With a 16-8-1 record, the New Jersey Devils continue their four-game homestand tonight against the 11-9-5 Columbus Blue Jackets.
On Saturday, the Devils suffered their first home regulation loss of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers, bringing an impressive stretch to an end.
Despite the setback, the team tied their franchise record for most consecutive home games without a regulation loss [10], showcasing their dominance at home.
New Jersey leads the Metropolitan Division with 33 points. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets come into tonight struggling, having lost four straight games to the Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Their last win was on November 20th, adding pressure to turn things around.
Adding another storyline to tonight, defenseman Brenden Dillon will be playing the 1,000th game of his career—a significant milestone for the undrafted 35-year-old, who was emotional ahead of the game.
He told NJD.tv how he felt about the milestone in advance.
“I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Dillon said. “I love being a hockey player every day.”
In addition to player milestones, both teams are dealing with several injuries as they prepare for tonight's matchup. The lists of injured players are below.
Devils:
J. Hughes (finger)
MacEwen (lower-body)
Dadonov (undisclosed)
Pesce (upper-body)
Kovacevic (knee)
McLaughlin (undisclosed)
Blue Jackets:
Marchenko (upper-body)
Olivier (upper-body)
Gudbranson (hip, IR)
Jenner (upper-body, IR)
Who to Watch:
For the Devils, several players are worth watching. Simon Nemec has been on a hot streak, making history as the fifth defenseman to have six or more goals in a single season. Nico Hischier is on a five-game point streak, and Jesper Bratt has 471 assists, one short of tying franchise history for seventh place.
Columbus’s Zach Werenski has eight points in the last nine games, leading in assists (15) and points (24).
Looking at the season series, this is the second meeting of the two teams. The season’s first matchup was on October 13th, when the Devils edged out a 3-2 win. Two more meetings remain—one on December 31 and another on February 3.
Puck drops at 7 PM as both teams seek a win.
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