After the first back-to-back of the season, the New Jersey Devils had a much-needed two days off before Friday’s game. It might be their toughest test of the season so far, as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche make their way to Prudential Center for a 7:00 puck drop. The Avs are 4-2-1 on the season, coming off a 3-2 shootout victory over the Devils’ hated rivals, the New York Rangers.
The Red and Black split the two games of the back-to-back, losing to the Washington Capitals 6-3 on Oct. 24 while defeating the Detroit Red Wings 6-2 on Oct. 25. Through the first seven games of the season, New Jersey took 278 shots on goal, the most through that span in team history. The team will take on Colorado minus Ondřej Palát, who is still day to day with a lower-body injury. The Devils, while missing the mark against Washington, impressed against the Red Wings with prospect Luke Hughes in attendance. He could join the team as early as March or April, following the conclusion of the Michigan Wolverines season.
Related: Devils’ Prospect Report: Mukhamadullin, Daws, Clarke & More
The tilt against Colorado marks the first Hockey is for Everyone-themed game of the season at Prudential Center. The Devils will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Night at the Rock, and they will wear special warmup jerseys to mark the occasion. These jerseys were made by local New Jersey artists, and there will be several more Hockey is for Everyone games throughout the season.
Team Rosters
The Devils Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Fabian Zetterlund
Erik Haula – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt
Yegor Sharangovich – Dawson Mercer – Jesper Boqvist
Miles Wood – Michael McLeod – Nathan Bastian
Defensemen:
Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Ryan Graves – John Marino
Brendan Smith – Damon Severson
Goaltenders:
Vitek Vanecek
Mackenzie Blackwood
The Avalanche Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Martin Kaut – Alex Newhook – Evan Rodrigues
Andrew Cogliano – J.T. Compher – Logan O’Connor
Mikhail Maltsev – Dryden Hunt – Kurtis MacDermid
* Although primarily a defenseman, MacDermid is expected to play forward
Defensemen:
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Bowen Byram – Josh Manson
Samuel Girard – Erik Johnson
Goaltenders:
Pavel Francouz
Alexandar Georgiev
What’s Happening in Colorado:
As the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Avalanche have the difficult task of trying to repeat. On Oct. 25, they edged out the New York Rangers on the back of ex-Ranger Alexander Georgiev, who had 44 saves against his former team. “The building is awesome,” the Bulgarian goaltender said about playing at Madison Square Garden once again. “It brought (back) a lot of good memories.” It is expected that the Devils will not see Georgiev in net on Friday, but instead Pavel Francouz, who has lost both of his starts this season.
Although the Avalanche are a powerhouse, the team is still dealing with some injuries. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is out for the next 12 weeks after undergoing knee surgery. Darren Helm also had surgery in the offseason and has not yet returned to the lineup. However, arguably the biggest loss for the Avalanche is that of their leading scorer, Valeri Nichushkin, who will miss the game against New Jersey with a lower-body injury.
The Avalanche are in the midst of a long road trip away from Ball Arena in Denver. They have not had a home game since a 3-2 loss to the Kraken on Oct. 21, and their next one in front of their fans will take place on Nov. 10 against the Nashville Predators. After their game against the Devils, Colorado takes on the New York Islanders on Oct. 29 before heading to Tampere, Finland to play a back-to-back against the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of the NHL Global Series.
Keep an Eye On:
New Jersey Devils: John Marino
While Jesper Bratt’s twelve points in seven games are impressive, John Marino has stepped into his role with the Devils quite well. During the game against Washington on Oct. 24, Marino had the primary assist on two of the team’s three goals. He found Nathan Bastian for his first of the season, and he passed the puck perfectly to Jesper Bratt, setting him up for a brilliant one-timer that cut into the Devils’ deficit.
Related: Devils’ John Marino Stealing the Show Early in 2022-23
Marino’s strong play continued on Oct. 25 against the Red Wings. While he only assisted on one of the six Devils’ goals, he led the team with a plus-4 rating. He led the team with 22:35 on the ice and had three shots on goal. The first-year Devil has earned the trust of Lindy Ruff and Devils management, and he is rewarding them with excellent play. Even though the offense has been the focal point, Marino has been an essential piece to the Devils’ back end.
Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon
It’s easy to see why Nathan MacKinnon is the player that strikes fear in the Avalanche’s opponents. The 2022 Stanley Cup Champion was actually drafted first overall at Prudential Center in 2013. While MacKinnon has always been a strong player, he started finding his groove in 2017-18, scoring 97 points and finishing a close second to then-Devil Taylor Hall in Hart trophy voting. He followed that up with a 99-point season in 2018-19 and 93 points in 2019-20, while only playing in 69 games.
Related: MacKinnon’s Contract Helps Avalanche Build NHL’s Next Dynasty
This year, MacKinnon is picking up where he left off. He has ten points in seven games, three of them being goals. He has formed a lethal duo with Finnish winger Mikko Rantanen, and it is essential that the Devils limit their scoring chances. In 15 games against them, MacKinnon has 15 points, the most by any Avalanche player against New Jersey.
Where to Tune In:
The Avalanche-Devils battle will be shown on MSGSN, with Bill Spaulding and Ken Daneyko calling the action. The Devils Hockey Network will also provide fans the opportunity to listen. Matt Loughlin and Chico Resch will be on the air to call the game and analyze the action.
