Match-up - New Jersey Devils (7-8-5) @ Anaheim Ducks (15-6-2) Road/Home records - 3-6-3 -------------- 8-0-0 TV - MSG Plus, FS-W Puck drop - 10:00 PM ET Season series - 0-0 Last 10: Devils 6-3-1 / Ducks 5-3-2 Projected starting goalies - Martin Brodeur v. Jonas Hiller
Goals for/against per game
Anaheim - 3.09/2.48 New Jersey - 2.10/2.25
Power play/Penalty Kill
Anaheim - 11.5%/76.4% New Jersey - 16.2%/86.8%
Projected lines for the Ducks (courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com):
Dustin Penner - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry Matt Beleskey - Nick Bonino - Teemu Selanne Kyle Palmieri - Mathieu Perrault - Emerson Etem Devante Smith-Pelly - Andrew Cogliano - Daniel Winnik
Francois Beauchemin - Luca Sbisa Cam Fowler - Ben Lovejoy Bryan Allen - Hampus Lindholm
Notable injuries: Jakob Silfverberg, Sheldon Souray, Saku Koivu.
Projected lines for the Devils:
Dainius Zubrus - Travis Zajac - Jaromir Jagr Damien Brunner - Patrik Elias - Michael Ryder Adam Henrique - Andrei Loktionov - Steve Bernier Ryan Carter - Stephen Gionta - Cam Janssen
Andy Greene - Marek Zidlicky Eric Gelinas - Adam Larsson Peter Harrold - Mark Fayne
Notable injuries: Ryane Clowe, Bryce Salvador, Anton Volchenkov, Jon Merrill.
Some notes:
- The Devils are going to have their hands full tonight. Anaheim enters this game on a four-game losing streak after a poor road trip, and they'll be looking to get back on track with some home cooking. The Ducks are undefeated on home ice this season while the Devils have struggled quite a bit on the road. Pete DeBoer's squad will have to bring their A game if they hope to grind out a win tonight and get back to .500.
- Cory Schneider is more familiar with west coast teams than Brodeur is, but I think DeBoer made the right call giving No. 30 the nod in goal. Brodeur has been incredible over his last seven starts winning six games and allowing just eight goals over that span. Go with the hot hand.
- Schneider hasn't been getting much goal support this year and I think one reason is due to his puck-handling. Brodeur is remarkably better in that aspect of the game and his ability to play the puck has helped the Devils a lot in exiting the zone and jump starting the rush.
- The Devils spectacular penalty killing has been a big reason for the Devils' success of late. They've killed off 17 of 18 over the last four games and 25 of their last 27 overall. If they can keep that going against a Ducks PP unit that has struggled, they should be able to at least keep it close.
- New Jersey's power play has cooled down after a nice little hot streak, but they'll have a good opportunity to get back on track tonight. Anaheim's penalty killing has been less than mediocre this season as they've killed just over 76% of their penalties and are 4th last in the NHL.
- Travis Zajac will be given all he can handle and more tonight. If DeBoer has his way, Zajac will line up opposite side Ryan Getzlaf more often than not. If Zajac can keep Getzlaf and his linemates off the scoresheet, the Devils will probably win this game.
- Speaking of Zajac, he has been playing great defensive hockey all season, but he now seems to be finding his groove offensively as well. No. 19 has points in three of his last four games.
- Also heating up: Dainius Zubrus and Andy Greene. Zubrus has four points in his last four games and Greene has four points in his last five. If these two can continue to chip in it will go a long way towards winning more hockey games than not.
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