The Devils continue their season-long five-game road trip (3-0) with a stop in San Jose. Puck drops at 4 p.m. ET.
You can watch the game on ESPN+ or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.
Read the game preview below plus our Pre-Game Story, lineup updates, videos and more.

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

GAME DAY VIDEO
WATCH:
Head Coach Lindy Ruff
BY THE NUMBERS
Stats Comparison: Devils vs. Sharks
Media Game Notes: Devils vs. Sharks
Head to Head: Devils vs. Sharks
Devils Player Statistics
Sharks Player Statistics
NHL Standings
RECENT VIDEOS
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Instant Chemistry
COMMUNITY: Hockey in NJ
RECENT ARTICLES
STALLMATES:
Tatar's First Day in NHL
GAME STORY:
Devils Down Kings
FEATURE:
Punker Shares Love of Devils
TV & RADIO
You can watch the game on MSGSN
You can listen to the game on the Devils Hockey Network.

PRE-GAME STORY

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Devils are playing their fourth game of a five-game road trip, looking to make it four straight wins. New Jersey is going up against a San Jose Sharks team that wants to rebound from a 7-1 loss to Edmonton.
"When you look at their last game, you look at a team that wants to rebound from their last loss. They're hungry here at home and want to try and play a better game," said Devils head coach Lindy Ruff pregame. "Defensively, we're going to see a team that's going to give up a lot less and play really hard."
DEVILS DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
Although the Devils may be credited the most for their superstars and the team's ability to score, for the first six weeks of the year the Devils focused on defense. With a stronger commitment from everyone defensively, New Jersey can jump back into their offensive play quicker.
"All we talked about was defense defense defense for the first six weeks and all the clips I'd show would be defending clips. Nothing about offensive but all about where we need to be. Being in the right spot, being on the inside. There are times that you have to pay a bigger price than you want to play," said Lindy Ruff. "We made a huge commitment to our play away from the puck and deciding that we have to be a better defensive team.
"Getting above people, making people come through us, staying on the inside, better job with shot lanes, all the little one or two percenters that add up to 10%. We've seen the benefit of that. Our five-on-five has been good. You look at the third period we played against LA, when we were leading - besides the bad break for the penalty shot - I thought we played a great period. Winning hockey. Didn't give up a lot of opportunities, Didn't give up a shot on six-on-five until we scored the empty netter. Attention to detail that you need to have if you want to be in the playoffs."
It's not just Ruff and the coaches pushing this message. Whenever a player sees their teammate not committed to the defensive systems they're calling each other to play better.
"They're pushing each other to do the right thing. If they see a teammate not doing the right thing, it's them who are saying something not me."
GRAVES' OFFENSIVE IMPACT
Defenseman Ryan Graves is tied for first in the NHL for plus/minus with +30 and Lindy Ruff has credited the blueliner's ability to get in on the action offensively.
"Sometimes you can be on the ice and goals go in, sometimes you can be on the ice for great opportunities and they never go in. He's had a real knack of defending well and has an offensive side of him that helps get involved in the offense. You can't be on the high end of plus unless you're on for goals for. He has a sneaky way of getting involved offensively."
Currently Graves has four goals and 11 assists through 40 games played and the defenseman is riding a four game points streak with one goal and four assists.
REUNION OF THE BENCH BOSSES
Today's game is a reunion between Devils head coach Lindy Ruff and Sharks head coach David Quinn. Ruff served as an assistant coach on Quinn's staff with the New York Rangers before taking the head job with New Jersey. According to Quinn, and confirmed by Ruff, their first conversation coudln't have gone better.
"The relationship is great. Really got along great with David. He's a good guy. The first five minutes of conversation, talking about how playing the game and how you treat players. It seemed like we got along great. We laughed and joked a little bit early on in that conversation and talked a lot about his coaching career at BU. It was such an easy conversation. We sat there for quite some time and what should be an hour conversation turned into two or three."
When asked what Quinn does well as a coach and to make the jump from college to the NHL, Ruff credited Quinn's constant learning.
"He's really a student of the game. I think the game is different from a college level to an NHL level. That's the part that he had to learn early on. The pros make a lot of mistakes, too. Just his detail going through games. What he puts into practice, his post-game review of all games. He really works hard at dealing with his players which is a really important quality."

PREVIEW

DEVILS (28-12-3) at SHARKS (13-23-8)
TV: 4 p.m. ET; Televised on MSGSN
Head-to-Head
The Devils and Sharks meet for the second and final time this season, and only time at SAP Center.
The Devils earned a 2-1 victory at Prudential Center Oct. 22. Dawson Mercer and Yegor Sharangovich tallied in the contest while goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 21 saves. Kevin Lebanc scored the lone San Jose goal.
Devils Team Scope:
The Devils are in second place in the Metro Division, trailing Carolina by two points (61-59). They continue their road dominance going 3-0 on their current five-game road trip. New Jersey is 17-2-1 away from home, an NHL record for most games in the first 20 road games.
Forward Jack Hughes has a career-high 28 goals on the season, including 21 in his past 23 games. Dawson Mercer tied a career-high with a four-game scoring streak with six points (2g-4a). Jesper Bratt has 10 points (6g-4a) in his last eight games.
Goaltender Vitek Vanecek has won five straight games, and is 17-5-2 on the season. Mackenzie Blackwood made 34 of 36 saves in Los Angeles to pick up the win in his first game action in two weeks.
Sharks Team Scope:
The Sharks have had a disappointing season. They are in second-to-last place in the Pacific Division and 13th overall (of 16) in the Western Conference. The Sharks are 3-7-3 in their last 13 games, including a 7-1 loss to Edmonton Friday night.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson is enjoying arguably the best season of his career at 32 years old. He leads the team with 43 assists and 56 points, to go with 13 goals. His goal, assist and point totals all rank No. 1 in the NHL among defensemen, and he is on pace to set career highs in all three categories. Forward Timo Meier paces the club with 24 goals and is second at 43 points.
By the Numbers:
Devils defenseman Ryan Graves has a career-long four-game scoring/assist streak totaling five points (1g-4a).
Since Dec. 6, Karlsson (22 points) and Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (21 points) lead all NHL defensemen in scoring.
Injury Updates:
Devils
John Marino (upper-body, week-to-week)
Jonathan Bernier (hip, IR)
Nathan Bastian (upper-body, IR)
Sharks
Harrington (upper-body)
Simek (upper-body, IR)
Kryzhov (Achilles, IR)
Nutivaara (lower-body, LTIR)
Kunin (ACL, IR)