Devils, Pens Clash in Newark | PREVIEW

New Jersey hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday night at Prudential Center. Puck drop is 7:08 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, presented by Eleven Sports Media.

PRE-GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils did not hold a full morning skate ahead of hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Interim head coach Travis Green met with the media ahead of puck drop. Here are key takeaways from that availability.

Lineup

Green noted a few changes to the team’s lineup heading into tonight. Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler “is expected to play tonight.” Goaltender Jake Allen will start.

Siegenthaler has been out of the lineup with a concussion since March 11 (nine games) when NY Rangers forward Matt Rempe elbowed him in the head.

"He's a good pro," Green said of Siegenthaler. "Players have to push themselves to be ready and he certainly does that."

Allen has started eight of the past nine games for the Devils.

Forward Kurtis MacDermid has been out for the last week with a lower-body injury. He will not play tonight.

“As close as he can. I expect him back soon,” Green said.

On Flightless Birds

The Devils won the previous two meetings with Pittsburgh by identical 5-2 scores.

“We’ve played strong games both games. We’ve played fast. They’re a direct team,” Green said. “They want to get on top of you much like we do. We had two good games against them so far. We’ll need another one of those tonight.”

But the team can’t let that previous success go to their heads.

“We’re not talking about success that we’ve had. We’re talking about success that we need to have,” Green said. “We prepare to play this game much like you do any game.”

PREVIEW

DEVILS (36-34-4) vs. PENGUINS (33-30-11)

Head-to-Head

The Devils and Penguins meet for the third and final time this season. New Jersey is 2-0 in the previous two meetings, including a contest March 19 at Prudential Center. The Devils have won both games by a 5-2 score.

Jesper Bratt (1g-3a) and Jack Hughes (4a) lead the Devils in series scoring with four points each. They’re followed by Dawson Mercer (2g-1a) and Ondrej Palat (3a). Mercer, Alexander Holtz and Timo Meier each have two goals against the Penguins. Goaltender Jake Allen made 38 saves in a 5-2 win in the previous contest between the clubs.

Bryan Rust leads the Penguins in scoring with three goals/points. He’s followed by Sidney Crosby’s two assists. Tristan Jarry has started, and lost, both games for Pittsburgh.

Devils Team Scope:

The Devils are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt. Though, the club’s hopes are very faint at the moment. Instead of watching the standings, the club is focusing instead on fine tuning its own game and playing its best hockey in the remaining eight regular-season contests. The club is 4-2-0 in its last six games.

Forward Jesper Bratt leads the team in scoring with 73 points, which tied the amount of points he posted in each of the past two seasons. His 49 assists are a career high. Jack Hughes leads the club with 26 goals to go with his 71 points in 58 games. The captain, Nico Hischier, has 24 goals and 59 points on the year. The Devils have four 20-goal scorers on the team in Bratt, Hughes, Hischier and Timo Meier. Goalie Jake Allen has started seven of the past eight games for New Jersey. He is 4-3 with a 2.59 goals-against average and .923 save percentage since joining the Devils.

The Devils are getting a little healthier on the injury front. Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (concussion) and forward Kurtis MacDermid (lower-body) practiced with the club Monday are closing in on returning to the lineup.

Penguins Team Scope:

The Penguins are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second straight season, and only the third time since 2005 (Sidney Crosby’s rookie year). It’s been a disappointing season for a team that made a big splash under new general manager Kyle Dubas with the acquisition of All-Pro defenseman Erik Karlsson last summer. However, the Penguins have struggled all season and are still a long shot for a playoff berth.

With the current situation for the team, the Penguins decided to trade away star winger Jake Guentzel to Carolina for five prospects to replenish the depth pool.

Pittsburgh is in the midst of a four-game road trip, and is playing on the second half of back-to-back nights after a 5-2 win against the New York Rangers Monday night.

The team is led by, as always, Crosby. The ageless veteran has 37 goals and 82 points on the year, his 13^th 80-point campaign. He’s riding a five-game point streak for 13 total (4g-9a). Evgeni Malkin is second on the club with 56 points, while Bryan Rust ranks third with 26 goals and 48 points. Karlsson leads the backend with 46 points.

Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic started Monday night at Madison Square Garden and has started four straight games while appearing in six straight. Tristan Jarry missed the Rangers’ game due to an illness. He hasn’t played since March 24. Jarry was pulled in his last two outings.

By the Numbers:

Timo Meier recorded 20 points (13g-7a) in 15 games during March. His 13 goals were the most in the NHL and tied Stephane Richer (1993-94) for the most in team history during March.

Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier all have recorded three straight 20-goal seasons. The last time the Devils had three players hit 20-goal mark for three consecutive seasons was 2006-09 (Zach Parise, Brian Gionta, Patrik Elias).

Luke Hughes’ 41 points (9g-32a) tie Brock Faber for second among rookies in points.

Crosby posted two goals and three points against the Rangers to give him 82 points on the year. That clinched his 19^th season of averaging at least one point per game. He ties Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to do so.

Crosby is two assists shy of recording career No. 1,000.

Injuries:

Devils

Hamilton – torn pectoral muscle, LTIR
Bastian - lower-body, IR
Siegenthaler – concussion, IR
Foote – undisclosed, out
MacDermid – lower-body, out

Penguins

Nieto, lower-body
Harkins, upper-body
Graves, concussion