It is the first matinee game of the season for the New Jersey Devils, as they take on the San Jose Sharks at 1:00 p.m. at the Prudential Center. Both teams are coming off victories on Oct. 20, with the Devils dominating the New York Islanders by a score of 4-1, while the Sharks earned their first victory of the season over the Rangers, 3-2, in overtime. It marks the second time this week that New Jersey will play a California team at Prudential Center, defeating the Anaheim Ducks, 4-2, on Oct. 18.
The Devils are eyeing their third straight victory after they started the season with two defeats. They have four points, tied with three other teams in the Metropolitan division for fifth place. The Red and Black are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers for first in the division. The Sharks, meanwhile, have two points on the season in six games after they failed to get a point in their first five.
Related: Devils’ Speed Wreaks Havoc in 4-1 Win over Islanders
Saturday is also Mascot Madness at Prudential Center. Several other NHL mascots will be making appearances alongside the NJ Devil. Wild Wing of the Anaheim Ducks, Nordy of the Minnesota Wild, Stormy of the Carolina Hurricanes, Carlton of the Maple Leafs, and Sparky of the Islanders are all confirmed to appear.
Team Rosters:
*Lineups as of press time courtesy of NHL.com, and each team’s starting goaltenders are unconfirmed*
The Devils Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Ondřej Palát – Nico Hischier – Jesper Bratt
Yegor Sharangovich – Jack Hughes – Dawson Mercer
Miles Wood – Erik Haula – Tomas Tatar
Jesper Boqvist – Michael McLeod – Alexander Holtz
Defensemen:
Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves – John Marino
Brendan Smith – Damon Severson
Kevin Bahl
Goaltenders:
Mackenzie Blackwood
Vitek Vanecek
The Sharks Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Timo Meier – Tomas Hertl – Alexander Barbanov
Nick Bonino – Logan Couture – Luke Kunin
Jonah Gadjovich – Nico Sturm – Evgeny Svechnikov
Oskar Lindblom – Steven Lorentz – Matt Nieto
Defensemen:
Jaycob Megna – Erik Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Matt Benning
Mario Ferraro – Radim Simek
Goaltenders
James Reimer
Kaapo Kahkonen
What’s Happening in San Jose:
After Erik Karlsson scored less than a minute into overtime, a wave of relief fell over the Sharks, as they would not be the last NHL team without a win. The team has struggled to start the season, but they now have some confidence after coming out on top at Madison Square Garden. While it felt good for everyone on the team, it was even more special for Sharks coach David Quinn, who coached the Rangers from 2018-2021. “They’re just tired of losing,” Quinn said following the big win. The Sharks are in the midst of a four-game road trip. After their game with the Devils, they head to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers on Oct. 23 before returning to SAP Center.
Keep an Eye On:
New Jersey Devils: Ondřej Palát
After missing out on Johnny Gaudreau, the Devils pivoted to sign Palát, the two-time Stanley Cup Champion. Although he started off slow, in the past two games Palát scored his first three goals with the Devils. After he opened the scoring on Oct. 18 against Anaheim, the 31-year-old found the back of the net twice against the Isles, including a beautiful goal to beat Ilya Sorokin. Last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he had three multi-goal games. In Palát’s fourth game with the Devils, he already has his first.
So far, Palát has played on a line with Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt, and the three have created magic together. They combined for seven points on Oct. 20. His leadership is already helping this young Devils team, as he creates opportunities for his linemates, and in return, they give him chances to find the back of the net. “They’re two great players, they’re unbelievable,” Palát said of Hischier and Bratt. “They passed me two nice passes today and I had an easy job to finish them.” In Tampa Bay, Palát was seen as a tough player to compete against. In New Jersey, he’s fit into that role nicely, and he could have the best opportunities of his career with the Devils.
San Jose Sharks: Erik Karlsson
For years, Karlsson has been one of the league’s premier defensemen, and this season seems to be no different. The man nicknamed “EK65” had two points on Oct. 20, including the overtime winner. To start the season, Karlsson has five points in six games, leading all Sharks skaters. He’s also first on the team with an average of 24 minutes of ice time per game.
Related: Revisiting the Sharks’ Erik Karlsson Trade
The former Norris Trophy winner is in the middle of an eight-year contract that pays him $11.5 million per season, and while the rest of the team is rebuilding, Karlsson is one of the mainstays for the Sharks. An injury ended his promising 2021-22 season early, so if he stays healthy, he will be a great mentor for a young San Jose team.
Where to Tune In:
The game between the Sharks and Devils will be on the rebranded MSGSN Network, with the standard team of Bill Spaulding and Ken Daneyko on the call. It can also be heard on the Devils Hockey Network, with Matt Loughlin and Chico Resch on commentary duties.
