After a strong 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings Saturday, the New Jersey Devils (41-36-3, 7th Metropolitan) will play the Ottawa Senators (43-27-10, 4th Atlantic) in their penultimate game of the season at the Prudential Center Sunday.
Overview
The Devils snapped a two-game skid with the win over Detroit, with Jesper Bratt scoring two goals and notching an assist. The win eliminated the Red Wings from playoff contention and clinched it for the Devils’ current opponent. New Jersey has nothing to play for but pride. With key pieces Luke Hughes and Jacob Markström shut down for the season, they likely won’t have their foot on the gas. Still, it’s always better to go into the offseason on a high note.
The Senators are coming off a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders Saturday, with Linus Ullmark earning the shutout. They’re officially playoff-bound, but they still don’t know who they’ll be playing. Ottawa will be a wild card team, but they’re still jockeying for position with Boston. While the Senators have their ticket punched, they’ll be playing for something in New Jersey.
The Senators beat the Devils 4-1 last time they played on January 31.
Lines and Pairings
Devils-
Forwards
Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Bratt-Hughes-Brown
Hameenaho-Glass-Bjugstad
Cotter-McLaughlin-Halonen
Defense
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Dillion-Nemec
Cholowski-Kovacevic
Goalies
Daws
Allen
Senators-
Forwards
Batherson-Stuzle-Giroux
Tkachuk-Cozens-Greig
Cousins-Pinto-Amadio
Foegele-Eller-Zetterlund
Defense
Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Spence
Thompson-Mantipalo
Goalies
Reimer
Ullmark
Keys to the Game
Devils Can Play Spoiler
The playoff permutations have simplified for Ottawa with two games to go. They cannot improve beyond wild card status, but they can finish ahead of Boston to play the lower-seeded division winner in the first round. The Senators and Bruins are tied in the standings with 96 points, each having played 80 games. The Senators hold the tiebreaker because they’ve won 37 games in regulation compared to Boston’s 31.
If the playoffs started today, Boston would play Carolina, while Ottawa would play Buffalo. Each club will play two more games, and they’ll both play the Devils. The Devils have an opportunity to play spoiler depending on the results of their games against Ottawa and Boston. How petty they are remains to be seen.
Last Home Game of the Season
Sunday marks the final game the Devils will play at the Prudential Center this season. While it may not have been the season Devils fans were expecting, the final home game of the season is always an important event on the calendar. The Devils started off strong at home to start the season, but have struggled at the “Rock” as their season has slipped away. They currently own a 20-17-3 home record, with an opportunity to finish above .500 at the Prudential Center with a win tonight.
Where to Watch
Tonight’s game can be seen on MSGSN2 at 7:00 pm ET.