After falling 4-2 to the Dallas Stars Saturday night, the New Jersey Devils (31-21-6, 3rd Metropolitan) will face the Nashville Predators (20-28-7, 7th Central) in the second leg of a back-to-back coming out of the 4 Nations Face-off.

Overview

Both teams have played one game since regular season play resumed and both teams played last night, so they’ll be equal on energy. The Devils beat the Predators 5-2 last time they played on November 25 thanks to a natural hat trick from Nico Hischier.

Saturday night was a tough loss for New Jersey. They dominated possession at five-on-five and held the Stars to 21 shots to their 30. Casey DeSmith proved to be the difference-maker in net, earning a .939 save percentage. While most of the Devils’ offense couldn’t decode DeSmith, Jack Hughes scored both Devils goals after his 4 Nations stint. Nico Hischier and Erik Haula made their returns to the lineup, but Jacob Markstrom and Jonas Siegenthaler are still out of action for now. New Jersey will look to rebound against a bottom-feeding Predators squad.

The Predators, on the other hand, are coming off a 2-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche. Jusse Saros put the team on his back, holding the Avalanche to just one goal on 31 shots. The Predators’ offense slowed to a crawl in the final two periods, putting eight shots on net. Jonathan Marchessault scored the game-winner on one of two shots in the third period for Nashville. They’ll look for a stronger performance on the scorecard tonight.

Lines and Pairings

Devils-

Forwards

Palat-Hughes-Bratt

Meier-Hischier-Noesen

Cotter-Haula-Mercer

Tatar-Lazar-Bastian

Defense

Dillion-Hamilton

Pesce-Kovacevic

Hughes-Nemec

Goalies

Allen

Daws

Predators-

Forwards

Forsberg-O’Reilly-Marchessault

Stamkos-Svechkov-Nyqvist

Jankowski-Novak-Evangelista

Smith-McCarron-Sissons

Defense

Josi-Barron

Skjei-Blankenburg

Englund-Schenn

Goalies

Saros

Annunen

Keys to the Game

Hughes Took Notes

Much can be said about Jack Hughes’ performance at the 4 Nations Face-off but one thing is certain: he learned a lot. He scored both of New Jersey’s goals and looked great in his return to regular action, notching a 66.07 Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and earning a 1.52 Game Score.

Hughes’ tournament was a mixed bag. He made plenty of great plays that didn’t end up in the back of the net and played well against Finland but also committed a few untimely turnovers. But these were the fastest and highest-energy games Hughes has ever had to play, a great experience for the 23-year-old.

Hughes was able to slow last night’s game down in comparison, leading to his stellar play. He’s playing playoff-level hockey with a good chunk of the regular season to go. Look for Hughes to make an impact again tonight.

Hischier and Haula Rusty in Return

The Devils faced a crisis at the center position when Nico Hischier and Erik Haula went down before the break and their return was welcome news. But neither of them has shaken off the cobwebs just yet. Neither of their lines played well.

Hischier was serviceable but not spectacular. He also got his pocket picked for a Stars goal. Haula was a plain liability, notching a CF% of 33.00 and an expected goal percentage (xG%) of 11.00. If Hischier and Haula can get back to form, the Devils’ top nine will be in much better shape.

Where to Watch

Tonight’s game can be seen on MSGSN at 6:00 pm ET.