BUFFALO, N.Y. -The holiday break is over and the Devils are back to work with a road game against the Buffalo Sabres. Unlike many NHL teams, the Devils are getting back several key pieces who have been out in Covid Protocol. Just prior to the break five players resumed skating and on Monday all five players were removed from the league protocol.
Welcome Back
In the Devils last road game, Lindy Ruff and his coaching staff were handcuffed by a depleted roster due to Covid and another illness making its way through the locker room. Against Detroit the team dressed just 11 forwards, unable to make any recalls with an outbreak of COVID on the Comets team.
But this road game will be different, as Nico Hischier, Ryan Graves, P.K. Subban, Jesper Boqvist and Christian Jaros will all be available to play against the Sabres.
"When you get your top centerman back in the lineup, the guy that plays in every situation that's a big bonus," head coach Lindy Ruff said of the Devils captain returning, " When you look at Graves coming back into the lineup, you look at P.K. coming back in, you know NHL veteran defensemen that those are all the pieces that are going to help us win hockey games."
Back on the Back-End
Another player who is returning is goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood who had been sidelined with a neck injury. Ruff said he has no hesitation in going to Blackwood should that be his goaltending choice against Buffalo.
Last-Minute Changes
Lindy Ruff will not have one of his top penalty killers at his disposal with the absence of Vesey but has all the confidence in the other players he can put in that position tonight. Studenic is one of those players, who Ruff identified as being able to put other teams under duress with his speed and reads, and is a role he grabbed on to while with Utica earlier this year. Additionally, Ruff mentioned putting Pavel Zacha in more of a penalty-killing role than usual, should the situation arise.
Coach vs Former Player
Head coach Lindy Ruffwill see a familiar face when he looks over to the Sabres bench tonight. Matt Ellis will coach the Sabres with their regular head coach Don Granato out in the league's COVID protocol. Ruff coached Ellis during their time in the Sabres organization together.
PREVIEW
DEVILS (10-15-5) at SABRES (10-15-5)
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET; Televised MSG+
RADIO: Devils Hockey Network
Head-to-Head
This is the second game between the Devils and Sabres this season, the first in Buffalo. The six-game skid is the longest losing stretch this season for New Jersey. The Devils picked up a victory earlier in the season against the Sabres, with a 2-1 overtime victory on Oct. 23, at Prudential Center. The two teams will meet one more time this season, following Wednesday's game.
Devils Team Scope:
The Devils make their way to Buffalo hoping to end a six-game skid and will have some key players in the lineup to help make that happen. The game will mark the return of at least three of the five players who have recently come out of COVID protocol. Hischier, Graves and Subban will slot in, while Boqvist and Jaros are also available, though not regulars in the Devils lineup.
Sabres Team Scope:
The Sabres called up three players from their minor-league affiliate in Rochester, bringing in Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterja and Arttu Ruotsalainen as they continue to deal with roster adjustments due to COVID protocol. Should Krebs play on Wednesday, it would make his Sabres debut. Alex Tuch is also expected to make his debut for Buffalo against the Devils. Both players were acquired by the Sabres in the trade with the Golden Knights that sent Jack Eichel to Vegas.
By the Numbers:
In his last 10 games, Jack Hughes has three goals.
New Jersey's 22 shots allowed against the Penguins on Dec. 19, the last game before the extended break, was the fewest allowed by the club for 2021-22.
Lindy Ruff is Buffalo's all-time leader in wins as a head coach from his time behind the Sabres bench between 1998 to 2013. He had 571 regular-season wins during that span, and his 57 playoff wins also rank first in Sabres franchise history.
Keep your eye on Kyle Okposo because he is one of the Sabres top performers with 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists), while defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been a hot hand in their last 10 games with three goals and three assists.
Injury Updates:
Devils
Thompson (IR, upper body)
Wood (IR, hip)
Bernier (IR, hip)
Tatar (COVID protocol)
Gillies (COVID protocol)
Sabres
Anderson (upper body)
Haag (lower body)
Hinostroza (COVID protocol)
Tokarski (unknown)
Girgensons (COVID protocol)
