The Hughes Family Collides in Matchup at Vancouver | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (6-4-2) vs. CANUCKS (4-1-3)

New Jersey opens up its Western Canada trip with a Hughes Bowl contest in Vancouver Wednesday night. It will be just the second time all three Hughes brothers - Quinn, Jack, Luke - will face each other in the same game.

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

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight's game is sponsored by Flock Free Bird Control.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

VANCOUVER, BC - The Devils held a full morning skate at Rogers Arena ahead of facing the Vancouver Canucks.

The Devils did not run lines, but this is what they used at Tuesday’s practice…

Palat – Hughes – Bratt
Meier – Hischier – Mercer
Cotter – Haula – Noesen
Tatar – Dowling – Bastian

Dillon – Hamilton
Siegenthaler – Kovacevic
Hughes – Pesce

Jacob Markstrom worked the starter’s net.

Bass Back

Devils forward Nathan Bastian looks like he will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past two games.

“I have been playing well and had a good start to the year,” he said. “If I can provide more (physicality), that’s my role and that’s my job. So, I’m going to try and do that.”

“He needs to keep doing the things that he’s been doing,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Bastian. “He’s played really well for us. He has more physical edge he can bring to the mix as well. He doesn’t need to overthink it. He just has to go out and play.”

Structure vs. Rush

The Devils have put an emphasis on play in the defensive zone, particularly using layers of bodies to shield and protect the net. The result is that they aren’t extending their forwards for stretch passes and breakouts.

That means the Devils will not create as much offense off the rush as they have in the past, but will be better protected defensively.

“This team historically has been very, very strong on the rush and we want to continue to be that when those opportunities present themselves, but we’re not going to force the issue,” Keefe said. “We’re not going to create problems for ourselves the other way in search of a play off the rush if it’s not available.

“That’s an area of growth for our team that we continue to talk about on a daily basis.”

No Lazar Update

Keefe did not have an update on the injury to center Curtis Lazar, who left the last game with an injury.

“No update in terms of the actual number,” Keefe said. “He’s still getting some other opinions. We’ll get an answer for you when we have the full information.”

Quinn's Scout

Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes gave the following scouting report on his brothers' Devils: "They're very dangerous. They have a really good team to be honest. Markstrom is a great goalie. Luke and (Brett) Pesce are back. Nico is hot right now. Jack and Bratt are playing really, really well. it's going to be a tough game."

THE SCOOP

The Devils got back in the win column against Anaheim Sunday with a 6-2 victory. The win snapped the club’s 0-2-2 skid.

Devils captain Nico Hischier continued his hot play with his NHL-leading ninth goal of the season. He has six goals in his past five games (and seven points). Hischier and Jesper Bratt tie for the club lead in scoring with 12 points. Bratt paces the club in assists with 10 on the season. Forwards Paul Cotter (6 goals), Stefan Noesen (5) and Erik Haula (4) have also started the year with goal outbursts.

The Devils lost Curtis Lazar "for a while" due to an injury per head coach Sheldon Keefe. The club recalled center Justin Dowling and he centered the fourth line at Tuesday's practice.

The Canucks close out a three-game homestand against the Devils. Vancouver is 4-0-1 in its past five games, and 4-1-3 on the season.

Brock Boeser paces the team with five goals and nine points. J.T. Miller also has nine points. It’s been a somewhat slow start for superstar Elias Pettersson, who inked an 8-year, $11.6 million AAV at the end of last season. He has just four points (1g-3a) in the opening eight games of the season. Last year’s Norris Trophy winner and eldest Hughes brother, Quinn, is third on the club with eight points (2g-6a) in eight games.

Meanwhile, the club has been without starting goaltender Thatcher Demko all season as he has struggled with a rare knee injury, a problem with his popliteus muscle. The issue has caused him stability issues with the knee and rehab has been a slow process. Kevin Lankinen has filled in admirably, going 4-0-2 with a 2.29 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jesper Bratt has a five-game scoring streak with six total points (1g-5a). He has points in 10 of his last 11 games.

Canucks: Miller has a three-game point streak heading into the contest with New jersey. He has two goals and six points in the three games.

INJURIES

Devils: Lazar (undisclosed), Hatakka (upper-body)

Canucks: Demko (knee, IR), Joshua (IR)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 30 at Vancouver
• March 24 at New Jersey

GAME NOTES

• The Devils power play has been especially affective lately. The units, which rank sixth in the NHL with a 30-percent conversation ratio, has seven goals in the past five contests.
• Wednesday's game will be the ninth edition of the Hughes Bowl, and the second time all three brothers - Quinn, Jack, Luke - will be in the lineup. The Devils have a 6-2-0 edge in the series. Jack leads his brothers in scoring with 13 points (7g-6a) in seven games.
• In the only game to feature all three brothers, the Devils won 6-5, Dec. 5, 2023, with Jack earning a goal and assist, Luke scoring a goal (assisted by Jack) and Quinn adding two assists of his own.
• The Devils rank third in the NHL with a 53.6% faceoff winning percentage.
• Vancouver's Brock Boeser has a six-game point streak (3g-4a-7pts).
• Teddy Blueger had his four-game point streak (1g-3a) snapped in his last game against Carolina