Tuesday, the New Jersey Devils (1-1-0) will hunt for their second win of the season as they begin a three-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth (2-1-0.
Match Overview
This new-look Devils team experienced a big 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders after a dominating opening victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils will once again be without Connor Brown as he recovers from a lower-body injury suffered in practice.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe seems to have made one change to the lineup prior to the game, however, as Jesper Boqvist will replace Stefan Noesan as the final member of the fourth line. Boqvist’s season debut will mark his first game back with New Jersey since their 2023 playoff series against the Hurricanes.
On the other side of the ice, the Mammoth are looking to build off their progress from last year and make the playoffs for the second straight year. Even though they lost in the first round to Vegas, Utah’s postseason appearance seemed to mark the end of a long rebuild that goes back to their time in Arizona.
The Mammoth didn’t hesitate to keep adding to this already strong core in the offseason, adding veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck to the forward group. After a 4-2 loss to the Rangers Sunday night, the Mammoth are also looking to get back in the win column.
Lines and Pairings
Devils
Forwards
Meier-Hischier-Evangelista
Mantha-Hughes-Bratt
Gritsyuk-Rodrigues-Mercer
Lombardi-Glass-Boqvist
Defense
Hughes-Pesce
Siegethaler-Hamilton
Dillon-Chisholm
Goalies
Allen
Daws
Mammoth
Forwards
Keller-Schmaltz-Trocheck
Lee-Cooley-Guenther
Mcbain-Hayton-Crouse
Carcone-Stenlund-But
Defense
Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Simashev-Peeke
Goalies
Vejmelka
Cossa
Keys to the Game
Keep Dominating Utah
On Saturday night, we saw the Devils play a team that they have struggled against in recent memory. Tuesday, we will see the Devils play the only team in the NHL they are historically undefeated against.
While Utah has only been in the league for two seasons, the Devils are a perfect 4-0-0 against the Mammoth. With all four wins coming in regulation and three of the four games being won by multiple goals, it’s fair to say the Devils have had the Mammoth’s number ever since their move to Utah.
Goaltending Issues
While it feels like a broken record, the New Jersey Devils may once again have goaltending issues. Devils’ offseason critics pointed to the goalies as the team’s biggest flaw, and it showed Saturday night.
Nico Daws allowed six goals on 32 shots while posting a -2.36 goals saved above expected. New Jersey will turn back to veteran Jake Allen tursdsy night, who played well enough in their season opener to help New Jersey pick up a win. However, at 36 years old, it’s hard to imagine giving Allen a starter’s workload for the entire season.
If Daws can’t find his groove, expect the Devils to turn to newly-acquired goalies David Rittich and Rémi Poirier to try and fill the void in net.
Where to Watch:
Puck drop for Tuesday is set for 7:00 pm ET. The game can be found on MSG SportsNet.