The New Jersey Devils will host the Philadelphia Flyers at MetLife Stadium on Saturday night. MSGN studio analyst Bryce Salvador talks about the balancing act of savoring the experience and soaking in the moment without letting it pull focus from the task at hand.
"You realize, wow, I'm living an unbelievable experience right now, and then you realize you have to play hockey."
On Saturday night, the New Jersey Devils will take their game outdoors under the lights of MetLife Stadium. They will host the Philadelphia Flyers at 8:00 P.M. for the first of two outdoor games this weekend in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
For many of the players on the Devils roster, it will be the first outdoor game of their career.
"I have never played an outdoor game," Timo Meier said. "I skated on the outdoor rinks in Switzerland when I was little, but it was nothing compared to this. There were maybe mountains in the background, but not 60,000 people that you were playing in front of. Everybody's excited for it. It's one of those moments you really want to enjoy, but you also want to win a hockey game."
Former Devils captain and MSGN studio analyst Bryce Salvador knows a thing or two about one of those moments.
On Jan. 26, 2014, Salvador played in the 2014 NHL Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium in New York City.
A decade later, the Brandon, Manitoba native can still recall the moment he walked out to the music echoing around the stadium.
"We played during the day, so it was nice to be able to see everything. You could really take in the scoreboard, the fans, and all the little nuances of the marketing. How the advertising was and how everything was set up with the stage. You were able to really take it all in."
"During the day, I felt like you could really immerse yourself into the experience."
For many players, it is on their bucket list to play an NHL game outside in the same elements where their passion and love for hockey began.
With so much emphasis on the experience accompanying an event like this, it could be easy to forget how important this game is for the Devils.
At the time of publication, the Devils are in the third wild-card spot, two points behind the Detroit Red Wings.
Philadelphia is a team New Jersey is chasing, making Saturday's game all the more important.
"I think what's really exciting about this one for the Devils is that this game is going to mean something, like really mean something," Salvador said. "You have a chance to close two points on the Flyers, and every point is obviously critical. This game is going to have some significance around the standings."
This leads to the question of how a player balances savoring the experience and soaking in the moment without letting it pull focus from the task at hand.
Salvador believes that is going to vary depending on the player.
"I think that's going to really depend on the players themselves. I think maybe the younger players might be a little bit more caught up in the moment than veteran players or players who have played in outdoor games. I think it is really case by case."
It is a game where the team's veteran leadership will be relied upon to keep their teammates focused.
"You need the veteran guys to make sure that everyone is grounded, especially at the beginning of the game. I remember that is when you're really amped up, and you're looking around at tens of thousands of people. You don't have the same backdrop, so it is a new experience."
For the Devils, those veteran voices include Brendan Smith, Erik Haula, Ondrej Palat, and Tyler Toffoli. Each has played an outdoor game at one point in their career and knows what to expect on Saturday night.
When explaining the feelings a player is experiencing in a game like this, Salvador pointed out that it is not necessarily nervousness, saying players are "like a kid in a candy store."
"The more games you play in the NHL, and the more seasons you have, there are very few experiences that can be new and refreshing," he said. "Playing an outdoor game is one of those (new experiences)."
Reeling in the emotions, staying grounded, and focusing on the task at hand might prove difficult under the lights of a stadium filled with tens of thousands of fans just as amped up as the players.
It is a tricky balancing act of allowing yourself to be immersed in the experience but not letting it pull focus from what is the most important thing: securing two critical points against a division rival.
The Devils will play one final game at Prudential Center before practicing at MetLife Stadium on Friday evening. The club is off to a strong start to the week, earning back-to-back wins against the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators.
New Jersey will look for their third straight win when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night in Newark.
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