Sunday, the New Jersey Devils look to extend their seven game win streak at home against the Colorado Avalanche.
The Devils are currently 7-1-0 after beating the San Jose Sharks on Friday. The Avalanche are currently 5-1-3, having lost Saturday to the Boston Bruins.
Match Overview
After losing their season opener against arguably the best team in the Eastern Conference in Carolina, the New Jersey Devils have gone on their longest winning streak in three years. However, they now face off against their tallest task since their first game in Raleigh against the Avalanche.
Even though the Avs have a handful of injuries, they have dominated almost every team they’ve played. Their 59.1 expected goals percentage (xG%) is second only to Carolina, but only by a measly 0.7%. This is the first game of a home-and-home between the Devils and Avalanche, which should be an excellent test of New Jersey’s stance among the league’s contenders.
Lines and Pairings
Devils
Forwards
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Meier-Hischier-Gritsyuk
Cotter-Mercer-Brown
Noesen-Glendening-Halonen
Defense
Hughes-Pesce
Dillon-Nemec
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Goalies
Allen
Daws
Avalanche
Forwards
Lehkonen-Mackinnon-Necas
Landeskog-Nelson-Nichushkin
Colton-Drury-Olofsson
Kelly-Bardakov-Brindley
Defense
Toews-Makar
Manson-Burns
Solovyov-Malinski
Goalies
Miner
Wedgewood
Keys to the Game
Get to Miner
New Jersey normally struggles against both of the Avalanche goalies, two former Devils in Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. However, Blackwood is hurt and Wedgewood played Saturday which lines up rookie netminder Trent Miner to start at the Prudential Centrr. Miner had been a middling goalie prospect until last year when he put up a .918 save percentage (SV%) in the AHL.
Miner has played one game this season in which he relieved Scott Wedgewood. That game was against the Carolina Hurricanes last Thursday when he went 20-for-20 in an eventual shootout loss.
Stay Perfect at Home
The Devils have started the season a perfect 4-0-0 at the Prudential Center for the first time since the 2018-19 season. This is only the seventh time in franchise history when the Devils have won at least their first four home games to start a season. The last time they won more than four at home to start a year was 1993-94 when the Devils won five their first five games at home.
How to Watch
Sunday afternoon’s game will begin at 1:00 pm ET on MSG SportsNet.