After a forgettable 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, the New Jersey Devils (21-11-3) will face their division rival Pittsburgh Penguins (15-14-5) at the Prudential Center tonight.
Overview
The Devils are coming off a loss against a weak opponent where they controlled the pace of play but couldn’t finish their chances. Still, the Devils are rolling along, going 3-1-1 in their last five games. They’re in a strong position with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt carrying the offensive load as of late. They’ll look to get right against the Pens before taking on the free-falling Rangers.
The Penguins have been on a tear recently, with a 7-2-1 record in their last ten games. They’ve gone to overtime in their last three games, winning two of them. All that extra playing time could tire the Pens late in the game. After a terrible start to the season, Pittsburgh has made an impressive recovery despite terrible goaltending and an aging roster. They’re right in the thick of the playoff race.
After a brief stint atop the division, the Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 45 points, one point behind the Washington Capitals. The Penguins, on the other hand, are in fourth place with 35 points.
Lines and Pairings
Devils-
Forwards
Meier-Hischier-Mercer
Palat-Hughes-Bratt
Cotter-Haula-Noesen
Tatar-Dowling-Bastian
Defense
Dillion-Hamilton
Hughes-Pesce
Siegenthaler-Kovacevic
Goalies
Markstrom
Allen
Penguins-
Forwards
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Glass
O’Connor-Tomasino-Beauvillier
Nieto-Lizzate-Acciari
Defense
Pickering-Letang
Grzelcyk-Karlsson
Graves-Shea
Goalies
Jarry
Nedeljkovic
Keys to the Game
Finish Chances
New Jersey’s game against Columbus is not a one-off, but it’s not a worrying trend. This season, they’ve had similar losses to the Flames, Sharks, Blues, and Avalanche. These games have almost always been offset by a dominant win in the next game.
These losses often come down to the Devils not finishing their chances despite controlling the play but that hasn’t been an issue for most of the season. Their shooting percentage is 10.9, 12th in the league. That’s a good spot to be, they’re finishing a good amount of their chances while not getting too lucky or unlucky. This is no time to panic but it would be nice if the Devils put those concerns further out of fans’ minds with a big win against a resurgent Penguins squad.
New Faces in Pittsburgh
For the past few seasons, the prevailing notion about Pittsburgh is that their lineup is too old and most of the players have been there too long. Since Pittsburgh has started winning again, however, it’s been the newcomers that have helped Pittsburgh get back to form.
Although he’s in a five-game point drought, recent acquisition Philip Tomasino has slotted directly into the top-six alongside Evgeni Malkin while Owen Pickering, whom Pittsburgh drafted in the first round, has provided a steady defensive presence. With some of the holes in this lineup filled, Pittsburgh is in a very good spot to recover their season and make a run to the playoffs.
Where to Watch
Saturday night’s game can be seen on MSGSN at 7:00 pm ET.