12/15 Pregame Notes: Devils vs Stars

LAST GAME: DEC. 14 - NEW JERSEY 1 at MONTREAL 2 OT
New Jersey lost in overtime, 2-1, in their first of three meetings against Montreal in 2017-18. The two clubs will face-off again on March 6 at Prudential Center before finishing their season-series on April 1 at Bell Centre. New Jersey remains undefeated in regulation on the road vs. all Atlantic Division opponents, 4-0-2 (7-1-3 overall).

Despite the OT loss, the Devils gained one point, and lead the NHL with 23PTS, 10-4-3, on the road. The Devils are 2-4-1 at Bell Centre since the 2013-14 season (last win; Nov. 28, 2015, 3-2 Wo).
New Jersey was unsuccessful on a 65-second, five-on-three, man-advantage during the second period. The power play-units produced just one shot in 1:05 minutes up two skaters. They finished 0-3 on the power play, and are scoreless on the power play in five of the last six games, 1-15 (6.6%), from Dec. 2-15.
Countering the club's power play, the Devils were perfect, 3-3, on the penalty kill. They are 33-36 (91.7%) over the past 11 games, Nov. 22-Dec. 14.
The contest was the first match of NJD's eighth of 16 sets of back-to-back games in 2017-18. (5-2-1 first game / 4-3-0 second game).
Stefan Noesen opened the scoring at 1.:21 of the first period with his third goal of the season. He has six points (2G-4A) in a career-high, five-consecutive games, from Dec. 5-12. It was the fastest goal New Jersey has scored this season to start a game. The Devils are 11-2-3 when scoring first.
Devils' captain, Andy Greene, notched the primary assist on the Devils' only goal of the evening. It was the 203rd point of his Devils'/NHL career. At 737GP he is 6GP away from tying Colin White (743GP) for fourth-most, games-played (11th among all skaters) in franchise history. The assist was his first point in 10 games, Nov. 20 at MIN.
Jesper Bratt notched the secondary assist and his second in the past two games. He is second on the club with 21PTS.
Taylor Hall missed his first game of the 2017-18 season due to a contusion in his knee. Drew Stafford replaced Hall at left-wing on his offensive line with rookies Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier tonight. Stafford skated in 15:40 over 17 shifts and had two shots on goal.
Nick Lappin made his 2017-18 season-debut after being recalled from Binghamton on Wednesday. He skated in skating in 10:02 minutes and had two shots on goal.
Cory Schneider stopped 35 of 36 (.972 sv%). He is 1-2-4 vs. MTL as a Devils/in career.
Additionally, as New Jersey was playing last night, the club acquired forward Michael Latta from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Binghamton Devils (AHL) forward Ryan Kujawinski. Latta had spent the entirety of this season playing for the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL), where he was an alternate captain. Latta carries a one-year, two-way contract worth $650K at the NHL-level.
TONIGHT'S GAME vs. DALLAS
Tonight marks the first of two meetings between New Jersey and Dallas this season. The clubs will meet for the second and final time in the regular-season on Jan. 4 at American Airlines Center.
In 2016-17, the Devils and Stars both finished with 3PTS, 1-0-1 record, at the conclusion of their two-game, season-series. New Jersey defeated Dallas, 2-1 OT, on Nov. 15, 2016 at American Airlines Center. Adam Henrique notched the overtime-tally for NJD. Dallas responded in the second meeting and won, 2-1 OT, on March 26, 2017 at Prudential Center. Tyler Seguin scored the OT winner for DAL.
Tonight is the club's second-half of their eighth set of back-to-back games. New Jersey lost to Montreal in overtime, 2-1, Thursday night at Bell Centre and are .500 (5W-5L) in the extra period this season.
Entering the game, New Jersey is 4-2-0 overall (1-1-0 at home) against the Central Division and is 8-5-2 overall against the Western Conference.
CURRENT INJURIES
MUELLER - IR, retro. to Nov. 13, fractured clavicle, 14 games missed.
PALMIERI - IR, retro to Nov. 20, broken right foot, 11 games missed.
JOHANSSON - I.R., retro to Dec. 9, ankle bruise, 2 game missed.
HALL - day-to-day, right-knee contusion, 1 game missed.
Total Man-Games Lost to Injury/Illness: 99
MILESTONES
LOVEJOY - 1GP for 100 w/ NJ
BOYLE - 1G for 100 NHL / 8PIM for 500 NHL
JOHANSSON - 3PTS for 300 NHL / 9A for 200 I.R.
GIBBONS - 4GP for 100 NHL
MOORE - 4GP for 400 NHL
ZACHA - 6GP for 100 NHL/NJ
COACH HYNES - 6GC for 200 in NHL/NJ
VATANEN - 7A for 100 NHL
ZAJAC - 8GP for 800 NHL/NJ
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Nov. 15: Activated F Michael McLeod (lower body) and assigned to Mississauga (OHL). Placed D Mirco Mueller (broken left clavicle) on I.R., retro to Nov. 12.
Nov. 16: Activated C Travis Zajac (torn left pectoral) off I.R.
Nov. 22: Placed RW Kyle Palmieri (broken right foot) on I.R., retro to Nov. 20.
Nov. 30: Acquired D Sami Vatanen and a conditional third-round draft pick in the 2019 or 2020 NHL Draft from Anaheim for Adam Henrique, Joseph Blandisi and New Jersey's 2018 third-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Dec. 1: Activated F Marcus Johansson (concussion) off I.R.
Dec. 13: Placed F Marcus Johansson (ankle bruise) on I.R., retro to Dec. 9. Recalled F Nick Lappin from Binghamton (AHL).
DEVILS WORLD TOUR
New Jersey will likely be well-represented 11 days from now when the 2018 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship begins in Buffalo, NY. The Devils have eight prospects from five different countries that have made their respective nation's preliminary roster.
CANADA - F Michael McLeod - (1st round, 12th overall, 2016)
UNITED STATES - F Joey Anderson (3rd round, 73rd overall, 2016), D Reilly Walsh (3rd round '4th selection', 81st overall, 2017)
SLOVAKIA - F Marian Studenic (5th round, '7th selection', 143rd overall, 2017)
SWEDEN - F Jesper Boqvist (2nd round, 36th overall, 2017), F Fabian Zetterlund (3rd round, 63rd overall, 2017)
RUSSIA - F Mikhail Maltsev (4th round, '5th selection' 2016), D Yegor Zaitsev (7th round, '10th selection' 2017)