Match-up - Dallas Stars (20-15-7) @ New Jersey Devils (17-18-9) Road/Home records - 11-9-2 -------------- 8-6-6 TV - FS-SW, MSG Plus Puck drop - 7:00 PM ET Season series - 0-0 Last 10: Stars 5-3-2 / Devils 4-3-3 Projected starting goalies - Kari Lehtonen vs Cory Schneider
Projected lines for the Stars:
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Rich Peverley Erik Cole - Cody Eakin - Valeri Nichushkin Ray Whitney - Vern Fiddler - Alex Chiasson Antoine Roussel - Shawn Horcoff - Ryan Garbutt
Alex Goligoski - Brendan Dillon Kevin Connauton - Sergei Gonchar Trevor Daley - Jordie Benn
Injuries: Stephane Robidas
Projected lines for the Devils:
* double shift center
Dainius Zubrus - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Ryan Clowe - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder Ryan Carter - Stephen Gionta - Steve Bernier Reid Boucher - * - Mike Sislo
Andy Greene - Mark Fayne Jon Merrill - Marek Zidlicky Bryce Salvador - Anton Volchenkov Eric Gelinas
Injuries: Pete Harrold, Damien Brunner, Patrik Elias.
Game notes:
- Due to a combination of off-season acquisitions, notably trading for Tyler Seguin and drafting Valeri Nichushkin, and the hiring of Lindy Ruff the Stars are a very good team. They're among the top-10 in terms of possessing the puck during 5 vs 5 play, and only the Blackhawks, Blues and Ducks score more often during 5 vs 5 play. They have struggled pretty badly in special teams, so the Devils will need to take advantage of that.
- Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have been among the most dynamic and consistent duos in the NHL this season. They have combine for a nice mix of speed, skill, goal scoring ability and power. Not many teams have been able to shut them down this season, but that's the task at hand for the Devils tonight. I expect they'll see a lot of Travis Zajac and Andy Greene.
- Eric Gelinas will return to the lineup tonight while Andrei Loktionov is expected to sit. I'm all for putting Gelinas back in, but I'm not sold on the idea of seven defenseman. Sure, Gelinas could play forward if he had to but I like him better on the backend, especially with his shot. I also liked the way the Boucher - Loktionov - Sislo line had been playing so taking Loktionov out of the lineup doesn't make much sense.
- Michael Ryder has quietly turned into a consistent offensive threat for the Devils. He now has 14 goals on the year, five points in his last five and has recorded at least a point in seven of the last 10 games. I wonder if he'll continue to produce going up against one of his former teams. He fared pretty well when playing against Montreal.
- Cory Schneider is 5-3-0 with a 2.39 goals against average and .926 save percentage against the Stars in his career. He's won just five games in 19 starts despite posting solid numbers that stand above Martin Brodeur's. Perhaps he'll get his 6th win of the season tonight.
- I will miss my 5th game of the season tonight, the 4th of which has been to scout an OHL game. The Devils are 3-0-0 when I scout an OHL game and 3-1-0 as a whole when I miss their games.
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