PRE-GAME STORY
TORONTO, Ont. - The Devils are in Toronto to play the Maple Leafs one more time this regular season. They will be without forward Tomas Nosek who is unavailable to play.
“He went out and tested (his injury) and it was obvious that he can’t play so he won’t be in tonight,” Interim head coach Travis Green shared after skate.
Similar to last game, Green will focus on pairs of one center and one wing and swap out for the third winger based off of matchups and chemistry.
“We’ll put (Shane) Bowers in the middle there and put (Ondrej) Palat with Bowers, (Erik) Haula with (Timo) Meier and we’ll shift it around based on how we look.”
Graeme Clarke will play tonight for the Devils after he was recalled from the Utica Comets on Wednesday. During morning skate Clarke was on the top line with Nico HIschier and Jesper Bratt, although that might change during the game.
“It’s special,” Clarke shared following morning skate. “Just happy to get the call-up and be able to try to play my game up here and do the best I can. I’m really excited to be here in Toronto and it’s going to be fun.”
Clarke is from Ottawa but has family in Toronto, and for his first NHL game in his home country, this is an extra special experience.
“I have family that lives here and then I’m from Ottawa which is four hours down the highway. It’s pretty special, it’s an exciting building to play in, and I’m just ready for it.”
“It’ll be an exciting game, I talked to him quickly out there to get him laughing a little bit and smile,” Green joked. “But whenever you’re an Ontario kid getting to play in Toronto is going to be special for him. He might be a little bit nervous but I told him to enjoy it, take it all in. He looked good in the morning skate. We had him playing with Hischier. Our wingers might shuffle around a little bit with some young guys in the lineup, might adjust as we go.”
Although Green may make adjustments throughout the game, here’s how the Devils lined up during morning skate.
Here was the workflow at morning skate:
Clarke - Hischier - Bratt
Meier - Haula - Mercer
Palat - Bowers - Holtz
MacDermid - Tierney - Foote
Hughes - Marino
Bahl - Smith
Siegenthaler - Nemec
DeSimone
Jake Allen was in the starters net in Toronto and the first goaltender off the ice so he will likely get the start against the Maple Leafs.
Taking the Opportunity
For Shane Bowers and Graeme Clarke, being up with the Devils is an opportunity to show their game and development this season.
“I’m just excited to be here, so you can just ride that energy from the call-up,” Bowers said. “A little bit of nervousness but being able to ride that energy, I’ve just been trying to help wherever I can, wherever I’m put in the lineup. Bring my speed and energy and help my line mates and just help the team win here.”
“I think it’s just figuring out everything in your game,” Clarke said about his development this season. “What details are going to make you successful and what aren’t. So I think finding that out and knowing what game I need to play to be successful at the AHL level and then the NHL level as well. Just about doing the right things to be able to take that step and I think I’ve worked towards that this year and it’s been good.”
Speaking of opportunities, with Jack Hughes' absence on the top power play unit, Dawson Mercer has filled in. Against Toronto on Tuesday, Mercer scored a power play goal. Green discussed the forward's ability to jump into that spot.
“He’s a tenacious kid,” Green shared on Mercer. “He’s got good hands around the net. Good to see him get rewarded (last game). Mercer’s still learning a lot about the game and he’s still growing and getting stronger and there’s no reason that, hopefully in time, he grows into a top line, power play guy with strength, knowledge of the game and learning the power play itself.”
Staying Focused
Although the Devils are out of playoff contention, the focus remains on playing the right way down the final stretch.
“You always worry when you’re coaching a team, when that time does come that you’re not in the playoffs, you worry about a little bit of a mental letdown," Green stated. "But it goes back to what we’ve talked about from day one, our identity and being a team that can win long-term, win in the playoffs. For me that comes from a natural willingness to win, no matter what you’re doing.
