The final two games have arrived and today is Fan Appreciation Day at Prudential Center. With the division crown on the line, the New Jersey Devils (50-22-8) take on a desperate Buffalo Sabres team (39-32-7). Buffalo enters the second of a back-to-back scenario after playing the New York Rangers last night. Every two points matter for the Sabres, but it may be too late.
As for the Devils, there is much excitement and anticipation. After Luke Hughes signed his entry-level contract, head coach Lindy Ruff has said he will play one of the final two games. The two brothers could share the ice together for the first time. New Jersey will be without Michael McLeod who is undergoing further evaluation after taking a hit in the Bruins game.
Playoff Picture Update
The Devils now only trail the Carolina Hurricanes by one point in the Metropolitan Division standings. They also would hold the tiebreaker, so, if the Devils pick up at least one point on Carolina tonight, they’d be in first place and control their own destiny.
New Jersey also owns a magic number of only one point to clinch home ice in the playoffs over the third-place Rangers.
Projected Lineup
Buffalo Sabres –
Forwards
Skinner-Mittlestadt-Tuch
Greenway-Cozens-Thompson
Peterka-Jost-Quinn
Girgensons-Krebs-Okposo
Defense
Dahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Jokiharju
Stillman-Lyubushkin
Goalies
Levi
Luukkonen
New Jersey Devils –
Check the Devils social media pages prior to puck drop
What To Watch For
The Devils’ Power Play Unit
When it comes to play at five-on-five play, the Devils have been one of the top teams all season long. With the playoffs around the corner, one area the Devils will want to work on is the power play.
In the month of March, they scored nine goals on 35 opportunities. This final month, they’ve scored four goals on 14 opportunities. A missed opportunity with a four minute power play against Boston was crucial last game. The Devils rank 13th overall, but to get it going further would be ideal.
Tonight, they face a Sabres’ penalty kill unit that ranks 28th in the league. A perfect opportunity if they get the chance to work out the kinks.
The Sabres’ Offense
One thing to keep an eye on is the Sabres offensively. The club averages 3.59 goals per game and fifth overall in goals scored in all situations. With the club playing desperate hockey, they have relied heavily on their big guns. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner each have five points in their last five games. In addition, Dyal. Cozens has six and Rasmus Dahlin have seven.
Where To Watch
Tonight’s puck drop is at 7:00 pm ET and can be found on MSG.