Match-up - New Jersey Devils (33-28-15) @ Carolina Hurricanes (34-32-11) Road/Home records - 13-18-8 -------------- 18-15-6 TV - MSG Plus 2, FS-CAR Puck drop - 7:00 p.m. ET Season series - Devils lead 2-1 Last 10: Devils 4-3-3 | Hurricanes 5-3-2 Projected starting goalies - Cory Schneider vs Anton Khudobin
Projected lines for the Hurricanes:
Eric Staal - Andrei Loktionov - Jiri Tlusty Nathan Gerbe - Jordan Staal - Alex Semin Jeff Skinner - Riley Nash - Elias Lindholm Radek Dvorak - Manny Malhotra - Pat Dwyer
Justin Faulk - Andrej Sekera Ron Hainsey - John-Michael Liles Jay Harrison - Brett Bellemore
Projected lines for the Devils:
*Questionable, won't know until close to game time
Tuomo Ruutu - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Adam Henrique* - Patrik Elias* - Damien Brunner Dainius Zubrus - Jacob Josefson* - Michael Ryder Ryan Carter - Tim Sestito - Steve Bernier
Andy Greene - Mark Fayne Anton Volchenkov - Marek Zidlicky Eric Gelinas - Adam Larsson Pete Harrold
Notes:
- The Hurricanes aren't a great 5 vs 5 team, and their special teams aren't overly good, either. If the Devils stick to their game plan and stay disciplined, they should be able to win this game.
- New Jersey lost three forwards due to injury last night, and there's been no word from the team on any of them when it comes to the severity. Pete DeBoer won't talk until a little before game time so your guess is as good as mine when it comes to line combinations.
- Pete DeBoer's favorite son, Pete Harrold, recorded a secondary assist last night, which should all but lock him into the lineup until the end of time. Expect Harrold to play a regular shift during even strength as well as on the power play. Harrold now has four(!) assists in 30 games this season.
- It took him a while to get going, but Andrei Loktionov is starting to produce on a consistent basis for the Hurricanes. He has eight points in his last nine games and is expected to center the top line tonight. It's amazing what opportunity and a little confidence will do for a player.
- Adam Larsson seems to be playing well since being recalled from Albany. Though the Devils dressed seven defenseman and he didn't play a ton, you could make an argument last night's game against Washington was Larsson's best in a while.
- Thanks to Chicago's regulation win over Columbus along with a Devils win of their own, New Jersey is just three points out of a playoff spot with five games to play. They still have a lot of work to do, but another win tonight puts them right there. Their playoff chances will go from about 14% to upwards of 30% if the Devils win tonight, according to SportsClubStats. That'll only increase if they get some help with a Leafs or Red Wings loss.
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