NEW JERSEY DEVILS (8-1-0) vs. COLORADO AVALANCHE (5-1-4)

New Jersey begins a four-game road trip out West with a stop in Colorado to face the Avalanche at Ball Arena.

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MORNING SKATE RECAP

DENVER, CO - The Devils held a morning skate on Tuesday at Ball Arena in Denver ahead of facing the Colorado Avalanche to start a four-game road trip.

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who has been out since Oct. 13 against Columbus with a lower-body injury, rejoined the practice Saturday and will get the start tonight against the Avalanche.

"To get Marky back at a time when we've played so much hockey and so much to come, it's great to share that workload," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's a chance for Marky to get back in there tonight."

Also, it appears two Devils will make their season debuts. Defenseman Seamus Casey, who was called up from Utica (AHL) due to an upper-body injury to Brett Pesce, will play and forward Juho Lammikko, who was injured in training camp, will make his Devils debut.

The Devils used the following workflow…

The Devils have made two changes to the line combinations and have altered all three defensive pairs.

Dawson Mercer is back on right wing with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. Lammikko will center Arseny Gritsyuk and Connor Brown. Dougie Hamilton will skate with Luke Hughes, Jonas Siegenthaler is partnered with Simon Nemec and Casey will work with Brenden Dillon.

Case and Point

Casey was dealing with an injury during training camp and the preseason. Finally, the club shut him down to allow him to heal. Upon getting full health he was sent to Utica (AHL). But with Pesce out of the lineup, the club will lean on Casey tonight.

“It’s not exactly how you’d draw it up,” he said of his early season injury. “Any injury, big or small, is going to be tough. I’m fortunate to be healthy and just pumped to get back to it.”

Casey played one game for Utica, so he won’t be coming into the NHL completely cold.

“It was great to get a game. It was good to see the guys. It was a short turnaround. But it was really good to get a game. Coming back here we’re seeing a good team so I’m happy to get that game in.”

Juho What Time It Is

Lammikko signed as a free agent with the Devils over the summer. He worked in training camp with the club but was injured during the preseason. He finally will get a chance to show the Devils what he can do in real action.

“It’s a long time that I haven’t played,” Lammikko said. “I’m looking forward to it. The team is rolling so I’m just looking to jump in and help the team.”

Lammikko will center Gritsyuk and Brown.

“I’ll try to do my best,” he said. “Be good on the defensive end and offense, try to create something. The boys are rolling so I’m just going to jump in and skate hard.”

THE SCOOP

The Devils and Avalanche meet will complete a home-and-home series when the Devils visit Colorado on Tuesday night. New Jersey took the first of the two-season matchups between the teams on Sunday afternoon, courtesy of a game-winning overtime goal by Jack Hughes, who was named the NHL's 3rd Star of the Week on Monday.

New Jersey currently sits atop the NHL's standings with their 8-1-0 record to begin the year, winners of eight straight since losing their season opener to Carolina in the season-opening game.

Jack Hughes currently leads all Devils players with 12 points through nine games, followed closely by linemate Jesper Bratt, who has 11 points through nine games. Jack leads the team with eight goals in nine games, while Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Simon Nemec are tied for the team lead in assists with seven apiece through the opening nine games.

The Devils lost one of their top defencemen on Sunday and will have to power through the absence of Brett Pesce. The last update provided, post-game on Sunday, was that Pesce was ‘not good’ after blocking a shot against the Avalanche.

In his absence, New Jersey recalled Seamus Casey, who met the team in Denver on Monday.

The Avalanche is led by Nathan MacKinnon and his 14 points through their opening 10 games, with seven goals and seven assists, while Martin Necas is close behind with six goals and six assists through 10 games.

Colorado has lost four straight games, in either the shootout or overtime, as it prepares to host the Devils on Tuesday. The Avalanche is 2-0-2 at home to start the year and 3-1-2 on the road.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jack Hughes is on one of his heaters! The Devils' star has seven goals in his last five games, including a two-goal performance against the Avalanche on Sunday, including the overtime winner.

Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon has six points in his last five games, including a goal against New Jersey on Sunday.

INJURIES

Devils:
Glass (upper-body), week-to-week
Pesce (upper-body), unknown
Dadonov (hand), month-to-month
Kovacevic (knee), month-to-month
McLaughlin (undisclosed)
Lammikko (lower body)
MacEwen (upper body), week-to-week

Avalanche:
Girard (upper-body)
Kiviranta (lower-body)
O’Connor (hip)
Blackwood (lower-body)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 26, NJ 4, COL 3, OT
• Oct. 27 at Colorado

GAME NOTES

• The last time that the Devils earned a winning streak of eight games was when the team recorded a 13-game winning streak from Oct. 25, 2022, to Nov. 21. The team won eight consecutive games from Oct. 25 to Nov. 10.

• New Jersey improved to 7-0-0 when leading after two periods of play this season.

• The last time that the Devils logged a 2-0-0 record against Colorado was 2022-23.

• Jack Hughes became the third player in Devils team history since 1982-83, who scored an overtime winner against the Colorado/Quebec franchise. The last player, and second player, in team history who scored an OT winner against the opposing franchise was Stephane Richer on Nov. 29, 1995, vs Colorado at the Meadowlands.