The Devils host the New York Islanders Friday night at Prudential Center.
The game will be the first time this season New Jersey wears its 2022 Reverse Retro jerseys in a home game and the first 9000 fans to arrive at Prudential Center will receive a Chico & Nico Reverse Retro bobblehead presented Pepsi!
You can watch the game on MSGSN2 or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.
Read the game preview below and check back following the morning skate for our Pre-Game Story, videos, lineup updates, and more!

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

WATCH LIVE
Catch the Genucel Pre-Game Show with Catherine Bogart at 6:15 p.m. ET.
After the game, tune into our Genucel Live Post-Game Show with Catherine Bogart.
GAME DAY VIDEO
WATCH:
Throw It Back | Devils Minute
INTERVIEWS:
Siegenthaler
WATCH:
Lindy Ruff Pre-Game
BY THE NUMBERS
Media Game Notes: Devils vs. Islanders
Devils Player Statistics
Islanders Player Statistics
NHL Standings
RECENT VIDEOS
DEVILS NOW:
The New Guy
FEATURE:
Tatar in Montreal
Nico and Chico Swiss Trivia
TATAR FEATURE:
Connect Four
RECENT ARTICLES & PHOTOS
FEATURE:
Marino Proving Worth
FEATURE:
Hamilton Picking Right Spots
10 TAKEAWAYS:
Bright Personalities
GALLERY: Nov. 27 to Dec. 3 Photos
TV & RADIO
You can watch the game on MSGSN2.
You can listen to the game on the Devils Hockey Network.

PRE-GAME STORY

NEWARK, N.J. -
It was an optional skate this morning for the Devils and after a lengthy, hardworking practice on Thursday, most players stayed off the ice this morning.
Vitek Vanecek, Mackenzie Blackwood and Akira Schmid all skated this morning, with Blackwood (IR) and Schmid staying out for added work, indicating Vanecek as the starter tonight against the Islanders.
Joining the three goaltenders were Andreas Johnsson, Kevin Bahl, and Yegor Sharangovich. Sharangovich skated after missing practice yesterday (personal reasons) and Lindy Ruff said he is available to play tonight against the New York Islanders.
This is the second time these two teams meet, the first at Prudential Center and in the previous meeting, the Devils put together what Lindy Ruff called one of New Jersey's 'best road performances', but does expect to see a different version of the Islanders tonight.
"They were disappointed in the game they played against us," Ruff said. "I thought it's probably one of the better road games we've played from start to finish. Our puck control was good, the speed in the game was good. I think they'll look at that game and their plan will probably be different against us.
"They've had some good runs, some tough losses, but we know they're a team that on any given night, they're capable of putting together one heck of a game."

This Is Us

The run that the Devils have been on to start the year is no fluke if you ask around the room. The 21-4-1 start is the culmination of lessons learned both this year and last. Sitting second in the league and Eastern Conference standings behind the Boston Bruins (both teams have 43 points) the team know they are for real.
"It's not a fluke at all, we've shown it enough," Jonas Siegenthaler, who averages over 20 minutes a night, said, "how we play, we can dominate games, we can win games when we play with the lead as well. That was the thing last year that we had trouble playing with the lead. This year we learned from last year. I don't know how many times we have to prove it, but I think it's time for people to kind of respect us, we're a good team. We've shown it and we're first for a reason."

Blackwood Getting Closer

Blackwood has joined the rest of the team for full practices and skates in the last two weeks and continues to inch closer to a return.
"I have no date for him, but I can just say I don't think he's that far off. He's getting closer and closer with every day of practice," Ruff said.
Blackwood for the time being remains on IR after suffering an injury and hasn't played since Nov. 3 in Edmonton.

PREVIEW

DEVILS (20-4-1) vs ISLANDERS (16-11-0)
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET; Televised on MSGSN2
Head-to-Head
The Devils host the Islanders for the first time this season as the two teams meet for the second time this year. Back on Oct. 20 in just their fourth game of the season, the Devils beat the Islanders in a game where Jack Hughes scored his first goal of the season, Nico Hischier had a three-point night (1g, 2a) and Ondrej Palat had two goals.
Devils team scope:
The Devils will hit the ice in their 2022 Reverse Retro jerseys at Prudential Center for the first time and in celebration of the evening, the first 9000 fans will receive a commemorative dual bobblehead with Nico Hischier and Chico Resch.
Coming off their shutout victory to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Devils have had two consecutive days of practice between games. The shutout against Chicago was the second time this season that New Jersey has held its opponent off the scoresheet.
Since the team's loss to Toronto on Nov. 23, the team has gone 5-0-1 with points in six consecutive games since. Jack Hughes is currently on a six-game point streak with six goals and four assists, and nine points in his last five games. His six-game win streak ties a career-high.
Islanders team scope:
The Islanders are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games entering Friday night's game. In their last game, the Islanders were beaten by the St. Louis Blues, in a high-scoring 7-4 final.
In the loss, the Islanders lost one of their top defensemen in Adam Pelech, who is considered day-to-day and not officially ruled out for the game against the Devils.
At practice on Thursday, the Islanders used the following lineup, with Robin Salo filling in on defense in Pelech's absence.
Bailey-Barzal-Wahlstrom
Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier
Parise-Pageau-Holmstrom
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Romanov-Mayfield
Salo-Pulock
Aho-Mayfield
By the numbers:
Jack Hughes has 11 multi-point games in 26 games this season, the most of any player on the current roster. Jesper Bratt ranks second with seven multi-point games (26 GP), while Nico Hischier rounds out the top three with six in 25 games played.
Zach Parise has played in 109 consecutive games with the Islanders, not having missed a game since joining the team in Oct. 2021.
Injury Updates:
Devils
Jonathan Bernier (Hip - LTIR)
Ondrej Palat (Groin - IR)
Mackenzie Blackwood (Sprained MCL - 3 to 6 Weeks)
Nathan Bastian (Upper Body - Indefinite)
Islanders
Adam Pelech (Upper Body - day-to-day)
Cal Clutterbuck (Upper Body - day-to-day)
Kyle Palmieri (Upper Body - LTIR)