New Jersey Devils defenseman Jon Merrill will return after missing four games because of an upper-body injury. Merrill, who will likely begin the game alongside Steven Santini, will replace Seth Helgeson. "I'm excited to help our team get back on track," Merrill said. "We had a tough [4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks] on Sunday, so let's get back in the win column and get this thing rolling again. Personally, I just have to keep it simple early, bring a strong work ethic and get a few bumps in in order to get engaged in the game." Goaltender Cory Schneider will make his sixth straight start. He is 6-4-4 with a 1.69 GAA and .944 save percentage in 15 games against the Avalanche. Coach John Hynes is familiar with Smith, who he coached at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship while representing the United States. "I also saw him a little when I was coaching Wilkes-Barre in the American Hockey League when he was in Providence," Hynes said. "He's an athletic goaltender, a good player. I'm sure he'll be ready to play. For us it's not just about him, though. We have lots of respect for this team and we need to be mentally ready to compete."
