The New Jersey Devils are as hot as they have been in a while. They are looking to win their fifth game, over their last six, Friday night in Vancouver against the league-worst Canucks. New Jersey enters the game with a 26-22-2 record while Vancouver’s 17-28-5 mark is by far the worst mark in the league.
Match Overview
Between November 29 and January 11 the Devils put together a 6-14-1 record. This coming after the team was 16-7-1 and sitting atop of the Eastern Conference. Fortunately, the team seemingly has figured it out as of late, posting a 4-1-0 record over their last five games and catapulting themselves right back into the thick of the playoff race.
Personnel-wise, the Devils remain without defenseman Luke Hughes who was injured early in the team’s 2-1 victory over Calgary. Hughes was placed on long-term injured reserve Wednesday, but has not been confirmed out for the season just yet as ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that he is going to try to rehab the shoulder injury first in hopes to avoid season-ending surgery. Defenseman Colton White was recalled from Utica (AHL).
With Hughes out of the equation, the Devils are able to comfortably roll six defenseman without having an odd-man out. In net, Jake Allen is projected to get the start. Allen played wonderfully against Edmonton stopping 22-of-23 and posting a 1.80 goals saved above expected. He is up to a 0.908 save percentage and 13.67 goals saved above expected on the year.
Meanwhile, there is not a team that has it worse than the Canucks right now. Vancouver snapped their 11-game losing streak against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. The Canucks are now 2-11-2 over their last 15 games. Over that 15 game stretch, they are allowing a staggering 4.4 goals per game. To add to the recent struggles, on the year, their power play ranks 21st and their penalty kill dead-last.
The Canucks have been missing several bodies throughout the season. Filip Chytil, Derek Forbort, and Thatcher Demko are all on injured reserve. Marco Rossi, a key piece in the Quinn Hughes trade to Minnesota, is listed as day-to-day. With Demko out, Vancouver have been relying on a goaltending duo of Kevin Lankinen and Jiri Patera. Lankinen, despite the 0.887 save percentage, has stopped 6.21 goals above expected this season. Patera has only appeared in one game.
Projected Lineup
Devils
Forwards
Meier – Hughes – Bratt
Palat – Hischier – Mercer
Gritsyuk – Glass – Hämeenaho
Dadonov – Cotter – Brown
Defensemen
Siegenthaler – Pesce
Dillon – Hamilton
Nemec – Kovacevic
Goalies
Allen
Markström
Canucks
Forwards
Kane – El. Pettersson – DeBrusk
O’Connor – Kampf – Boeser
Ohgren – Blueger – Garland
Hoglander – Sasson – Karlsson
Defensemen
Buium – Hronek
En. Pettersson – Myers
M. Pettersson – Willander
Goalies
Lankinen
Patera
What To Watch For
The “Fourth” Line
The Devils have been rolling Arseny Gristyuk, Cody Glass, and Lenni Hämeenaho as a line since Hämeenaho’s entrance into the lineup against Calgary on Monday. Through these first two games, that line has been by far the best on the team:
- Shots Attempts: 18-7
- Shots: 13-5
- Scoring Chances: 10-0
- High-Danger Chances: 4-0
- Expected Goals For Percentage: 83.10%
The only issue regarding the above is the line has only played 13:29 together. Against a very poor Vancouver defense, it would not be surprising to see the trio light up the scoresheet Friday night.
Vancouver Defensive Disaster
Vancouver has been a mess defensively all season. The 3.64 goals they allow per game is by far the worst mark in the league (Anaheim ranks second at 3.52). The metrics back this up as five-on-five they are allowing the fourth-most expected goals per 60 minutes. On the penalty kill, which ranks dead last, they are allowing the sixth-most expected goals per 60 minutes.
Against a Devils team that has had such a time putting the puck in the back of the net, this game against Vancouver should afford New Jersey an opportunity to breakout. The Devils also catch a break as Thatcher Demko is once again hurt. He stopped 25-of-26 against New Jersey in Vancouver’s 2-1 win on December 14.
Where To Watch
Friday night’s game is set for a 10:00 pm ET puck drop in Vancouver and can be seen on MSG SportsNet.