MORNING SKATE RECAP
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Devils did not hold a morning skate in Anaheim due to playing on back-to-back nights. Head coach Sheldon Keefe did meet with the media prior to the game. Here are some takeaways from that conversation.
Brown Out, Allen In
Forward Connor Brown missed the club’s 4-1 victory in Los Angeles Saturday night due to an undisclosed injury. Though the team doesn’t anticipate it being anything serious, but he will not play against the Ducks.
“He’s better, but he’s out today,” Keefe said. “It’s day-to-day. We don’t expect it to be too much longer if he keeps progressing the way that he has, but not available today.”
Keefe confirmed that goalie Jake Allen will make the start.
Improvement
Despite leaving LA with a 4-1 win, the Devils coaches weren’t entirely happy with the club’s play. Their goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, had to make 43 saves to help the Devils escape with two points.
Keefe is hoping to see a better showing in this evening’s game.
“It’s just managing the puck,” Keefe said. “It gets harder and harder the more fatigued that you get, but at the same time it’s how you can fight fatigue if you get it right.”
Hot Start
The Ducks may be in the midst of a rebuild, but they’ve found some early on-ice success. The team has won four of its past five games.
“They’re young players have taken a step,” Keefe said. “They have lots of high-flying skill and a lot of solid veterans. That can solidify the team and give them more depth. You put all that together you get a team with more confidence. They’ve been winning more so they have some positivity rolling over there. For all those reasons it’ll have to be a great game for us.
“As we’ve seen, there are no easy nights in the league and Anaheim has done their part to make sure that’s no different today.”
