Introduction
The New Jersey Devils will close out their season tonight, as they take on the Detroit Red Wings at the Prudential Center for the second time in just six days. This after the Devils went 0-1-1 on a two game road trip to Ottawa and Carolina. The Devils have lost both of their previous two meetings to Detroit this season, 5-2 on the road and 3-0 this past Sunday. New Jersey’s record entering the team’s last game of the season is 27-45-9.
Projected Lines
Devils’
Lines will be posted on our social medias closer to puck drop.
Red Wings’
Forwards
Bertuzzi-Veleno-Raymond
Vrana-Suter-Gagner
Erne-Rasmussen-Sundqvist
Barber-Stephens-Hirose
Defense
Dekeyser-Seider
Staal-Hronek
Walman-Lindstrom
Goalies
Nedelkovic
Hellberg
Pregame Notes
- Nico Hischier has missed the past three games with the flu, hopefully he is better for the season finale. Hischier has had a career season, topping his previous high for goals, assists, and points from his rookie season. Hischier currently holds 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 69 games. If he plays tonight there is a very good chance that he hits 60 points for the first time in his career.
- MacKenzie Blackwood is expected to start for the Devils in the teams’ season finale. If that is still the case, let’s hope he has a better outing than he did in Ottawa on Tuesday where he let up five goals in the overtime loss.
- If you’re looking for one positive from the winless road trip, it was Nolan Foote. The 21 year old former first round pick was looking like he might not be what the Devils expected when they acquired him from Tampa Bay. However, over the past couple games Foote has seemed to click playing with Fabian Zetterlund and Pavel Zacha. Foote collected a couple goals and a primary assist on the road trip as well as a 60% Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and a 61% expected goals-for percentage (xGF%). For the Devils’ sake, I’m sure they’re hoping this isn’t just a one off.
Tonight’s game can be seen on MSG+ at 7:00 PM EST.
All statistics are via Natural Stat Trick.