Devils Open Post-Thanksgiving Homestand v. Columbus | PREVIEW

New Jersey will open with a post-Thanksgiving three-game homestand, starting Friday against Columbus. Puck drop is 3 p.m. ET. 

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

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below.

PRE-GAME STORY

After some honest and difficult conversations amongst the New Jersey Devils on Thursday ahead of practice, it's time for the team to practice what they were preaching when they host the Columbus Black Jackets this afternoon. 

"Obviously we want to respond," head coach Lindy Ruff said, "We need to play the right way." 

That means taking care of their own end of the ice first. It has been an area of struggle this season, much more so than last. With changes to the Devils blueline, there are adjustments that have had to be made and areas requiring growth in order to right the ship.

"I think that when you take a couple of pieces and a couple of young guys have gone in, there's a little adjustment. You take our your top centerman, who plays most of the time against the top players, you're going to struggle. That being said, it's not an excuse. The puck management that our team had last game had nothing to do with those types of players out. It had all to do with the decisions we were making with the puck. It was one area of the game that we got really good at last year and we've got to start over."

When addressing any potential lineup changes, all that Ruff would indicate is that none of the injured players will be returning, which leaves Nico Hischier on the sidelines, not yet ready to return. Hischier is the only of the injured players, a list that includes Tomas Nosek and Timo Meier, who has returned to practice.

PREVIEW

DEVILS (8-8-1) vs. BLUE JACKETS (5-11-4)

Head-to-Head

The Devils face the Blue Jackets for the first time this season.

The two teams met on three occasions last season with the Devils sweeping the three-game series. The Devils outscored the Jackets by a 15-2 count in the two games at Newark. New Jersey also triumphed, 3-2, in Ohio.

Jack Hughes led all skaters with six points (2g-4a). Former Devil Ryan Graves had three goals in the series, including a game-winner with under a minute to play. Hughes, Graves, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier all had two or more goals in the series. Goalie Vitek Vanecek started all three games, picking up three wins, a 1.33 goals-against average and .944 save percentage.

Adam Boqvist was the only player for Columbus to notch two points. Ten other players each had one point.

Devils Team Scope:

The Devils have hit a bit of a skid in recent weeks. They’ve recorded just one win in their past six games. Their latest setback, Wednesday in Detroit, saw the club’s streak of 101 straight games with a goal end in a 4-0 shutout loss.

Jesper Bratt paces the Devils with 23 points on eight goals and 15 assists. Jack Hughes has a team-best 16 helpers to go with six goals for 22 points. Tyler Toffoli leads the team with nine goals while posting 16 points. Dougie Hamilton leads the D corps with 14 points and five tallies.

The Devils have leaned on goaltender Vanecek for much of the season, including 11 of the past 13 games. He’s posted a 7-5 record with a 3.43 GAA and .886 save percentage.

Hughes has played the past two games for the Devils after missing five with an upper-body injury. The team is still without captain Nico Hischier (upper-body) and Timo Meier (lower-body).

Blue Jackets Team Scope:

The Blue Jackets are coming off their best win of the season, 7-3, at home against Chicago Wednesday night. The win snapped a nine-game losing streak (0-7-2). The Jackets hadn’t won a game since Nov. 2 prior to the victory against the Blackhawks.

Former Devils Damon Severson will miss approximately six weeks with an oblique injury. His return to the Prudential Center will have to wait.

The team is led in scoring by defenseman Zach Werenski, who has 14 assists and 15 points. Boone Jenner paces the club with 10 goals, including two against Chicago. He has 13 points overall. Rookie sensation Adam Fantilli, who was the third-overall pick this past summer, has four goals and 10 points.

Johnny Gaudreau, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger and Patrik Laine have combined for just seven goals total. Laine was a healthy scratch last Sunday against Philadelphia. He returned to the lineup against Chicago and scored a goal.

Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has taken the reigns in net with 14 starts. He’s 4-6-3 with a 3.28 GAA and .899 save percentage.

By the Numbers:

50: Million dollar contract signed by former Devil Damon Severson with Columbus as part of an eight-year deal ($6.25 AVV).

3^rd: Round pick the Devils received from Columbus for Severson, which was flipped to Calgary for Tyler Toffoli.

11-7: The Devils have gone with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the past three games.

Injuries:

Devils

Hischier (upper-body)
Meier (lower-body)
Nosek (upper-body)

Blue Jackets

Severson (oblique)
Texier (knee)
Roslovic (fractured ankle)