Match Overview
Tonight’s game will feature the New Jersey Devils – who have not played a regular-season game since Mach 10th of 2020 – and the Boston Bruins, who return to play for the first time since August when the team fell to the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the 2020 Playoffs. The teams, of course, are East Division opponents and this is game one of eight matchups this year. The teams will also face off this Saturday.
New Jersey Devils Preview
The New Jersey Devils are back after a 10-month-plus layoff. The team will have a lot of new faces as well. For the first time in a long time, the Devils will try to rely on a stout defense and solid goaltending to compete in the NHL’s toughest realigned division. New head coach Lindy Ruff also preached speed and quickness throughout training camp which is not only something that fits the team’s roster construction but something the Devils will have to do to keep up with other teams in the East.
As for personnel, of course, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will get the nod. This will be the theme for a large portion of this 56-game season. He will look to build on his stellar sophomore campaign where he registered a .915 save percentage and a 22-14-8 record. As for the rest of the lineup, the team did have a morning skate, but it was optional so we will have to wait until closer to puck drop for the complete lineup.
Boston Bruins Preview
The Boston Bruins were once again a terrific club last season, topping the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division title. And like last year, the Bruins are the team’s division favorites, which is huge praise given the strength of the division. However, this year’s Bruins squad will look different, especially on defense. The team saw the departure of long-time captain Zdeno Chara and skilled defenseman Torey Krug. The team did bring in a solid middle-six forward in Craig Smith.
As for the Bruins personnel, Tukka Rask (26-8-6, .929 save percentage, 2.12 goals-against average) is still one of the best goaltenders in the league and he will be leaned on heavily given the state of the defense to begin the season. David Pastrnak is still recovering from a hip injury.
Tonight’s game will be at Prudential Center and is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.
Projected Devils’ Lines
Check back to our social media pages closer to puck drop for updates.
Projected Bruins’ Lines
Forwards:
- Marchand/Bergeron/Studnicka
- DeBrusk/Krejci/Kase
- Ritchie/Coyle/Smith
- Bjork/Kuraly/Wagner
Defense:
- Lauzon/McAvoy
- Grzelcyk/Carlo
- Zboril/Miller
Goalies:
- Rask (26-8-6, .929 Sv%, 2.12 GAA)
- Halak
What/Who to Watch
- As mentioned above, the Bruins’ defensive core is going to look a lot different. Both Chara and Krug played over 20-minutes each a night, that is a ton of time that will have to be replaced. The Bruins are going to rely on young players such as Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril who have only combined for 37 NHL games in their career. Matt Grzlcyk is a great candidate for a having a breakout season. Nonetheless, expect Boston to bleed a decent bit of chances until the defensive core gels. A great chance to see the Devils reported new scheme.
- Yegor Sharangovich has gone from a bottom-six AHL penalty-killer to a top KHL goal scorer to a top-six forward on an NHL team in less than a year. What a terrific ride for the Belarussian. There is no doubt all eyes will be on Sharangovich to see if he is the real deal. Given his stellar play in training camp and scrimmages, maybe the hype is not so overblown.
- As mentioned above, Lindy Ruff talked a lot about how he wants the Devils to play fast and up-tempo. Back when Ruff coached Dallas his teams were just that. From 2013-2017 Lindy Ruff’s Dallas Stars ranked top-three in the league in Corsi For per 60 (CF/60) and first in Expected Goals For per 60 (xGF/60). For a Devils team that has been at/near the bottom of the NHL in both of these categories for years, it would be a more than welcome sight to see the team generate more opportunities on a nightly basis. Now, Ruff does not have the talent he did in Dallas but implementing the correct system would be a start.
- The Bruins will be without star forward David Pastrnak but will still have the duo of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the team’s top line. This was arguably the top duo in the NHL last year. They posted a 58.21 Corse For % (CF%) and an Expected Goals For % (xGF%) of 59.38. Each is near the top in the NHL and are both terrific numbers. The Devils’ top defensive pairing of will certainly have their work cut out for them.
Tonight’s game can be seen on MSG+ at 7:00 PM.