Hischier tries to score against the Leafs. Photo Credit to Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP
Writer’s Twitter: @ChrisMottHockey
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Preview
The New Jersey Devils come into tonight’s tilt after playing two completely different games versus the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators. The Devils owned Pittsburgh in almost every facet of the game during the first of back-to-backs, before making costly mistakes all night against a Senators team that was able to capitalize. The Devils will look to get back to playing their game against the Maple Leafs who are a dangerous team, even without William Nylander and Auston Matthews. They still have a solid roster with John Tavares, veteran Patrick Marleau, Mitch Marner, Nazem Kadri, along with Morgan Reilly and Jake Gardiner on the blue line. Throw in Frederik Anderson between the pipes, and it’s clear this team should not to be taken lightly. Tonight is also the Hall of Fame Game, which kicks off the weekend events leading up to the induction ceremonies on Monday.
Devils goaltender Cory Schneider against the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Getty Images)
Keys to the Game
All the breakdowns in defensive coverage and fundamentals will need to be corrected if the Devils want a chance to win tonight. Ottawa is not considered a phenomenal team in the league this year, to put it kindly, but they still have offensive weapons and they made the Devils pay last game.
The defense and goaltending will need to survive some waves of offense. With how powerful Toronto is offensively, there will more than likely be times where they dominate play in the Devils zone, so New Jersey will must be able to whether the storm as best they can.
Jesper Bratt is returning tonight, and will hopefully help increase the offense production of the lines other than the top line. The Devils have had depth scoring and offense some games this year and other games, they have not.
Jesper Bratt was a key hit for the Devils scouting department
Lineups
(Courtesy of dailyfaceoff.com)
Devils (Per Amanda Stein and as of the November 8 skate)
Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Johansson – Seney – Bratt
Coleman – Zajac – Anderson
Boyle – Dea – Wood
Mueller – Vatanen
Greene – Severson
Butcher – Lovejoy
Kinkaid
Maple Leafs
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen
Johnsson-Lindholm-Brown
Ennis-Gauthier-Leivo
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov
Andersen
The game can be seen on MSG+ at 7PM ET as well as via NHL TV streaming services.