Overview
The New Jersey Devils (7-3-0) continue their Western Canada road trip against the Edmonton Oilers (7-3-0). New Jersey enters play Wednesday night on a four-game winning streak and is coming off a massive win against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Devils have turned things around since the home opener and look like a different team. They have outscored their opponents 12-3 over the last two games. In these games, the Devils have had 12 different goal scorers, specifically led by Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, and Nico Hischier.
Tonight will be a tough test as the face an Oilers team that has won five straight. Edmonton is coming off a 7-4 victory against the Nashville Predators as they continued their homestand. Edmonton currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division, thanks to the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Projected Lineups
New Jersey Devils
Check the team social media sites for more accurate lineup.
Edmonton Oilers
Forwards
Nugent Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman
Kane-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Foegele-McLeod-Puljujarvi
Holloway-Ryan-Shore
Defense
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Bouchard
Niemelainen-Barrie
Goaltending
Campbell
Skinner
What To Watch For
Two Great Offensive Groups
Two potent offenses will be going head-to-head in this matchup. McDavid and Draisaitl are the top two-point producers in the league. Entering play, McDavid has scored 11 goals in 10 games and leads the overall league. Meanwhile, Jesper Bratt sits fourth in total points and is on a 10-game point streak (tied franchise record to start the season).
Both teams rank in the top 10 in goals per game. The Devils (3.60) and the Oilers (4.10) boast lethal offenses. If you like goals, this game could have plenty of it.
Shutting Down The Dynamic Duo
If the Devils want to escape Edmonton with a victory, shutting down the dynamic duo of the Oilers will be key. The pair that could be tasked with the job are John Marino and Ryan Graves. Together they have spent over 100 minutes of five-on-five ice time together this year, and they rank fourth-best in expected goals against per 60 minutes (of 92 defensive pairings with at least 50 minutes played together). They are good at suppressing chances and limiting the opposition.
Special Teams Play
As we have seen all year long, the Devils are a dominant even strength team. They rank second in Corsi-for percentage (62.65) and first in expected goals-for percentage (xGF%). Just like the previous game, the key will be special teams.
The Oilers have the second-best powerplay unit and have a league lead with 11 goals, while the Devils have the fourth-best penalty kill. It will be a key area in the Devils will want to thrive in.
How To Watch
Tonights matchup begins at 9:00 P.M. ET and can be found on MSG.