Match Overview

Tonight, the New Jersey Devils face off against the New York Islanders in the teams’ final game against each other. It is also their second matchup in a row. The Devils won the previous game against the Islanders in New York 2-1 just two days ago.

New Jersey have been red hot over their past six games, with a record of 5-1. Meanwhile the Islanders have been struggling in this recent stretch with a record of 2-2-2 in their last six. Overall, since giving up a first-round pick for former Devils Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac New York have gone an extremely disappointing 6-7-3.

Projected Devils’ Lines

Forwards

Kuokkanen – Hughes – Sharangovich

Zacha – Hischier – Bratt

Wood – McLeod – Bastian

Foote – Boqvist – Johnsson

Defense

Murray – Severson

Butcher – Siegenthaler

Bahl – Tennyson

Goalies

Blackwood

Wedgewood

Projected Islanders’ Lines

Forwards

Zajac – Barzal – Palmieri

Beauvillier – Nelson – Bailey

Johnston – Pageau – Whalstrom

Martin – Cizikas – Clutterbuck

Defense

Pelech – Pulock

Leddy – Mayfield

Coburn – Dobson

Goalies

Sorokin

Varlamov

What/Who to Watch

• Like I mentioned before, the Islanders haven’t been the best since they acquired Palmieri and Zajac from the Devils. But how have the players themselves done? Also, not great. Palmieri only has three points and one goal in 15 games and Zajac hasn’t been better. Only two points in 12 games for him.

• Devils’ leading point scorer Pavel Zacha is easily the most inconsistent player point production-wise on the team. He started the season pointless in his first four games. After this he went on a hot-streak scoring 15 points in his next 13 games. Then he had only five points in his next 17 games. Now in his previous 14 games he has 15 points. I really don’t know what to think about Zacha, but he seems to be at least scoring the points so maybe the Devils can sell high this summer and get something good in return.

Tonight’s Devils game is on MSG+2 at 7 PM EST.