Match-up - New Jersey Devils (19-18-9) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (21-20-5) Road/Home records - 9-12-3 -------------- 14-10-1 TV - MSG, Leafs TV Puck drop - 7:00 PM ET Season series - Maple Leafs lead 1-0 Last 10: Devils 5-3-2 / Maple Leafs 4-4-2 Projected starting goalies - Cory Schneider vs Jonathan Bernier
Projected lines for the Maple Leafs:
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel Mason Raymond - Nazem Kadri - Joffrey Lupul Nikolai Kulemin - Jay McClemment - David Clarkson Jerry D'Amigo - Carter Ashton - Colton Orr
Carl Gunnarsson - Dion Phaneuf Cody Franson - Tim Gleason Morgan Rielly - Jake Gardiner
Injuries: Dave Bolland.
Projected lines for the Devils:
Dainius Zubrus - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Ryan Clowe - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder Ryan Carter - Stephen Gionta - Steve Bernier Reid Boucher - Andrei Loktionov - Mike Sislo
Andy Greene - Mark Fayne Eric Gelinas - Marek Zidlicky Bryce Salvador - Anton Volchenkov
Injuries: Pete Harrold, Damien Brunner, Patrik Elias.
Game notes:
- The Maple Leafs have been playing terrible hockey all year and it's finally catching up to them. Randy Carlyle has refused to alter the system or style of play and as a result they have four regulation wins in their last 31 games. They're a talented team, but due to a poor system, bad personnel management and their goaltending coming back down to earth, things probably won't look up for Toronto until a coaching change is made. The Devils need points and since November 1st the Leafs have been a bottom-3 team in the league. New Jersey needs to take advantage of Toronto while they're struggling so badly.
- New Jersey often out chances their opponents, but due to a lack of established goal scorers they don't always get the results they want. No team in the league allows as many shots in the league as Toronto, so I expect the Devils to out chance Toronto by a pretty good margin again today. Whether they win or not remains to be seen, but they'll get their chances.
- One key for the Devils today: stay out of the box. The Leafs' power play is very effective so parading to the box probably won't end well for the Devils. If they stay disciplined and keep things 5 vs 5, New Jersey should win this game.
- Former Devil David Clarkson is really, really struggling to make an impact in Toronto. He has just eight points on the year and only three in his last 20 games.
- Ryane Clowe has points in three straight games, four of his last six and has a couple fights in that span, as well. He's playing some good hockey right now and is definitely making his presence felt in the lineup. If he can stay healthy, he should be a pretty good player for the Devils. An upgrade over David Clarkson, for sure.
- Michael Ryder enters tonight's game having scored in four straight games. He also has seven points in his last seven games and 11 goals in his last 19, so he's sizzling hot right now. He's been shooting the puck a ton of late, and when you have a shot like he does it usually leads to good things. If he keeps putting pucks on net, he'll continue to score.
- Adam Henrique has quietly put up seven points in his last eight games. He's looked really good centering Ryder and Clowe, so I think we'll continue to see a lot more of that line.
- The Devils have points in 10 of the last 13 games. Two of the three games they failed to record a point in were against Chicago.
- Cory Schneider is playing excellent right now and he'll start his third consecutive game as a result. The Devils have been great in the 2nd half of back-to-backs this year, so perhaps they'll score a few goals for Schneider and continue that trend.
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