Tonight’s projected starters via left wing lock. NJD- Cory Schneider, SJS- Martin Jones

Well Devils fans, if you do not realize how important tonight’s game is you might as well have been living under a rock. It is absolutely crucial that the Devils take at least one point from the San Jose Sharks, as they will be playing Pittsburgh on Friday where two points is a must.

Who/What to Watch

Nico Hischier…The Taylor Hall streak is over so it is finally time to talk about someone else in my preview. Hischier has been playing some of his best hockey lately and must have another big game to help their chances against one of the best teams in the West. Expect him to be a big factor tonight.

Joe Pavelski…Pavelski is approaching the 70-point mark on the season. The 33-year-old has been the best player for his team this season, which is not all that surprising. The Devils will need to keep him off the scoresheet if they want a good opportunity at two points tonight.

Goalie Battle… Look for this to be a low scoring affair and could be a major bounce-back performance for Cory Schneider. Although, there really is no other option for him if he wants to win the net back in these final 10 games. With New Jersey in the midst of a playoff push they really need to determine who they want to go with moving forward if they are to sneak into the postseason.

Prediction

There is no reason to believe that this will be a blowout tonight. This has all the signs of being a close battle right to the end. If you had to ask me, the Devils have been performing very well under pressure lately. Take them to edge the Sharks by a score of 2-1.

When/Where to Watch

10:30 PM MSG+, NHL-N (Out of Area) NBCS-CA (Sharks Feed)