was also the first shutout of the year for New Jersey.
Interim coach Travis Green has not yet announced a starting goalie for tonight, however, Jake Allen was in the starter’s net. Since joining the Devils at the trade deadline, both Kahkonen and Allen have played well. Kahkonen has posted a .934 save percentage and 2.70 goals saved above expected while Allen has registered a .923 save percentage and a 3.49 goals saved above expected.
Interim head coach Travis Green indicated that Curtis Lazar should be back tonight. Brian Halonen was called up, but does not appear to factor into the lineup tonight.
As for Toronto, netminder Ilya Samsonov left Saturday’s game against Edmonton with an injury, so he is likely unavailable tonight. Meanwhile, Mitch Marner has been out with an injury since early March and is also not expected to play. Mark Giordano, Calle Jarnkrok, John Klingberg, and Matt Murray are all currently on LTIR as well.
In net, Sheldon Keefe will likely turn to Joseph Woll over Martin Jones tonight, with Jones’ only NHL action in the past month coming in relief of Samsonov over the weekend. On the year, Woll has posted a .912 save percentage and a 9.64 goals saved above expected.
Auston Matthews is the threat to focus on for Toronto. The 2016 first-overall pick has netted 58 goals in 69 games this season, which leads the league. William Nylander leads the Leafs with 93 points, though, one ahead of Matthews.
Toronto is a very top-heavy offensive team, with only five players having more than 40 points, including the injured Marner. Morgan Rielly leads the defensemen with 51.
Projected Lines
New Jersey Devils
Check back before puck drop for updates.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Forwards
Bertuzzi – Matthews – Domi
McMann – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Holmberg – Robertson
Dewar – Kampf – Gregor
Defensemen
Brodie – McCabe
Rielly – Lyubushkin
Edmundson – Liljegren
Goaltenders
Woll
Jones
What To Watch For
Timo Meier
It has been a scorching-hot month for Meier who has 12 goals in March, two more than any other skater. That has more than doubled Meier’s season total, as he entered March with just 11 tallies. The Swiss forward has scored four goals in his last four games
This is certainly encouraging for Devils’ fans after Meier battled injuries for much of the early season, but he appears to be healthy and back to his goal-scoring ways. Keep an eye on Meier to remain hot tonight.
Luke Hughes
Hughes had a strong game against the Islanders on Sunday, leading New Jersey defensemen with a 57.62 expected goals-for percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five. After going through a rough stretch of games in February, Hughes has paced Devils’ defensemen with a 56.79 xGF% in March as well as having positive differentials in both scoring chances and high-danger chances.
Kevin Bahl
Despite the shutout of the Islanders, Kevin Bahl had a disappointing night. At five-on-five, Bahl managed just a team-worst 14.95 xGF%. The Islanders out-chanced the Devils 13-3 in Bahl’s 14 minutes and had a 7-1 edge in high-danger chances as well.
New Jersey needs a better showing from Bahl tonight, because if the Devils surrender that kind of chance share to the Maple Leafs, some of the league’s premier offensive talents will fill the New Jersey net.
Where To Watch
Tonight’s game will be an ESPN+ and Hulu exclusive. Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm ET.
Note: All statistics via Natural Stat Trick.