Next Gen Weekend Concludes with Game vs. Senators | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (26-16-6) vs. OTTAWA SENATORS (23-18-4)

New Jersey completes its set of back-to-back weekend matinees on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators. This game is the second of two Next Generation Weekend games presented by RWJBarnabas Health.

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

Read below for your game preview with the pre-game story to come Sunday morning. The game is presented by E3HR.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, NJ – The Devils did not hold a morning skate due to playing an afternoon contest against Ottawa. Head coach Sheldon Keefe did address the media before the game. Here are the biggest takeaways from that avail.

Lineup

The Devils have been dealing with a rash of illness running through the team. The bug recently knocked forward Stefan Noesen out of the lineup for two games. However, it doesn’t appear that today’s lineup will be effected.

“There are names popping up on the injury/illness list each day that we’re monitoring. I think we’ll be okay from the looks of it,” Keefe said. “We’re monitoring it from an energy standpoint and making sure it’s not contagious. Some of that’s out of my hands. Seems like we have a group of guys that are in today that are good, and nothing to be concerned about at this moment.”

Scouting Ottawa

The Senators have been a very streaky team, both in good and bad terms, this season. Out of the holiday break, Ottawa went 1-4-1, including four straight losses. But since then, the club has strung together a 4-0-1 streak.

“They’ve played good defense. They’ve gotten better goaltending,” Keefe said. “They keep the puck away from their net. They’ve always been very dangerous in transition, a lot of skill throughout their lineup. The defense supports the attack very well. They have three really good lines that can score and hurt you in different ways. It’s a good team. They play hard and they compete.”

Keefe noted the parity in the NHL truly means that there are no bad teams, particularly in the Eastern Conference.

“This Ottawa team is playing a lot of good hockey right now,” Keefe said. “We talked about it yesterday with Philly coming in, these teams have really taken a step in the last 20 games and playing as good a hockey as anybody in the league.

“The league right now is as close as it’s been in my time in the league. It doesn’t seem like there is any bottom in the Eastern Conference. Everybody is stuck in the middle and beating each other any given night. We have to be at our best, no doubt.”

Simplify

The Devils are looking for answers to their current offensive woes. And one place they can find answers, according to Keefe, is in their structure.

“Trust in the structure, trust in the system,” he said. “Doing your job, getting to your spots and not trying to complicate it, especially if it’s not going well.”

THE SCOOP

The Devils are looking to turn around a stretch where they have only one win in their last five games and two in their last 10 (2-5-3). Despite the tough stretch, they remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point up on the Carolina Hurricanes who sit in third.

Devils leading scorers this season are Jack Hughes (55 points) and Jesper Bratt (52 points). Nico Hischier is the team's top goal scorer with 22.

Ottawa tied with Columbus and Boston for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at 50 points after a 6-5 shootout win over the Bruins at home on Saturday.

Sens are 5-3-2 in their last 10 and have picked up points in their last 5 with four wins and one overtime loss.

Ottawa's leading scorers on the season are Tim Stutzle (45 points) and Drake Batherson (40 points). Brady Tkachuk leads in goals with 18 and Josh Horris is second on the club with 17.

New Jersey's power play is third in the NHL at 28.4% while their penalty kill ranks 10th at 81.7%.

Ottawa is ninth with the man advantage at 23.6%. On the PK, the Sens are 78.6% which ranks 19th in the NHL.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jack Hughes has nine points in eight games to lead the Devils in points in the month of January. Captain Nico Hischier is first in goals in January with four in eight contests. Hischier also has three goals in five games while seven of Jack's nine points have come in the previous five.

Senators: Goaltender Leevi Merilainen has been a strong substitute for the injured Linus Ullmark. In January, he has a 3-1-1 record with a 1.40 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. On the season, he's 5-2-1 with a 1.84 GAA and .930 save percentage in eight games. Shane Pinto has led the way for the Sens in points in January with five in eight games. Three Sens are tied for tops in goals with two: Pinto, Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.

INJURIES

Devils: Haula (ankle, IR), Hatakka (shoulder, IR)

Senators: Bernard-Docker (ankle, IR), Hamonic (lower body, IR), Ullmark (back, IR), Perron (upper body, IR), Gregor (lower body, day-to-day), Reinhardt (upper body, day-to-day), Chabot (face, IR)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 17 at Senators, Won 3-1
• Jan. 19 vs. Senators
• Mar. 22 vs. Senators

GAME NOTES

• The Devils have an all-time record of 64-33-5-7 against the Ottawa Senators.
• Devils are 13-7-4 on home ice whle the Senators are 11-11-2 on the road.
• Nico Hischier has 18 points in his career in 18 games against the Sens (8 goals, 10 assists). Jesper Bratt has 15 points in 18 games, though only three goals.
• Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot each have 12 points in 15 career games against the Devils to lead the Sens. Tkachuk has for goals and Chabot has five.
• The 32 combined shots on goal on Saturday between the Devils and Flyers tied a franchise record for fewest shots, both teams, for a home game. Flyers had 18 shots, Devils had 14. Previously it had happened twice: 12/6/2013 in a 3-1 loss vs. Detroit and 10/27/01 in a 3-1 win over Buffalo. Both of those games, the Devils were outshot 21-11.