After a commanding 3-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club last night, the New Jersey Devils (33-22-6, 3rd Metropolitan) will take on the Vegas Golden Knights (35-18-6, 1st Pacific) in the second leg of a back-to-back in the desert. These teams last played each other on February 6, a 3-1 win for Vegas at the Prudential Center.
Overview
The Devils got a much-needed two points in Utah last night, moving them into a tie for second place in the Metropolitan with Carolina, though the Hurricanes still retain it by points percentage. The Devils have been treading water over the past month, alternating wins and losses in each game. The last time they won consecutive games was in late January.
Despite this, New Jersey is on a positive trajectory. Their goaltending has been stellar even in the absence of Jacob Markstrom, and their main issue is not a lack of offensive chances but a lack of finishing on those chances. That’s something that will regress positively to the season’s mean, one would hope. With a three-game swing starting Sunday against Vegas, Dallas, and Winnipeg — three of the league’s best teams, the Devils will need to show they can do more than tread water.
The Golden Knights are coming off a track meet of a win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, with a final score of 7-5. It was their fourth win in their last five games, including the win over New Jersey in February. The last time these teams played, Vegas was sputtering and losing ground in the Pacific Division, and they still won, beating the Devils at their own game by controlling possession and the pace of play. Sunday night, the Devils need to break out of their own mini funk by beating Vegas with the game they know how to play.
Lines and Pairings
Devils-
Forwards
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Cotter-Haula-Noesen
Tatar-Lazar-Bastian
Defense
Hughes-Hamilton
Dillion-Nemec
Pesce-Kovacevic
Goalies
Allen
Daws
Golden Knights-
Forwards
Saad-Eichel-Stone
Dorfeyev-Hertl-Olofsson
Barbashev-Howden-Kolesar
Pearson-Roy-Lavoie
Defense
Hague-Pietrangelo
Hanifin-Whitecloud
McNabb-Korczak
Goalies
Hill
Samsonov
Keys to the Game
Broken Goal Droughts Lead the Way
Two of the bright spots in the win over Utah were Timo Meier and Curtis Lazar, both of whom broke extended goal droughts. Meier broke an eight-game scoring drought with his wicked top-shelf goal in the opening seconds of the third period. The goal was cathartic for Meier, who has been playing at a high level despite not finishing on his chances recently. Lazar broke a much longer drought – he hadn’t scored since November – with a goal midway through the third period.
While they are a team loaded with top-end talent, the Devils always seem to rely a bit too heavily on it. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are often the only two players to make a meaningful impact on the scoresheet, with the rest of the team lagging. The Devils will need to find offense from every part of the lineup if they’re going to compete against a team like Vegas that can match their pace of play.
Luke Hughes Powers Through
Luke Hughes gave everyone a scare at the end of the second period when he left the bench in some pain, clutching his shoulder. He returned to the bench in the third period, still in pain, but he managed to get on the ice and play through it.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe described the injury as being, “banged up” but something Hughes could play through. While last night was a positive performance from the youngest Hughes brother, the Devils can ill afford to lose another defenseman with Jonas Siegenthaler on the shelf.
Where to Watch
Tonight’s game can be seen on MSGSN at 8:00 p.m. ET.