Devils and Red Wings Meet in Afternoon Matchup | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (15-8-2) vs. DETROIT RED WINGS (10-10-2)

New Jersey pay a visit to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.

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 presented by E3 HR.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

SOMEWHERE - Check back following Sheldon Keefe's media availability at 12:45 p.m.

THE SCOOP

The New Jersey Devils are coming off their fourth shutout loss of the season after dropping their matchup against the St. Louis Blues. It's been an interesting trend for the team, whose last four losses have all been shutouts. Timo Meier served his one-game suspension against the Blues and will return to the lineup against Detroit.

Coming up for New Jersey, based on Thursday's practice session, there will lineup changes coming as Meier returns to his regular spot with Nico Hischier and Stefan Noesen. Paul Cotter will rejoin Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer, while Kurtis MacDermid will re-enter the lineup on the fourth line with Justin Dowling and Tomas Tatar.

On Thursday morning, the Devils returned forward Nolan Foote to the Utica Comets.

The duo of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen have been paving the way this season in net, with Markstrom starting the last three of the teams four games. Allen's most recent start was last Saturday in Washington when he played his 200th career game.

The Detroit Red Wings are closing out a three-game homestand against the Devils, most recently coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. The Red Wings are looking to go 3-0 during their homestand with just New Jersey standing in their way. The Red Wings have played some low-scoring hockey of late and the margin for error is very slim, with four of their last five games all decided by a single goal.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Nico Hischier scored the first hat trick of his career on Monday night against the Nashville Predators. he leads the team with 13 goals and is third in points with 24 behind Jack Hughes (25) and Jesper Bratt (28).

Red Wings: Lucas Raymond is starting to heat up for the Wings after a slower start to the year. On top of scoring the overtime winner against Calgary, he has points in five straight games and goals in four straight. While in the previous 10 games he has 10 points (5g-5a)

INJURIES

Devils: Bastian (jaw, IR), Lazar (knee, IR), Hatakka (shoulder)

Red Wings: Kane (upper-body, day-to-day), Lyon (undisclosed, day-to-day)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 24: Red Wings 5, Devils 3
• Nov. 29: Devils at Red Wings
• April 16: Red Wings at Devils

GAME NOTES

• Hischier is one goal away for 150 in his career. His hat trick against Nashville brought him up to 149 goals to pass Stephane Richer for 13th place on the franchise's all-time goal-scoring list. He's two behind Randy McKay (151) for 12th place.
• Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot is one career NHL game away from 500.
• Detroit has the NHL’s sixth-best power play (26.7 percent success rate).