NEWARK, NJ - If the Devils hope to rebound and take the second of back-to-back games against the Washington Capitals today, they're going to have to do it without their captain.
After taking a puck to the forehead on Saturday, Nico Hischier was pronounced day-to-day this morning by head coach Lindy Ruff and will not play.
Ruff noted how much Hischier had helped special teams since his return.
"I think with Nico coming back in it helped our units. Obviously, he scored the last power play goal," he said. "Even I think you saw with Nico coming in as part of our penalty killing group, I thought our our one kill was really good last game. I think a little bit of familiarity where these guys get to play with each other (will help).
"It's been a constant changing unit because at one point, Bratt comes back. In another point, Nico comes back in. Pavel's play has dictated that he needs more power play time. So our units have been changing. We're trying to find units that have worked well, cohesive worked well with each other.
"But again, it'll change for (today)."
GAME-TIME DECISIONS
One aspect of the Devils lineup that may or may not change is the defense pairings. Ryan Murray was a healthy scratch on Saturday, which made the pairings:
Smith - Severson
Kulikov - Subban
Butcher - Vatanen
Ruff, however, did not tip his hand on whether Murray might come back in, stating that it was a game-time decision.
When asked what he'd like to see more from Murray, Ruff's answer was pointed.
"When you look at his overall game quickness, part quickness to eliminating people, it's been a little bit of everything for him and he's had a tough stretch."
Murray has had some (non-COVID) illness issues recently but Ruff said that can't be used as an excuse.
"When I dress a player, I don't want to use health as an excuse, although we know that there are are times he has struggled a little bit with it," said Ruff. "But when your playing, you gotta be ready to play. And at the end of the game, you can't use health as an excuse, or we shouldn't have you in the lineup."
The starting goaltender today will also be a game-time decision.
Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette noted that Washington will play the same lineup as Saturday, with the exception of in goal where Ilya Samsonov will make his first start since January 17.
BETTER START NEEDED
Ruff wasn't quick to pull punches after the game on Saturday, noting that the team needed to play much better than it did in the first period after falling behind early 3-0.
On Sunday at his pre-game media avail, he doubled down.
"It'll tell me whether they're they're focused and determined," Ruff said of the team's start today. "We were a loose team (Saturday). We were a careless team.
"We didn't manage the puck well, and we didn't get into defensive structure fast enough. And I think you saw in the last 40, when we did, we did the things we needed to do and worked hard to get to where we needed to get the scoring hances way down and we gave ourselves a chance to win."
