The New Jersey Devils (28-25-2) will return home on Tuesday to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets (27-20-7) in the final stretch before the Olympic break.
Game Overview
New Jersey comes into Tuesday night’s Metropolitan Division showdown looking to bounce back after a disappointing performance in Ottawa. The Devils only managed to score once in Saturday night’s loss, despite going against one of the league’s weakest goaltenders in Linus Ullmark. New Jersey will most likely once again be without star forward Jack Hughes, as he deals with a lower-body injury.
The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, will come into the Prudential Center as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Columbus currently carries a five-game win streak and has gone 9-1-0 in their last 10 games. Leading the way recently is star defenseman Zach Werenski, who leads all blue liners in goals and points. The 28-year-old will get his final tune-up before he heads off to Milan to play for Team USA.
The last time these two teams met was on New Year’s Eve, where New Jersey had their only multi-goal comeback win this season. The Devils netted three goals in the opening five minutes of the third period to erase a 2-0 Blue Jackets lead and hang on to win 3-2. In total, the Devils are 2-1-0 against Columbus this season and will look to take the season series with a win Tuesday night.
Lines
Devils
Forwards
Meier-Glass-Brown
Gritsyuk-Hischier-Hameenaho
Bratt-Cotter-Mercer
Lammikko-Glendening-Tsyplakov
Defense
Siegenthaler-Kovacevic
Pesce-Hamilton
Dillon-Nemec
Goalies
Markstrom
Allen
Blue Jackets
Forwards
Marchment-Fantilli-Lundestrom
Voronkov-Monahan-Johnson
Sillinger-Coyle-Olivier
Heinen-Jenner-Wood
Defense
Werenski-Severson
Provorov-Mateychuk
Zamula-Gudbranson
Goalies
Greaves
Merzlikins
Keys to the Game
Get the Offense Going
Over the past two months, the Devils’ offense has been completely silent. Throughout this rough two-month stretch, the Devils have seen their goals-for drop to last in the Eastern Conference, while only scoring more than three goals in a game six times in the last two months.
With only two games left until the Olympic break, the Blue Jackets may be the team the Devils can strike against. Columbus sits in the bottom half of the league in both goals against and penalty kill, giving the Devils a chance to pile on some goals.
Shining Rookies
Throughout this disappointing season, two rookies have been a major bright spot for the Devils’ offense. Arseny Gritsyuk and Lenni Hämeenaho have added a much-needed jolt to the Devils’ forward core. Gritsyuk had high expectations from the start of the season and has not disappointed, with nine goals and 23 points so far this year.
Hämeenaho, on the other hand, had no expectations to be a full-time NHLer at the beginning of the year. However, ever since his call-up in the middle of January, he has been impossible to take out of the lineup. In his seven games this year, Hämeenaho has already worked himself into a top-six role with two goals and four points. Gritsyuk and Hämeenaho will both look to get the Devils’ offense rolling against the Blue Jackets.
Where To Watch
Tuesday night’s game is slated for a 7:00 pm ET puck drop at the Prudential Center. The game will be televised on MSG SportsNet.