The Arizona Coyotes look to build off their 3-3-1 start to January when they hit the road to take on the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday (Jan. 19). The game is the first of a four-game road trip for the Coyotes, which includes a stretch of three games in four days in the Tri-State Area. Puck drop against the Devils is set for 5 p.m. AZ time.
PACK FACTS
Wednesday is the first time the Coyotes and Devils will play each other since Dec. 14, 2019 (2-1 L). The last time they played in Newark was earlier that season on Oct. 25, 2019 (5-3 W).
The Coyotes have captured at least a point in four of their last five meetings with the Devils (2-1-2). Including shootout-deciding goals, the Coyotes hold a plus-four goal differential in that span (14-10).
Nick Schmaltz has registered a pair of multi-point games against the Devils, most recently a goal and an assist in the Yotes' win in 2019. The forward is fresh of a three-point outing (1-2-3) against the Canadiens on Monday (Jan. 17), which tied his single-game career-high.
Arizona also got multi-point efforts from Clayton Keller (1-1-2), Johan Larsson (1-1-2) and J.J. Moser (1-1-2) in Monday's win, the second time this month and the fourth time in the last nine games the Coyotes have had four-plus players tally multi-point outings in a contest. Keller has continued to produce above a point per game since Nov. 18, now at 11-12-23 in the 21 games of that span.
Larsson has tallied three multi-point games in his last eight outings after recording one multi-point game in his first 17 games.
Moser scored his third goal of the season on Monday, which was his 10th career game. Current Assistant Coach Phil Housley is the only defensemen in franchise history to register three goals within his first 10 games with the organization (NHL debut or otherwise).
The Coyotes franchise is 41-27-9-3 all-time against the Devils/Rockies.
A LOOK AT THE DEVILS
New Jersey (14-18-5, 33 pts) will be playing in its first game in almost a week when they host the Coyotes. Jesper Bratt paces the Devils in both goals (10) and assists (22) this season, who has eight points (2-6-8) in his last five games. Former No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier enters play with a three-game point streak and is on a run of eight points (4-4-8) in his last eight games. The Devils fare much better at home in their home and away splits, holding a 9-7-3 record at the Prudential Center.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Lawson Crouse: One assist from 50 career NHL assists.
Phil Kessel: One multi-assist game from 100 career NHL multi-assist games.
KEY CONNECTIONS
Ex-Coyotes
• None
Ex-Devils
• Phil Housley (1995-96)
• Corey Schwab (1995-96)
• Scott Wedgewood (2015-16, 2020-22)
Travis Boyd played with Jimmy Vesey in both Toronto and Vancouver in 2020-21…Teammates with Jonas Siegenthaler in Washington for parts of the 2018-20 seasons.
Ryan Dzingel was teammates with Christian Jaros in Ottawa for parts of the 2017-19 seasons.
Alex Galchenyuk and Shayne Gostisbehere won a gold medal on Team USA with Jimmy Vesey and Jon Gillies at the 2013 World Junior Championship…Galchenyuk also briefly played with Vesey in Toronto in 2020-21.
Phil Housley was an assistant coach in Nashville in 2016-17 when P.K. Subban was on the team.
J.J. Moser played with Nico Hischier and Jonas Siegenthaler for Switzerland at the 2021 World Championship.
Liam O'Brien was teammates with Ryan Graves in Colorado in 2020-21.
André Tourigny coached Nico Hischier on the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads in 2016-17.
