MORNING SKATE RECAP
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Devils held a full morning skate at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. They had their full complement of players on the ice.
The Devils are using the following workflow…
Meier – Hischier – Noesen
Palat – Mercer – Tatar
Haula – Glass – Bratt
Cotter – Lazar – Bastian
Hughes – Pesce
Dumoulin – Kovacevic
Dillon – Nemec
Jake Allen worked the starter’s end.
Judging by the workflow of skate, it appears that Erik Haula will be back in the lineup for the Devils with Daniel Sprong coming out.
“You should be refreshed and come in with a little extra motivation and a little push,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “(Haula) was playing well before he came out and we expect him to do the same when he comes back in.”
Keefe confirmed that Allen will get the start in net.
“We feel confident in Jake,” he said. “To be able to put him in, give him an opportunity here tonight, and give (Jacob Markstrom) more of an opportunity to continue to work at his game and find his own groove, which we know he will. It’s a good luxury for us to have with how Jake has played and the confidence that his teammates have in him.
“Jake will be ready tonight, but Marky will be ready to go when we go again next.’
Respond
The Devils had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 7-3 loss in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon. For Keefe, it was an opportunity to remind the club of what is required to win at this time of year.
“To me it’s just a mindset for our team,” Keefe said. “We were playing really good hockey and to me that was on our mindset going in and recognizing what’s at stake and having the urgency and competitiveness that we play with meet that moment. We didn’t do that in Pittsburgh. So, when you do that, you lose. That’s the way the league works and we didn’t do that as a team. It’s a good reminder for us on what we need to be about.”
Playoff Positioning
The Devils and Blue Jackets meet with crucial points on the line in the NHL standings and playoff chase. Currently, Columbus is on the outside of the chase, sitting in the fourth spot of the Wild Card chase.
The Blue Jackets are one team that is chasing the Devils, who are in the third position in the Metro Division. The Devils have opened up an eight-point lead. A win for New Jersey would likely put enough distance between the two clubs this late in the season that the Jackets won’t be able to catch them.
“It’s a very important game and we know that,” forward Timo Meier said. “We need to have a playoff mindset we’re we really dial in in all three zones. We didn’t do that last game (at Pittsburgh) so we need that extra edge tonight.”
The Devils and Blue Jackets played each other just seven days ago in Jersey with the Devils picking up a 5-3 win.
“We did a lot of good things. Our start was really good,” Meier said. “We have to focus on that and come in tonight ready to play, ready to be skating right off the start.”
With the Blue Jackets currently sitting outside of the playoff picture, they’ll be playing with a lot of desperation.
“We’re going to have to expect their best,” defenseman Brenden Dillon said. “They’re already playing playoff hockey. It should be as advertised, tough, physical, hard game.
“It should be a good test for us tonight against a big-time motivated group on the other side. It should be a good game.”
The New York Rangers are still within reach of catching the Devils, being six points behind. But a victory against the Jackets makes it one less team to worry about catching the Devils and helps further solidify their playoff hopes.
