Preview: Devils at Flames

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NEW JERSEY DEVILS (7-4-2) vs. FLAMES (5-4-1)

New Jersey continues its trek through Western Canada, stopping in Calgary on Friday night to face the Flames.

You can watch on MSGSN2 or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight's game is sponsored by Jaegar Lumber.

Jacob Markstrom will get the start tonight against his former club, the Calgary Flames.

GAME-DAY VIDEO
Pre-Game Player Interviews: Dillon
Pre-Game Interview with Sheldon Keefe
WATCH & LISTEN

TV: MSGSN2

RADIO: Devils Hockey Network 

MORNING SKATE RECAP

CALGARY, Alberta - The Devils held an optional morning skate at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Friday afternoon ahead of facing the Flames.

Those opting to skate were forwards Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Ondrej Palat, Paul Cotter, Stefan Noesen, Nate Bastian, Justin Dowling, Kurtis MacDermid, defensemen Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec and goalie Jake Allen.

Marky’s Revenge Tour

Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom will start tonight against his former club, Calgary. Markstrom played four seasons with the Flames from 2020-24 before being acquired by New Jersey in a summer trade.

“It’s tough to play against a former team,” defenseman Brendan Dillon said. “I’m sure he’s got a lot of great relationships with guys on that side. A lot of good memories. Lived in this city. You know the airport, the streets, the dinner spots. It’s not easy for him. That’s on us as a group to play well in front of him and do the best we can.

“For him there will be a little bit of nerves but lots of excitement. It’s always exciting when you come back. You want to get the win first and foremost.”

Markstrom picked up a 20-save shutout against Vancouver, another former team, Wednesday night. He’s looking to make it 2-for-2 on the trip.

Identity

The Devils earned an impressive 6-0 victory against the Canucks in a game that the club excelled at in all three zones. The game is a blueprint for how the Devils want to play.

“Our game was pretty consistent through three periods,” Keefe said. “It was a pretty complete effort all the way through our group.”

The job of any hockey team is to form an identity through their play. Whether it takes 15 games, 20 games, 25 games, the key is putting forth consistent efforts. But there’s no doubt it takes time depending on circumstances.

“Whether it’s injuries or guys filtering into the lineup, trying to find different chemistry on lines, power play, special teams, there’s so many things that go into the team game of hockey,” Dillon said. “Through these first 13 we’ve seen spurts of it. The Vancouver game was a perfect example of when we are able to put it together.”

One thing is for sure, when 31 other teams have their team scouting meeting and they’re all saying the same thing about the Devils, then the team has established an identity.

Dawgson

Devils forward Dawson Mercer has three goals, seven points and a plus-10 this season. He’s been especially strong in the past two games for New Jersey – not coincidentally both wins – scoring a goal, three assists, four points and a plus-6.

“He’s been great. He and Nico have been excellent in their work whether 5-on-5 or the penalty kill,” Keefe said. “Mercer is really starting to pick up his game offensively, I think there’s more to give us there. Hopefully, the goal the other night can help with that. He’s been really consistent with his effort and accepting any responsibilities that come his way defensively.”

He Said It:

Keefe on the Devils limiting shots against lately: “The puck pressure, taking away time and space and forcing shots to the outside or forcing teams to reset, putting the puck on the wall. I think our execution offensively has improved. From our own end, through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone. Naturally that takes away the oppositions ability to have the puck themselves and direct it toward our net.”

--Sam Kasan

THE SCOOP

The Devils began their Western Canada road trip with a dominant victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night and captain Nico Hischier continued to ravage his way through the league with his league-leading 10th goal of the season and a three-point night (1g-2a). The Devils are coming off a game where they scored at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded and improved to 7-2-0 against the Canucks since a combination of Jack, Luke and Quinn Hughes have gone head-to-head at the NHL level.

Arguably the biggest move of the off-season for the Devils was acquiring goaltender Jacob Markstrom from Calgary, in exchange for defenseman Kevin Bahl and picks. While there has been no confirmation of who the starting goaltender will be for New Jersey, this game will mark the first return to Alberta for Markstrom, who spent the past four seasons in a Flames jersey before joining New Jersey. Markstrom posted his first shutout of the season against one of his other former teams - the Canucks - on Wednesday night.

The Flames are in a stretch of four straight losses, the most recent coming against the Utah Hockey Club. They have given up 10 goals in their past two games while managing just a single goal of offense. Their most recent losses are to the Vegas Golden Knights by a 5-0 margin and Utah 5-1. Calgary is 2-2-1 at the Saddledome this season.

The Flames recalled forward Matt Coronato from their AHL affiliate, the Wranglers, and assigned forward Sam Honzek to the AHL on Thursday.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Nico Hischier continues his tear through the beginning of the season with five goals and seven points in his past four games. He is the first player in the NHL this season to reach double-digits in goals, scoring his 10th against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.

Flames: Defenseman Rasmus Andersson leads the Flames with 10 points in 10 games (4g-6a)

INJURIES

Devils: Lazar (left knee injury, out indefinitely), Hatakka (upper-body)

Flames: None

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

  • Nov. 1 at Calgary
  • March 20 at New Jersey

--Amanda Stein

STATS LEADERS

STATS LEADERS
DEVILS
FLAMES
Goals
Hischier, 10

Kadri, Huberdeau, Andersson, 4

Assists
Bratt, 11

Andersson, Kuzmenko, 6

Points
Hischier, 15

Andersson, 10

GAME NOTES

  • Nico Hischier became the first player to reach 10 goals in the NHL this season in just his 13th game. According to NHL PR, only two players in franchise history have hit the 10-goal mark in fewer team games: Paul Gardner (9 GP in 1977-78) and Pat Verbeek (10 GP in 1986-87 & 12 GP in 1987-88).
  • New Jersey improved to 3-0-0 against Western Conference teams this season
  • Jacob Markstrom earned his first shutout of the season and the Devils second of the year (J. Allen, Oct. 14, 3-0, vs UTA). The two shutouts early in the season already surpass the 2023-24 season when the Devils registered just a single shutout.