After a long layoff the New Jersey Devils are back in action tonight as they visit the Shark Tank to take on Pete DeBoer and the San Jose Sharks.
The Devils were in the playoff hunt for much of the season but that no longer holds true as they've dropped eight of their last 10 games and lost star goaltender Cory Schneider in the process.
Meanwhile the Sharks are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and have quietly won 18 of 27 (a 54-win pace) and are only three points back of the scorching hot Anaheim Ducks for top spot in the Pacific Division.
This game holds a lot of meaning for the Sharks in the standings while the Devils' season is all but officially over as they'd have to go 11-2-2, which is not happening, to have ~60% of getting in.
Don't be surprised if the Sharks roll in this one.
LINEUPS Kennedy - Henrique - Smith-Pelly Boucher - Zajac - Palmieri Blandisi - Kalinin - Sislo Farnham - Gionta - Tootoo
Greene - Larsson Moore - Schlemko Helgeson - Severson
Kinkaid
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Hertl - Thornton - Pavelski Nieto - Couture - Ward Spaling - Marleau - Donskoi Zubrus - Tierney - Karlsson
Vlasic - Braun Martin - Burns Dillon - Polak
Jones
Notes
1) The San Jose Sharks rank 1st in the league controlling 56.2% of high-danger scoring chances at 5 v 5. The Devils rank 20th in that regard controlling ~48%.
2) Jon Merrill has not been good this season but his play hit a new low last time out. As a result Seth Helgeson will take his spot in the lineup. If he performs adequately he could very well hold down a spot for a while.
3) A rough start against Pittsburgh definitely hurt his numbers but, as a whole, Keith Kinkaid has had a rough year posting a .902SV% in 15 games. If he doesn't step up down the stretch the Devils will be closer to a lottery pick than a playoff spot.
The game is at 10:30 eastern and can be seen on MSG+ and CSN-CA.
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