The New Jersey Devils (40-34-30) will begin their final five games of the season as they take on their rival, the Philadelphia Flyers (39-26-12) Tuesday night.
Game Overview
The Devils come into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Flyers following an impressive 3-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Devils marched into one of the toughest arenas to play in and shut down one of the NHL’s best offenses. Jacob Markström registered his first shutout of the season as the Devils limited the Canadiens to 18 shots and just three shots on four power plays.
The win improved the Devils to 6-3-1 over the past 10 games and 11-7-1 since the break. Despite the recent success, though, the Devils will be up for elimination on Tuesday night. An Ottawa win, combined with a New Jersey loss, would be the final blow that will officially eliminate New Jersey from the postseason.
While the Devils play mostly meaningless games, the Flyers will play some of their most important games of the season. Following an overtime win over the Bruins on Sunday, the Flyers sit in sole possession of third place in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. However, they aren’t close to safe yet. The Islanders, Red Wings, and Blue Jackets all sit within one game of the Flyers as we enter the final week. That means that their meeting against the Devils will have major implications for the Flyers’ playoff chances.
A win against New Jersey will move the Flyers’ playoff chances, currently at 53.1%, all the way to 68.8%. Meanwhile, a regulation loss to the Devils will decrease their playoff odds to just 35.9%. With the Flyers playing for their lives, New Jersey will look to spoil their rivals’ playoff hopes.
This will be the third and final time these two teams will face off. The first two meetings both belonged to the Flyers, winning by scores of 6-3 and 5-3, with both games coming back in November.
Lineups
Devils
Forwards
Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Bratt-Hughes-Brown
Hameenaho-Glass-Bjugstad
Cotter-McLaughlin-Halonen
Defense
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Hughes-Kovacevic
Dillon-Nemec
Goalies
Allen
Markstrom
Flyers
Forwards
Foerster-Zegras-Tippett
Konecny-Dvorak-Martone
Bump-Cates-Michkov
Couturier-Glendening-Grundstrom
Defense
Sanheim-Ristolainen
York-Drysdale
Seeler-Andrae
Goalies
Vladar
Ersson
Keys to the Game
Red Hot Jack
Jack Hughes comes into Tuesday night’s showdown against the Flyers as one of the best players in the NHL. Since the Olympics, Hughes ranks first in the NHL for assists, points, and shots while playing at a 148-point pace for the season.
Tom Fitzgerald Gone
For right or wrong, general manager Tom Fitzgerald departed the organization Monday night. With just five games left in the regular season, Tuesday’s showdown against the Flyers will be the first game where Fitzgerald isn’t the general manager since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Where to Watch
Tonight’s game can be seen on ESPN at 7:00 pm ET.