PRE-GAME STORY
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Winners of their past four of five games and winners of two straight on the road, the Devils will look to close out their road trip with a win in Buffalo tonight.
The club held an optional morning skate that was highly attended and included the following players:
Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat, Curtis Lazar, Dawson Mercer, Alexander Holtz, Max Willman, Brian Halonen, Luke Hughes, Nick DeSimone, Kevin Bahl, Simon Nemec, Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen.
Allen, interim head coach Travis Green confirmed Jake Allen will start in net for New Jersey against the Sabres. Both Luke and Jack Hughes took maintenance days yesterday, they are both, Green confirmed, available to play tonight. Luke was on the ice for the optional skate, while Jack remained off the ice this morning.
Killer Penalty Kill
Part of the team's success over their past few games has been thanks to their efforts on special teams. The penalty kill has been thriving lately, having gone 29-for-30 heading into the game in Buffalo. Since the beginning of March, the Devils have the fourth-best PK in the league, clocking in at a 90.5 percent efficiency.
"It's that time of year," Lazar said, "You just have to dig in. They're key parts of the game, for sure. I think we're doing a good job with our triggers, having our opportunities to go and pressure. I think you guys see it, when we're going connected, it's just one go, all go mentality."
In March, the penaltykillers have given up just four goals on 42 opponents' power plays.
“They’re doing good job,” interim head coach Travis Green added, “Gilly (assistant coach Ryan McGill) does a great job in prepping them, teaching them, goaltenders are making timely saves, special teams are a big part of success at this time of year, if you can get a kill or a power play goal, it goes a long way into winning. They’ve put a lot of work into it."
Nine to Go
In the thick of a playoff spot chase, the Devils have nine games left on the regular season schedule to try and make their push. But even though it's just nine games, there's no 'looking too far ahead' for this group. Everything is about a game-at-a-time mentality, winning out their own games and see where the chips fall.
“We’re trying to win every game that we can play," Green said, "Obviously we’re in a playoff race and want to make it into the playoffs. But for me it’s about being an every day team, and everyday player and playing your best. Ultimately, we have a young team, we have a young team that wants to not just make the playoffs, but ultimately win championships."
Along with that comes a certain type of attitude and it's one that Green expects from his team, he wants passion because passion breeds the type of play and gusto that it takes to win championships in the league.
"I want players that come to the rink with a lot of passion and wanting to win the hockey game every night, no matter what they’re doing," Green added, "Guys that compete in practice, want to win one-on-one battles in practice and that carries over into the game and I think that’s the type of mind-set we’re trying to develop that is a team that loves to win and ultimately to win championships, you have to have players like that.”
