NEW JERSEY DEVILS (31-21-6) vs. NASHVILLE PREDATORS (20-28-7)

New Jersey visits the Nashville for the second of two games against the Predators this season.

You can watch on MSG or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight's game is presented by Central Jersey Trucking & Rigging.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NASHVILLE, TN - The Devils are in Nashville to take on the Predators on the second half of back-to-back games. Due to playing on consecutive nights, the Devils did not hold a morning skate. Head coach Sheldon Keefe did address the media ahead of the game.

Changes

When asked if there will be lineup changes, Keefe responded “there will be some.” He didn’t divulge any information on what those changes would be.

Execution

The Devils were overall pleased with their effort and performance in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Dallas. However, they do know a little more is needed to squeeze out points against good teams like the Stars.

“You have to execute. You have to beat the goaltender. The chances are there,” Keefe said. “We got some really clean looks with a shooter and a goalie. You want some of those to fall your way.

“The other part of it is don’t let the opposition score. Don’t have the breakdown that allows the 1-0 goal. Don’t take the penalty that causes the second goal. Little things like that. Despite playing well, you lose the game.”

Those notes were the point of emphasis from the coaching staff to the Devils.

“That was the message today,” Keefe said. “We want to play a similar game and execute better on offense, finish our chances, but minimize our mistakes even more.”

Scouting the Predators

Keefe on Nashville: “They’ve been playing very well, offensively especially, in the last little while. The metrics that we look at, in the last 15 games we have them as the No. 1 chance generating team in the offensive zone in the league. That tells a tale right there of the job we need to do in our own end.”

--Sam Kasan

THE SCOOP

The Devils enter Saturday evening’s game on the second half of a back-to-back, after hosting the Dallas Stars Saturday night to resume their regular season. In that game, the Stars took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame and maintained that lead until halfway through the third period when Jack Hughes scored a power play goal. It became a back and forth affair with Dallas responding 35 seconds later before Hughes scored again, less than two minutes after his initial goal, to make it 3-2. An empty net goal with nine seconds left in regulation secured the win for the Stars, 4-2.

With Jacob Markstrom still working his way back from an injury, Jake Allen has played the majority of games since. He played against the Stars Saturday night, allowing three goals on 25 shots. Nico Daws has played two games for the Devils this season, starting his most recent appearance on Feb. 4. He has a 1.44 goals against average and a .941 save percentage through those two appearances.

Jack Hughes’ 26 goals lead the Devils, as do his 67 points. Hughes is second on the team with 41 assists. Jesper Bratt has the team’s lead in assists with 49. His 17 goals are fourth while his 66 points are second. New Jersey's game against Nashville is the first of a five-game road trip that continues on to Colorado, Utah, Las Vegas, and Dallas.

The Predators also are on the second half of a back-to-back after they hosted the Colorado Avalanche Saturday night. Colorado opened the scoring 1:15 into the second period; however Nashville responded 30 seconds later when Justin Barron scored his fourth of the year. In the third period, Jonathan Marchessault’s goal halfway through gave the home team the go-ahead goal and became the eventual game winner.

Juuse Saros played Saturday night, stopping 31 of the 32 shots he faced and ending the night with a .969 save percentage. Justus Annunen, the second half of the Predators goaltending tandem, has played 11 games for Nashville and 11 games for the Colorado Avalanche this season. With the Predators, he has a 7-3-0 record, a 2.93 goals against average, and a .904 save percentage.

Filip Forsberg leads the Predators with 21 goals, 32 assists, and 53 points. Jonathan Marchessault's 18 goals and 45 points are second on the team. Roman Josi's 29 assists are second on the team. Nashville's game against New Jersey is the second of four-straight at home.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jack Hughes scored twice in New Jersey’s game Saturday night and has a total of four points in his last two games. In the final game before the 4 Nations break, Hughes had a goal and an assist against the Montreal Canadiens. With 67 points through 58 games, the Alternate Captain is averaging over a point per game this season and is only 32 points away from tying his single season career-high in points, 99, which he set during the 2022-23 season.

Predators: Jonathan Marchessault is riding a four-game points streak, recording three goals and four assists in that span for seven points. In the final game before the 4 Nations break, Marchessault had four points - one goal and three assists. He recorded one goal in Nashville’s first game back from the break.

INJURIES

Devils: Siegenthaler (undisclosed, out), Markstrom (MCL sprain, out 4-6 weeks)

Predators: Lauzon (lower-body, out for remainder of season), Wilsby (upper-body, out for remainder of season), L’Heureux (upper-body, IR)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Nov. 25 vs Nashville, W 5-2
• Feb. 23 at Nashville

--Catherine Bogart

GAME NOTES

• New Jersey's special teams units continue to impress. The Devils power play is fourth in the league, scoring on 27.4% of their opportunities. The penalty kill is third, keeping opponents from scoring on 83.9% of the Devils' penalities.
• The Predators enter Sunday's game with two straight wins after going through a six-game losing skid. Their 20-28-7 record has them ranked seventh in the Central Division.
• The Devils enter Sunday's game losing their last game; however, their 31-21-6 record has them ranked third in the Metropolitan Division.
• Nashville is averaging the sixth most shots per game (29.8); however, they are allowing the seventh most in the league (29.4). New Jersey's 29.1 shots on goal per game is 11th in the NHL while the Devils are limiting their opponents to the third fewest shots on average at 26.2.