Match-up - New Jersey Devils (2-0-0) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (2-0-1) Road/Home records - 2-0-0 -------------- 2-0-1 TV - MSG Plus, Sun Sports Puck drop - 7:30 p.m. ET Projected starting goalies - Cory Schneider vs Evgeni Nabokov
Projected lines for the Lightning:
Ondrej Palat - Steven Stamkos - Ryan Callahan Alex Killorn - Valtteri Filppula - Tyler Johnson Nikita Kucherov - Vladimir Namestnikov - J.T. Brown Brendan Morrow - Brian Boyle - Brett Connolly
Victor Hedman - Anton Stralman Jason Garrison - Radko Gudas Matt Carle - Eric Brewer
Projected lines for the Devils:
Mike Cammalleri - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Martin Havlat - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus Ryane Clowe - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder Tuomo Ruutu - Stephen Gionta - Jordin Tootoo
Andy Greene - Damon Severson Bryce Salvador - Marek Zidlicky Jon Merrill - Eric Gelinas
Expected scratches: Jacob Josefson, Damien Brunner and Adam Larsson.
Game notes:
- Steven Stamkos is an absolute beast. For my money he's the best goal scorer in the league. The thing with most goal scorers is once they get one, they go on a roll. Stamkos scored his first three of the season last night, so you can bet he's feeling pretty good about himself. The Devils will need to do two things to limit his damage 1) stay disciplined and; 2) keep their feet moving. If the defense gets caught flat footed he'll blow by them and generate a good scoring opportunity.
- Victor Hedman leads the NHL in scoring and has looked the part of a Norris candidate early on. The Devils need to make sure they account for him at all times. He may be the 2nd to Erik Karlsson in terms of the biggest offensive threats from the backend.
- Tampa Bay is loaded with weapons and will probably have a top-5 power play unit at year's end, so the Devils need to make sure they don't give them too many opportunities. Their 4th line alone accounted for five penalties against Florida. That can't happen again.
- The Devils are getting a bit of a break in that they're a) facing a tired team and; b) getting the backup goaltender. Evgeni Nabokov has been highly mediocre the last few seasons, so the Devils will need to continue to do what they've done so well in their first two games: get pucks and bodies to the net.
- New Jersey's defense has accounted for nine points through two games. Tampa Bay can score with the best of them, so the Devils will likely need those offensive contributions from the backend again tonight.
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