The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (15-20-6) versus the New York Islanders (26-12-Three). SBN Weblog: Lighthouse Hockey.
The Time: 7:00 PM
The Broadcast: TV – MSG
The Cursed Jerseys Return: It’s a Retro Night time tonight at The Rock, which suggests they’re sporting white, crimson, and inexperienced at residence. Because the group tends to carry out quite poorly when sporting the throwbacks, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see what they do towards the Islanders tonight. Of their first matchup this yr, the Devils beat the Islanders. In that sport, the Devils have been carried by the goaltending of MacKenzie Blackwood, a slap shot aim by P.K. Subban, and a depraved aim in entrance of the online by Nico Hischier.
Damage(/Sickness) Report: The Devils, regardless of initially calling the accidents to Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt “day-to-day”, haven’t but had both of them return to observe. Nevertheless, interim head coach Alain Nasreddine gave an replace for them yesterday:
With Jack, nonetheless day-to-day, however it’s possibly taking just a little longer than anticipated. It’s nothing actual main, however he wants just a little bit extra time. With [Bratt], he tried it this morning earlier than all people, so we’ll have a greater replace tomorrow morning.
Extra regarding for the Devils’ hopes of victory tonight is MacKenzie Blackwood’s sickness. Blackwood solely practiced for a half hour, as he wasn’t feeling properly sufficient to do a full observe. Nasreddine additionally said that he would be capable of know extra about that state of affairs right this moment.
Drained and Tiring Opponent: The Islanders are on the second half of a back-to-back tonight, as they beat Colorado 1-Zero final night time. Semyon Varlamov bought the shutout, whereas Anders Lee scored the lone aim assisted by Devon Toews and Michael Dal Colle. Nevertheless, it was not a deserved win for the Islanders, as Pure Stat Trick had them at simply over half of Colorado’s even anticipated targets for share (xGF%), whereas their Corsi for share (CF%) dropped to 37.eight%. Colorado additionally bought the higher of the Islanders in high quality of possibilities, however Varlamov made eight excessive hazard saves, to only three by Colorado’s goaltender. On Natural Stat Trick, I seen that Colorado, nevertheless, shot to precisely the place the Islanders enable probably the most pictures – straight across the web and on the corners of the purpose.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19581327/20192020_20661_5v5.png)
And right here is the Islanders’ pictures allowed map at five-on-five for the season:
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19581340/download.png)
Contemplating the Devils’ struggles with the idea of offensive zone possession and biking, I don’t count on lots of pictures within the slot from them tonight aside from off the frenzy. If Colorado had bother moving into these areas, than the Devils are going to wish to take targets like those that they had from Subban and Hischier final matchup – both hope for a shot that makes it by means of, or drive the online. I might count on Sami Vatanen and P.K. Subban to take lots of pictures this sport.
The Goaltenders: If MacKenzie Blackwood finally ends up lacking this sport with an sickness, I might count on Louis Domingue, who’s presently 1-Four-Zero this season with a .862 save share and Four.15 targets towards common. He hasn’t performed for the reason that December 13 matchup towards Colorado, the place he allowed two targets on 17 pictures and left the sport early with a decrease physique harm. I nonetheless assume Gilles Senn needs to be getting video games behind Blackwood, however that’s simply me. For what it’s value, Louis Domingue is Four-1-1 with the Binghamton Devils this season, with a .930 save share, 2.00 targets towards common, and a shutout. If Blackwood is able to go, he presently sits at a .908 save share and a pair of.83 targets towards common with an 14-11-5 file.
Since Semyon Varlamov performed final night time, count on Thomas Greiss to begin for the Islanders. In 18 begins and 19 appearances this season, Greiss has an 11-7-Zero file, .919 save share, and a pair of.58 targets towards common.
Struggling Travis Zajac: I want to spotlight a rising concern for the remainder of the season – Travis Zajac’s whole lack of offensive manufacturing since December. In 16 video games enjoying 17:42 of ice time per night time, Travis Zajac has two targets and two assists on 21 pictures. Whereas the offense doesn’t precisely play by means of him when he’s on the ice with Nikita Gusev, Zajac must up his scoring. He may nonetheless be capable of defend high strains, and his remoted impacts on pictures nonetheless bode properly for him shifting ahead, as he nonetheless impacts pictures on each ends considerably properly. At the moment, he’s on tempo for 26 factors, which might be his worst whole since 2014-15, when he had 25 factors in 74 video games. That was additionally when he performed over 19 minutes a sport, and he has seen a discount to round 17 minutes of ice time per sport this season. I believe he’s nonetheless able to reaching 35 or so factors this season – although I believe that relies upon most on his deployment underneath Nasreddine, and whether or not he will get onto an influence play unit in any respect for the remainder of the season. His linemates aren’t having bother getting on the scoresheet, so hopefully a few of these factors begin displaying up for him, too.
Your Ideas: What do you concentrate on tonight’s sport? Do you assume the Devils can win? Would you like them to win? If Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes can’t play tonight, who do you wish to see play? How do you assume Ben Street will do in his second sport with the NHL Devils? Who needs to be the backup goaltender? How ought to the Devils method the Islanders’ defensive technique tonight? Go away your ideas within the feedback under.