NEW JERSEY DEVILS (15-7-1) at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (13-7-3)

The Devils look to avenge last Saturday's loss to the Philadelphia Flyers as the visitors travel up the turnpike to play New Jersey at Prudential Center.

Read below for your game preview by Blue Nail Exteriors and check back around 5:00 PM ET for the pre-game story.

PRE-GAME AVAIL RECAP

NEWARK, NJ - The New Jersey Devils return home tonight riding a three-game winning streak, a 16-7-1 record, and a near-perfect run at Prudential Center, where they stand at 9-0-1 this season. They host the Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in eight days, looking to avenge last week’s 6–3 loss in Philadelphia and close out back-to-back games with a key Metropolitan Division victory.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed the Devils will “stick with the same lineup” as Friday’s dominant 5–0 win in Buffalo, and that Jacob Markstrom gets the net tonight after Jake Allen’s shutout performance.

“Yes. He is, yeah,” Keefe said when asked if Markstrom would start. “(Otherwise) we’re stickin’ [with the] same lineup.”

That lineup Friday was:

Meier - Hischier - Bratt
Palat - Mercer - Gritsyuk
Cotter - Glass - Brown
Lammikko - Glendening - Noesen

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Hughes - Nemec
Dillon - White

HOME DOMINANCE MEETS A RED-HOT DIVISION FOE

The Devils enter the night leading the NHL in home points percentage and continue to play some of their most structured hockey when in Newark. Their home record is buoyed by elite special teams—a top-10 power play (23.7%), an 82.9% penalty kill, and tied for a League-best mark in one critical category: they have not allowed a single shorthanded goal this season.

Philadelphia arrives with a strong record of their own (13-7-3, winners of two straight), and the teams’ last meeting was controlled by Flyers forwards Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink, who combined for six points in that Nov. 22 matchup.

Keefe made clear that the Devils don’t need to reinvent anything—they simply need to reestablish their game from the outset.

“All of our first periods, save for that one, have been very good for quite some time now,” Keefe said. “So, just get back to that.”

The numbers reflect that confidence: New Jersey is 11-1-1 when scoring first this season and a perfect 12-0-0 when leading after two.

“A TREMENDOUS INITIATIVE”

Tonight also marks the organization’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night presented by RWJBarnabas Health, an initiative that Keefe called meaningful on multiple levels.

“It’s such a tremendous initiative that the League has done for quite some time,” Keefe said. “Obviously a terrible disease, therefore a great cause to be associated with. And for us specifically, to have a chance to connect with some of our fans over this time is great too.”

The Devils will pay tribute to survivors and families, and feature league-wide storytelling tied to the night’s theme. Earlier this week, seven-year old Trevor Bobev joined the Devils on the ice as part of the organization’s participation in Hockey Fights Cancer, the league-wide campaign dedicated to raising awareness, promoting education, and supporting research. He’ll be back at Prudential Center tonight to take in warmups from the bench and take part in a ceremonial puck drop before the game.

IMPACT PERFORMANCES

New Jersey continues to receive impact performances from its top forwards—particularly Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Dawson Mercer, who have surged in the weeks following Jack Hughes’ injury.

Hischier enters tonight on a four-game point streak (5–4–9), while Meier also carries a four-game streak of his own. Mercer sits at 9 goals and 18 points, matching Hischier for the team lead in goals for players not named Jack Hughes.

Keefe praised both Hischier and Meier for stepping into elevated offensive roles without cheating the identity that makes them so reliable.

“They were due,” Keefe said. “Somebody needed to step up, and the fact that they were well overdue for a breakout to kinda get rolling… it’s been great just that it’s happened. The most important thing for me, those guys haven’t cheated their game at all. They still take on the same defensive responsibilities, but have done so in a manner that’s giving them offense at the right time and they’ve made it count.”

PHYSICALITY, DEPTH, AND A STEADY SIXTH DEFENSEMAN

Keefe dismissed the idea that Jonas Siegenthaler’s seven hits last night represented a meaningful shift in his physicality.

