Preview: Blackwood Returns as the Devils Travel to Ottawa

The New Jersey Devils lost their previous meeting in Ottawa 4-1. (Image via. Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

Introduction

The New Jersey Devils are making their way to Ottawa for the second time this season. This is the Devils third and final game playing the Ottawa Senators this season. In New Jersey’s previous two meetings with Ottawa they lost 3-2 in a shootout at home and lost 4-1 in Ottawa following the all star break. 

The Devils have lost three games in a row (0-2-1) including a 3-0 shutout loss to Detroit in their most recent outing on Sunday. That is after going 3-1-1 on their five game road trip. The Senators on the other hand have won three in a row and are 5-1-1 in their last seven games.

Projected Lines

Devils’

Lines will be posted on our social medias closer to puck drop.

Senators’

Forwards

Tkachuk – Norris – Batherson

Formenton – Stützle – Gaudette

Kelly – Gambrell – Watson

Tierney – Kastelic – Sabourin

Defensemen

Chabot – Hamonic

Brannstrom – Zub

Del Zotto – Holden

Goalies

Forsberg

Gustavsson

Game Notes

  • The Senators are crushed by Injuries right now. Currently, they have seven players who would normally play projected to be unavailable. Those players are forwards Shane Pinto, Colin White, Tyler Ennis, Mathieu Joseph, and Connor Brown. Also, defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and goaltender Matt Murray. Thomas Chabot has also just returned from an extended absence. Those are some major injuries that the Senators have fought through.
  • Mackenzie Blackwood is projected to make his first start tonight since January 19th. After receiving heel surgery last offseason, Blackwood returned to play at not quite 100%. It appears he was eventually worn down to the point where he couldn’t play anymore. There was some thought that he could be out for the season. However, head coach Lindy Ruff told the media on Sunday that Blackwood will play again tonight as well as the season finale against Detroit on Friday.
  • The Devils had a rough weekend. On Saturday, they blew a 2-0 lead in the final five minutes of the game to lose in overtime while collecting just 19 shots on goal. On Sunday, they got shutout by the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 and only collected 17 shots. Of those 17 shots, eight of them came in the third period. With Nico Hischier absent from practice yesterday afternoon, there is a chance he will miss his second consecutive game. If that is the case, and with both he and Jack Hughes are out of the lineup again, it would be reasonable to assume that the Devils could record less than 20 shots for the third game in a row.

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