BLUE JACKETS vs DEVILS | PRE-SCOUT | GAME #18

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday yesterday!

Today, as we shift our focus back to an all-important weekend of Devils hockey, it is imperative that the Devils get back in the win column and start picking up points in this back-to-back set of home games at the Rock. Unfortunately, Captain Nico will not lace up for this one, but all signs are pointing in the right direction for a return to the lineup soon, and hopefully, for tomorrow night's game vs. BUF. Regardless of injuries, the team's sloppy puck management and defensive coverage, especially in Wednesday's game in DET, have been on full display of late and need to be addressed immediately, as the Devils find themselves with just two wins in the last eight games. The performance has not been good enough and is nowhere near this team's standards! I’ll exemplify the Devils’ lack of respect around the game, poor puck management, and their need to be a more physical, hard team to play against in our pregame show this afternoon at 2:30 PM.Yes, CBJ coming into Newark, on paper, should be a win for the Devils. However, this is one of those matchups I refer to as a "dangerous game" due to the current circumstances surrounding both teams. First off, former second-overall pick and one-time 40-goal scorer Patrick Laine was just healthy scratched against PHI two games ago. Laine called it "the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to him," then, responded with a goal in CBJ's big 7-3 victory over CHI Wednesday. Now, he and the team are feeling somewhat better about themselves (5-11-4 on the season), and they can now look at this next game against a wounded, sloppy Devils team as an opportunity to build some momentum with another big win.

Now, CBJ is not going to blow you away, and they certainly won't play a near-perfect game like DET did Wednesday. This is a team that's in the bottom third of the league in both Goals For and Goals Against, with their expected numbers aligning nicely. Their strong suits are in their ability to create chances off the rush (#7 highest per-game rate in the NHL) and in their penalty kill's success so far through 20 games (#3 NHL). Other than that, though, again, this is not a very dangerous team on paper. Where I see the danger in this game is in my expectation for a hungry, motivated Jackets group today at the Rock as they seek their second consecutive win in a game against a struggling Devils team. On the Devils’ side of things, this is absolutely a critical, must-win game, as the club is in desperate need of two points and a feel-good W. So, let's hope that the Devils bring their A-Game today and start off this mini homestand the right way!
-Sal