The New Jersey Devils have jumped out to a nice start this season. At 7-3-2 they sit fourth in a loaded Metropolitan Division. Tonight, they will look for their fourth straight victory and fifth straight game with a point. In order to achieve so, New Jersey will have to beat the 6-5-0 Boston Bruins.
Overviews
The New Jersey Devils have scored 11 goals in their last two games against two very good hockey teams. A large part to that scoring success is the resurgence of the team’s power play. Over the last two games it is three for five. The other part of the puzzle has been a stout penalty kill which is five for five over the same time period. As for the lineup, there is no word yet but expect the combinations to stay the same. Given its a front-end of a back-to-back, whoever gets the nod tonight will surely have the night off tomorrow against the New York Rangers.
The Boston Bruins have had some difficulties out of the gate this year. They have yet to win more than two games in a row and are enduring a three-game stretch where they have given up 12 goals. A large reason for the struggles have been their new goaltending duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman (tonight’s starter). The duo have a combined .902 save percentage at five-on-five this season which ranks 29th in the NHL. A team that is only getting 2.25 expected goals-for per game (23rd best in the NHL), will not be able to overcome the shaky goaltending.
Tonight’s game will be televised on NHL Network and MSG+. It is scheduled for a 1:00 PM ET puck drop at the Prudential Center.
Projected Lines
New Jersey Devils –
Note, no announcements have been made about any type of lineup changes. Also, a starting goalie has not been named. Stay tuned to our social media pages for pregame updates on each. The below is what New Jersey went with last time out:
Forwards:
Zacha/Hischier/Holtz
Johnsson/Mercer/Bratt
Kuokkanen/Boqvist/Tatar
Vesey/McLeod/Thompson
Defensemen:
Graves/Hamilton
Smith/Severson
Siegenthaler/Subban
Goaltenders:
Blackwood
Bernier
Boston Bruins –
Forwards:
Marchand/Bergeron/Pastrnak
Hall/Coyle/Foligno
DeBrusk/Haula/Smith
Blidh/Nosek/Lazar
Defensemen:
Forbort/McAvoy
Grzelcyk/Carlo
Reilly/Clifton
Goaltenders:
Swayman (.906 save percentage in five starts)
Ullmark
Who/What to Watch for?
- Despite the shaky goaltending, the Boston Bruins do not give up a ton of chances at five-on-five. The Bruins lead the league in expected goals-against per 60 minutes (1.81). The issue for them, as mentioned above, is the shaky goaltending they have gotten. New Jersey must make it a point to get pucks on net. Even if they are not the best chances, the Bruins net minder may just give them a gift. In this game, it may be better off for the Devils to go for quantity over quality.
- On the flip side, the Bruins do not generate a ton offensively, for whatever reason. As mentioned above, Boston ranks 26th in expected goals-for per 60 (xGF/60) at five-on-five, and 22nd in xGF/60 on the power play. If the Devils get just decent goaltending, which has not been a large ask with either Mackenzie Blackwood or Jonathan Bernier in net, this may be a lower scoring affair.
- The Dawson Mercer and Andreas Johnsson duo has been terrific this year. Along with current linemate Jesper Bratt, these three, plus Nico Hischier, make up the team’s best four forwards this season. Against a tough Bruins’ defense, I’d expect the Johnsson/Mercer/Bratt combination to be the Devils’ source of generation. Especially given the likelihood of the yearly Selke Trophy candidate, Patrice Bergeron, drawing the Nico Hischier line.
This afternoon’s game is scheduled to start at 1:00 PM ET. It is being televised on NHL Network and MSG+.