PITTSBURGH, Pa. - New Jersey received some good news Saturday morning about the health of starting netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who has missed the past two contests with an upper-body injury.
"It looks like Mackenzie is good to go," Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said.
Blackwood, 24, suffered an upper-body injury last Sunday in a game against New York when Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere was pushed into the goaltender, knocking him to the ice. Blackwood managed to stay in the game and finish the contest.
But two days later, following a morning skate in Pittsburgh, Blackwood was deemed unable to play and sat out the Tuesday and Thursday contests against the Penguins, both losses.
Meanwhile, forward Janne Kuokkanen, who was held out of Friday afternoon's practice for maintenance, will be a game-time decision. A few other players will fall into that category.
"We're going to have a couple game-time decisions with other players," Ruff said. "Kuokkanen will be a game-time decision. We'll see where he's at."
BIG FINISH
The Devils are playing their final game against the Penguins this season, and the finale of a three-game mini-series. New Jersey dropped the first two, 7-6 and 5-1. The club would like to leave the Steel City with a win and snap its eight-game losing streak.
To do that, Ruff needs his team to play a certain way.
"I'd like to see us play a solid game in respect to all three zones," he said. "Where we're not giving up the rush situations. We're paying attention to details through the neutral zone. Making it hard on them on entries.
"Offensively, trying to use our speed and making good decisions when we hit the line. Getting inside and battling for the first opportunity, but more importantly is getting there and trying to look for the second opportunity. It's really important that in all three zones we have a detailed effort."
SET THE TONE
The Devils have lost eight straight games, and it's no coincidence that they've also trailed after the first period in all eight contests. Although games aren't decided in the opening 20 minutes, it does have a major impact on the final 40.
"You can't win a lot of games early. But you can help set the tone," Ruff said. "We've helped a lot of other teams set the tone for the game."
Ruff said in order to alter their first-period fate, the team just needs to do the following:
"Pucks in deep, manage the puck, 200-foot game. Simple as that. We get the puck, we get it behind them, we get it below the goal line, we put them under pressure. Then it's just details after that for me."
