The New Jersey Devils (35-32-2) will continue their road trip as they head down south to take on the Dallas Stars (43-16-11) Tuesday night.
Game Overview
The Devils are coming off a rare three-day break after a loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Despite the 2-1 defeat, the Devils remain playing strong hockey with a 7-3 record in their last 10. However, it may be too little, too late for a playoff push, as New Jersey remains a distant 13 points out of a playoff spot with just 13 games left to go.
While the Devils’ playoff hopes have dwindled down to 0.1%, the Stars’ playoff chances have just reached 100%. Despite losing 3-2 to the Golden Knights, the Stars clinched a playoff berth on Sunday night as they continue to gain ground on the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado’s lead on the Stars has shrunk down to just five points as we enter the final month of the season. With three losses in their last four, though, the Stars will have a lot to fight for against New Jersey.
Lineups
Devils
Forwards
Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Bratt-Hughes-Brown
Gritsyuk-Glass-Hameenaho
Cotter-Bjugstad-Tsyplakov
Defense
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Hughes-Kovacevic
Dillon-Nemec
Goalies
Markstrom
Allen
Stars
Forwards
Robertson-Johnston-Bourque
Bunting-Duchene-Benn
Steel-Hryckowian-Blackwell
Back-Hyry-Bastian
Defense
Lindell-Heiskanen
Harley-Lundkvist
Bichsel-Lybushkin
Goalies
Oettinger
DeSmith
Keys to the Game
Score Goals
Goal scoring has been a problem for New Jersey all year, evident in their 2-1 loss to Washington. The Devils rank 27th in the NHL in goals for this year, and they won’t have an easy task against the Stars. The Stars rank second in goals against in the league, giving up just 2.4 goals per game.
Jake Oettinger posted a 30-save shutout last time these two teams met, and the Devils will most likely have trouble finding the back of the net again in Dallas.
Injury Updates
Head coach Sheldon Keefe gave key injury updates after practice on Sunday. Stefan Noesen, recovering from knee surgery, will be out for the remainder of the season. Noesen will finish his second year back in New Jersey with just three goals and seven points in 38 games.
Keefe also said that standout defenseman Brett Pesce, dealing with a lower-body injury, is questionable to return this season. New Jersey has had a notable gap in the defense with him out and would love to see him back on the ice before season’s end.
Where to Watch
Puck drop for tonight’s game is set for 8:00 pm ET and can be found on MSGSN2.