The Devils will look to earn their second win of the season in Elmont, New York, Friday night.
The New Jersey Devils will play their first road game of the 2023-24 campaign when they face the New York Islanders at UBS Arena Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 P.M.
The Devils earned a 1-2-0 record versus the Islanders last season. Winger Tyler Toffoli enters tonight's contest with at least a point in his previous four games versus New York, while Dawson Mercer has earned four points in seven career games versus tonight's opponent.
Devils @ Islanders - UBS Arena
The Devils will look to jump back into the win column tonight after suffering back-to-back losses to the Arizona Coyotes (4-3 SO) and Florida Panthers (4-3). Sluggish starts have been the team's Achilles' heel, as they have given up the first goal in their previous three games.
When head coach Lindy Ruff spoke with the media on Thursday afternoon, he did not sound confident that Erik Haula (upper body) and Tomas Nosek (lower body) would be available to play versus the Islanders. Their absence could mean an opportunity for Chris Tierney, who has been serving as the team's extra forward.
After the club's Thursday practice, Tierney spoke to Devils reporters about what he wants to bring to the lineup if he gets the nod.
"Try to bring some energy. Whenever you get in the lineup, and obviously if you're in the bottom six, I think you want to go out and create energy for the team. Just moving my feet and getting on pucks quick. Try to win puck battles and helping out wherever I can."
- Per the media notes, The Devils enter tonight's game as one of three teams (St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars) in the NHL that have yet to score a goal in the first period of play for 2023-24. Overall, the Devils were outshot 39-22 in the first period of play for the 2023-24 campaign.
- Ruff has tallied 99 career regular-season wins as New Jersey's bench boss and needs one more victory for 100 career wins with the Devils.
- Jesper Bratt is entering tonight's game on a two-game goal streak and a two-game assist streak. He has collected five points in his last two contests. Additionally, Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes are on respective three-game point streaks.
- Ex-Devil Kyle Palmieri has earned seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last three meetings versus New Jersey, dating back to Apr. 3, 2022.
Projected Lineup
New Jersey:
Tyler Toffoli - Jack Hughes - Timo Meier
Ondrej Palat - Nico Hischier - Jesper Bratt
Dawson Mercer - Michael McLeod -Alexander Holtz
Chris Tierney - Curtis Lazar - Nathan Bastian
Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton
Kevin Bahl - John Marino
Luke Hughes - Brendan Smith
Vitek Vanecek/Akira Schmid
*The Devils did not hold a morning skate. Ruff will meet with the media at 5:15 P.M.
New York:
Mathew Barzal - Bo Horvat - Simon Holmstrom
Pierre Engvall - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri
Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Hudson Fasching
Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech - Noah Dobson
Alexander Romanov - Ryan Pulock
Samuel Bolduc - Sebastian Aho
Ilya Sorokin
*The Islanders held an optional morning skate. Per THN's Stefen Rosner, participants included Horvat, Barzal, Wahlstrom, Gauthier, Engvall, Holmstrom, Nelson, Cizikas, Aho, Bolduc, Mayfield, Dobson, Romanov, Sorokin, and Varlamov.
Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be broadcast on MSGSN. Bill Spaulding will handle play-by-play alongside analyst Ken Daneyko and host Erika Wachter. Fans can also listen on the Devils Hockey Network with Matt Loughlin on play-by-play and color analyst Chico Resch.
Player to Watch: New Jersey's Projected Third Line
I'm switching things up for this game. With Haula expected to be out of the lineup, McLeod is projected to be bumped up to center the team's third line alongside youngsters Mercer and Holtz.
Last season, the Devils visited the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 10 and won by a final score of 5-3. Hughes and Hischier did not lead their team to that win. It was, in fact, a third line that was made up of Mercer, McLeod, and Jesper Boqvist. The trio was responsible for three of the team's goals and combined for seven points.
New Jersey's expected third line tonight versus the Islanders is reminiscent of that Jan. 10 trio and could be a very unexpected surprise.