Hey, everyone!
While we all wish these games meant more for the Devils, I am fired up that we get to watch 120+ minutes of Devils-Habs hockey this weekend. To say that both teams are feeling it offensively right now would be an understatement!
And crazy to see the Islanders and Blue Jackets free-falling now, by the way…
GLASSER & MERCER 🥛🐶
As I’ve been saying in most of my articles lately, which Sheldon reiterated in his postgame comments on Thursday, we’re at the point in the season where you just want to see every guy go into the offseason feeling good about their game. For that reason, it was great to see Glasser and Mercer come out in the first 10 minutes of the WSH game on Thursday and snap each of their respective goal droughts.
Of the established pros, these are the two guys who have struggled to produce consistently since the Olympic break, so I hope we see them build upon that positive momentum this weekend. Important to finish strong! 💪 
PB&J 🥪
Jack and Bratter have left me with nothing else to say besides… boy, would I hate to be defending these guys if I was a D on the Habs tonight!
This duo is on an absolute tear right now, and they've historically played some of their best hockey against MTL. Hopefully, this weekend reflects that!
HOTTEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE 🔥
This home-and-home with the Habs will be a challenge that should bring the best out of the Devils. MTL enters this weekend riding a 7-game win streak, their longest in more than a decade. They are outscoring teams 28-11 on their current 5-game road trip, which ends tonight at the Rock before both teams head north to MTL.
BE PREPARED FOR A ROLLERCOASTER 🎢
What makes this Habs team even more dangerous is that they have played back-and-forth hockey at historic rates this season. They’ve quite literally experienced more lead changes than any other team in the history of the league, outside of the 1992-92 Calgary Flames, and they are two games away from tying the single-season record for most games with multiple lead changes.
So, based on these stats and the way both teams are humming right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if this became a crazy weekend of hockey for us to watch. But the point of emphasis for the Devils is that you have to be ready to manage those momentum moments throughout the game, especially after goals are scored. The Habs have had enough reps both ways now that they are becoming extremely deadly in any given situation, which is a big reason why they have become unstoppable lately.
ALL EYES ON MR. SATURDAY NIGHT 👀
There are very few players I can say have impressed me more than Cole Caufield this season. It has been a ton of fun to watch him chase 50 goals and earn the nickname of “Mr. Saturday Night" due to the fact he has 20 Goals in 21 Saturday games this season. (I know, the hockey gods really set us up for failure tonight 😅).
Fun fact: Should he reach 50 goals in MTL's final 7 games of the regular season, he will be the first Canadien to reach that mark since Stéphane Richer, who did so back in 1989-90, before later winning a cup with the Devils in '95. But I hope Cole doesn't reach 50 this weekend!
Join Rachel, Cory, and me tonight for our pregame show as we break down the Devils' goalie pipeline and the weekend ahead. I’ll also chat with Dawson Mercer during warmups! LGD!
-Sal
