The final game before the 2025 4 Nations Faceoff Classic break is upon us. The New Jersey Devils hit the road to take on the Montreal Canadiens. Both teams have struggled as of late and are looking to head into the break on a high note.
Matchup Overview
This is the third and final meeting the two teams. The Devils have won the first two meetings, with the latest being in Montreal. The teams are going head to head again, but have both taken different turns with their level of play.
The Devils are coming off a disappointing loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and was without question their worst played game of the season. The Devils were on a roll and then the Christmas break arrived. Ever since the break, the Devils play has been a step back from what it was in the month of December.
Being without your captain Nico Hischier and starting goalie Jacob Markstrom stings, but the results under the hood are a step back. Since January 1, the Devils rank 18th in Corsi-for percentage (CF%) with 49.55 at five-on-five. They rank 22nd in expected goals for percentage (xGF%) and are scoring well below their expected rate. Scoring chances are well in their favor, but their inability to finish has been a problem.
Since the teams last played, the Canadiens have hit a skid. They’ve gone 1-4 in their last five games, which isn’t ideal for them in the playoff race. Like the Devils, the Canadiens are struggling to score during five-on-five play, as they have just five goals and have allowed 14. They are getting outplayed in these contests and the results speak for themselves.
The Canadiens are also without defenseman Kaiden Guhle, which is a massive loss on their back end. This is the final game before the 4 Nations break, which is much needed for both teams.
Projected Lineups
New Jersey Devils
Forwards
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Meier-Haula-Mercer
Cotter-Dowling-Noesen
Tatar-Lazar-Bastian
Defense
Dillon-Hamilton
Pesce-Kovacevic
Hughes-Nemec
Goalies
Daws
Allen
Montreal Canadiens
Forwards
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook-Dach-Anderson
Laine-Evans-Armia
Beck-Dvorak-Gallagher
Defense
Huston-Carrier
Matheson-Mailloux
Xhekaj-Savard
Goalies
Dobes
Montembault
What to Watch For
Simon Nemec Bouncing Back
Given the state of the injuries on the Devils roster, they recalled Simon Nemec from the Utica Comets. He has looked good in the AHL, so the call up was well deserved. However, with the opportunity to prove himself to the Devils he did not have his best game against the Golden Knights.
Nemec had the lowest CF% with 18.75 against Vegas. Not only did the opposition out attempt the Devils with him on the ice, but outshot them too. A 5.72 xGF% is certainly not ideal, but that game could be thrown down the toilet for the entire team.
Saturday is a good opportunity to rebound and bounce back after what wasn’t the best showing for Nemec.
Depth Scoring to Come Through
Someone not named Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt needs to be able to put the puck into the net. They’ve both shouldered the load production wise, which is a testament to them, but the rest of the team needs to back them up.
Dawson Mercer is pointless through the month of February and had five points in the entire month of January. Stefan Noesen has one assist in February and had three points in January. Paul Cotter has been as streaky as they come after his blistering start to the year. He’s had four goals since January 1.
Depth was strong for the Devils to start the year, but has cooled down since.
Where to Watch
Todays puck drop is at 1:00 pm ET and can be found on MSG.