NEWARK, NJ - The Devils get back in action tonight looking to build off last Thursday's win against the Islanders with the same opponent coming to Prudential Center.
The team is a little banged up as Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt won't play, meaning that the lines are expected to be:
Simmonds - Hischier - Palmieri
Coleman - Zajac - Gusev
Boqvist - Zacha - Wood
Street - Rooney - Hayden
Greene - Subban
Severson - Vatanen
Butcher - Mueller
Blackwood
OPPORTUNITY FOR SIMMONDS
Wayne Simmonds will slot in on the top line with Nico Hichier and Kyle Palmieri. He was asked about the chance to play with the number one unit.
"I think the way I play the game, I cause some disruption. Give those guys some space to operate. Get the puck to the net and keep my stick on the ice because those guys are pretty good passers," he said.
Palmieri added that he feels that Simmonds will also create some room in front of the net and help get some rebounds.
"He makes his living around the net. Being able to generate second opportunities," Palmieri noted. "New York is a really good team defensively and try to limit those Grade A opportunities."
Devils interim head coach Alain Nasreddine was asked about his line of thinking when crafting that top line.
"With Simmer, he's playing in that role before with Philly. He's got skills to play on that line and can buy them a bit more room. It's just a matter of moving his feet, he knows that."
Nasreddine added that he feels Pavel Zacha did well with Hischier and Palmieri but is more valuable to the team down the middle.
"We feel like Pav has more to offer at center."
BLACKWOOD STARTING
MacKenzie Blackwood only participated in half of practice on Monday, leading to concern that he might not play tonight but Nasreddine confirmed that he was good to go.
"He's feeling great. Ready to go for tonight. He'll be our starting goalie."
It's great news for the Devils after Blackwood's 29-save performance on Long Island last Thursday was a big reason the team was able to skate out of Nassau County with a 2-1 win.
INJURY UPDATES
Nasreddine had mostly good news on the injury front with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, though neither will play tonight.
"With Bratter it's truly day-to-day and could be a huge improvement from today to tomorrow," he said of Bratt's lower-body injury.
"With Jack, it might take 5-6 days, might take 10 days. It's nothing where there's a concern he's going to be missing two, three, four weeks," Nasreddine noted. "He's on his way and making good progress."
-- Marc Ciampa, NewJerseyDevils.com