The All-Star break is finally over and the New Jersey Devils (24-20-3) return to the ice. It was a good reset for the team, as they dropped five of their last seven games. The injuries mounted up but there is optimism moving forward.
Returning to Prudential Center for the first time since moving on, is long time Devil Miles Wood. Also, Zach Parise is set to skate in his second game with the Avalanche after signing with them.
The Colorado Avalanche (32-14-4) come to town, after playing last night before against the New York Rangers in an overtime loss. It is a tough test right out of the gate but the second half of the season begins and a push for the playoffs is in full swing.
Match Overview
This is the second and final time that the Devils will meet up against the Avalanche. Colorado has been red hot as of late, out-scoring opponents 18-7 on their three-game win streak to close out the break before their loss last night.
The Devils will want to have a better showing than the first meeting. The Avalanche defeated New Jersey 6-3 in a game that featured strong special teams play from both teams. In that meeting, Colorado’s big guns took control of the game. Nathan MacKinnon (two points), Cale Makar (three points) and Mikko Rantanen (two goals, three points) paved the way for their success.
Healthy bodies are returning for the club. Jack Hughes, Brendan Smith, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Tomas Nosek have all been skating and Nosek is expected to join the lineup with Hughes getting very close. That will be a huge boost for the Devils that need healthy bodies to return to the team
Projected Lineup
Colorado Avalanche
Forwards
Drouin-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Wood-Colton-O’Connor
Lehkonen-Johansen-Parise
Cogliano-Olofsson-Kiviranta
Defense
Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
Byram-Johnson
Goalies
Annunen
Georgiev
New Jersey Devils
Forwards
Palat-Hischier-Bratt
Toffoli-Haula-Mercer
Meier-Lazar-Bastian
Tierney-Nosek-Holtz
Defense
Bahl-Nemec
Hughes-Marino
Hatakka-Miller
Goalie
Vanecek
Daws
What to Watch For
Devils Needing A Fast Start
Slow starts have been a notable trend for the Devils during the 2023-24 season. The team has managed to dig themselves out of some holes early but it is something that has bit them more often than not. In 47 games played this season, the Devils have allowed the first goal 34 times.
The long break is great to reset and recover but sometimes can lead to rust. The Devils will want to avoid that, especially against the high-flying Avalanche offense. This season, the Avalanche lead the league in goals scored (188) and have been one of the stronger teams during five-on-five play.
The Devils getting some healthy bodies back is huge but the team will need to come out flying, especially against a team playing the second of a back-to-back.
Neutralizing the Avalanche’s Top Line
The losses of Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin are big blows to the Avalanche offense. However, that has not slowed down the big guns on the team this season. Nathan MacKinnon is playing like a Hart Trophy frontrunner and Mikko Rantanen is his running mate. Pairing them alongside Jonathan Drouin has been great offensively. Safe to say, the Devils will need to display their best against this line and neutralize their open space.
How to Watch
Tonight’s puck drop is at 7:30 pm ET and can be found on ESPN+ and Hulu.