Match-up - Chicago Blackhawks (18-8-1) @ New Jersey Devils (11-13-4) Road/Home records - 9-5-0 -------------- 3-4-3 TV - MSG+, CSN-CH Puck drop - 7:00 p.m. ET Season series - 0-0 Last 10 - Chicago: 9-1-0 ------- New Jersey: 3-5-2 Projected starting goalies - Scott Darling vs Keith Kinkaid
Projected lines for the Blackhawks via DailyFaceoff.com:
Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews - Marian Hossa Kris Versteeg - Brad Richards - Patrick Kane Bryan Bickell - Andrew Shaw - Patrick Sharp Dan Carcillo - Marcus Kruger - Ben Smith
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook Niklas Hjalmarsson - Johnny Oduya Klas Dahlbeck - Michal Roszival
Injured: Trevor van Riemsdyk, Corey Crawford.
Projected lines for the Devils:
Reid Boucher - Scott Gomez - Jaromir Jagr Tuomo Ruutu - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder Martin Havlat - Jacob Josefson - Mike Sislo Jordin Tootoo - Stephen Gionta - Steve Bernier
Andy Greene - Damon Severson Jon Merrill - Marek Zidlicky Eric Gelinas - Pete Harrold
Injured: Travis Zajac, Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus, Mike Cammalleri, Martin Havlat, Ryane Clowe, Bryce Salvador.
Game notes:
- Playing the Blackhawks is never easy, but the way the schedule lined up the Devils seem to have caught them at the worst possible time. Chicago is firing on all cylinders right now and have won nine of their last 10 games. Not only that, but they've dominated several of those games and they're getting one of their best players back tonight in Patrick Sharp. On top of all else, New Jersey is undermanned and played a grind-it-out-type game in Carolina last night, while the Blackhawks sat back with their popcorn. I think the Devils may be able to keep it close for a while, but it's going to be very tough to get a win tonight.
- Scott Gomez and Jaromir Jagr were good together almost a decade in New York, and they seem to picking up where they left off now. Both Jagr (1G, 1A) and Gomez (2A) recorded a pair of points and created several chances during last night's 2-1 win. The Devils are starved for offense right now so they'll have to continue producing
- Speaking of Jagr, he leads the Devils with 17 points. Six Blackhawks have at least 17 points, and you can bet Sharp would be in that group if he didn't miss 14 games due to injury. If New Jersey's team defense isn't perfect they're going to get torched.
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