“It’s recency bias,” he said with a laugh. “He’s always that way—it just so happens he gets credited with a bunch that night. I would say it’s circumstantial.”

He was more expansive when discussing the play of Colton White, who has quietly stabilized the bottom pair when called upon with injuries to Brett Pesce and Johnathan Kovacevic on the right side.

“He’s been very solid,” Keefe said. “When you play really good defense, you give your team a chance to win at any time. He’s played very sound defense… allowed our other guys to get a breather and done his job when called on. He’s been great.”

THE ADJUSTMENT AHEAD

The Devils allowed four goals in the first period in last week’s loss (and three in 26 seconds)—one of the few times this year their opening 20 minutes got away from them. They’ll look to lean on their home structure and improved defensive rhythm to correct that tonight.

Philadelphia’s attack remains dangerous: Zegras (22 points), Konecny (17), and Foerster (team-leading 9 goals) headline a group that leans heavily on transition and middle-lane pressure. But New Jersey counters with the league’s 7th-ranked power play, a better 5-on-5 goal differential (45-52), and elite shot generation — 702 shots, top-10 in the NHL.

With Markstrom in net and a strong home record behind them, the Devils have a chance to close out November with another divisional win to help stay atop the Eastern Conference standings.

THE SCOOP

The Devils hold a rematch against the Flyers on Saturday after dropping a 6-3 decision in Philadelphia last Saturday. New Jersey bounced back well with three wins in three games since. On Friday, they won 5-0 in Buffalo.

Over their past 10 games, the Devils are 6-3-1. Devils as of right now have the most points in the Eastern Conference with 33 but the conference is extremely tight with only six points separating the top of the conference and 12th.

It's even tighter further down the conference. Sitting in fourth with 29 points is the Philadelphia Flyers but they are only two points up on the 12th-place Red Wings (and Columbus with 26 points right behind them and Cup-champ Panthers with 25).

The Flyers won two of three in the past week, including 4-3 in a shootout on Friday over the New York Islanders. All in all, they are 7-4-1 in November and 12-5-1 in their last 17 games.

New Jersey has had to deal with Jack Hughes being out to injury for the past seven games. They are 4-3-0 in that time. Captain Nico Hischier has really picked up his play with 10 points in that span, nearly doubling his season total after opening the 25-26 campaign with 12 points in 16 contests.

Trevor Zegras leads the way for the Flyers with 23 points in 24 games. Zegras has had a resurgence this year after only 32 points in 57 games all of last season.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Hischier has five goals scored in his last four straight games played and six in his last seven. He also has nine points in that span

Flyers: Tyson Foerster has five goals in his last five games, including two against the Devils last Saturday. Dan Vladar has won each of his last three starts and is expected to get the start again Saturday.

INJURIES

Devils:
J. Hughes (finger)
MacEwen (lower-body)
Dadonov (undisclosed)
Pesce (upper-body)
Kovacevic (knee)
McLaughlin (undisclosed)

Flyers:
Bonk (upper body)
Ristolainen (triceps)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Nov. 22 Devils at Flyers, Lost 3-6
• Nov. 29 Flyers at Devils
• Apr. 7 Devils at Flyers

GAME NOTES

• Devils have the top winning percentage in the NHL on home ice at 9-0-1 (.950). The Colorado Avalanche are second at 9-0-2 (.910).
• The newly formed line of Ondřej Palát – Dawson Mercer – Arseny Gritsyuk continues to build chemistry after Sheldon Keefe noted it came together out of necessity prior to Friday’s game.

• All three linemates recorded a point on the Devils’ second goal vs. Buffalo, with Mercer recovering his own tipped chance to set up Gritsyuk in the slot; the trio later connected again on Gritsyuk’s second goal. Ondrej Palat, who entered the game with just two points on the season, added two assists against the Sabres.