Match-up - New Jersey Devils (22-19-11) @ St. Louis Blues (35-11-5) Road/Home records - 10-13-5 -------------- 17-6-3 TV - MSG Plus, FS-MW Puck drop - 8:00 p.m. ET Season series - Devils lead 1-0 Last 10: Devils 5-2-3 / Blues 6-4-0 Projected starting goalies - Cory Schneider vs Jaroslav Halak
Projected lines for the Blues:
Jaden Schwartz - David Backes - Alex Steen Chris Stewart - Patrik Berglund - TJ Oshie Derek Roy - Vladimir Sobotka - Vladimir Tarasenko Brendan Morrow - Maxim Lapierre - Ryan Reaves
Alex Pietrangelo - Jay Bouwmeester Kevin Shattenkirk - Barrett Jackman Ian Cole - Roman Polak
Projected lines for the Devils:
Jacob Josefson - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Dainius Zubrus - Patrik Elias - Damien Brunner Ryan Clowe - Adam Henrique - Michael Ryder Ryan Carter - Stephen Gionta - Steve Bernier
Andy Greene - Mark Fayne Bryce Salvador - Marek Zidlicky Anton Volchenkov - Eric Gelinas
Injuries: Pete Harrold.
Game notes:
- The Devils better be prepared to play tonight because the Blues are going to come out flying. Having been embarrassed by New Jersey last week in Newark, the Blues are going to be looking to return the favor. If the Devils can weather the storm and ideally stay within a goal of St. Louis after the 1st period, they should be fine.
- A couple big changes since the last time these teams met: Jaroslav Halak will start, and Vladimir Tarasenko will be back in the lineup. Elliott was exposed by the Devils pretty early last week, so Ken Hitchcock's hope will be that history doesn't repeat itself.
As for Tarasenko, he gives an already deep and fast Blues team more speed and skill. He's really starting to come into his own as he has 17 goals and 31 points in 49 games this season. Tarasenko is just another big play threat the Devils have to worry about.
- The Devils certainly didn't help their own cause with bad pinches and turnovers against the Rangers on Sunday, but one reason that kept occurring is the Rangers' team speed. Alain Vigneault made some adjustments after the 1st period that allowed Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, and all their speedsters to go off on the Devils and cause havoc in the final two periods. Hitchcock will have seen the tape, so Pete DeBoer and the coaching staff best have made some adjustments preparing for this game.
- Eric Gelinas sat earlier this season when his defensive play went downhill, and it's starting to again. He's looked uncomfortable in his own zone of late and seems to be forcing passes that aren't there. He needs to keep things simple and just bank the puck off the boards up to the winger if he has to, because his turnovers have been costly.
- Jaden Schwartz is a player I have a lot of time for and is a guy that scares the heck out of me. He's fast, skilled and extremely smart, which is a helluva combination that not many players have. Against New Jersey his line was the only line that generated any kind of offense, and he made an excellent play to Steen setting up the Blues only goal that game. The Devils will need to stick to him like glue because if he is given any kind of time or space, he's going to make something happen.
- Cory Schneider is expected to get the nod in goal after Martin Brodeur's poor showing in the Stadium Series game. Schneider has been the Devils best goaltender and ranks among the top-5 in save percentage, goals against average and shutouts so he deserves this start. He might see a lot of pucks, especially in the 1st period while the Devils get settled, so he'll need to be on his game for the Devils to have a chance.
- Ryane Clowe has 11 points in his last 10 games, Jaromir Jagr has points in four straight (two goals, four assists) and Travis Zajac has points in three consecutive games (one goal, three assists).
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- I recently posted my midseason rankings for the top-30 first-year NHL draft eligible players from the OHL. You can view that here.
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