Pregame Notes: 12/27 Devils vs. Penguins

DEVILS VS. PENGUINS
Tonight is the third of five regular season games between the Devils and Penguins in 2016-17. New Jersey is 0-1-1 vs. Pittsburgh and lost in their most-recent game, 4-1, on Dec, 23 at PPG Paints Arena. The Devils face-off against the Penguins again Mar. 17 in Pittsburgh before finishing their season-series Apr. 6 at Prudential Center.
Each game at PPG Paints Arena for the Devils is the second of a back-to-back set in 2016-17.
The Devils are 3-2-2 vs. the Metropolitan Division and are 7-7-5 against Eastern Conference opponents this season. The Devils are 7-1-1 when facing the Penguins at Prudential Center since the 2012-13 season.
Andy Greene has more points (6g-13a-19pts) vs. Pittsburgh than any other opponent. Michael Cammalleri has five points (3g-2a) over his last four games vs. Pittsburgh.

PENGUINS CONNECTIONS
Executive VP/General Manager Ray Shero was Pittsburgh's EVP/GM from 2006-14…Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald held several positions with Pittsburgh from 2007-15, including serving as Assistant GM in 2014-15…Head Coach John Hynes spent six seasons with the Penguins' organization from 2009-15, including the five seasons as Head Coach of their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton…Assistant Coach Alain Nasreddine played for the Pens' organization from 2004-08 and served as an assistant coach under Hynes with W-B/Scranton from 2010-15…Senior Director of Player Personnel Dan MacKinnon spent the previous 10 seasons with Pittsburgh, including the last seven as Director of Player Personnel; he served in that role for their 2016 Stanley Cup Championship Team…Ben Lovejoy spent five-plus seasons with the Penguins (2008-13, 2014-16) and was part of their 2016 Stanley Cup Championship team…Beau Bennett played 129 games with Pittsburgh from 2012-16, scoring 16g-29a-45pts…Penguins' Assistant GM Bill Guerin was the Devils' first choice (5th overall) in the 1989 NHL Draft. He skated in 380 games with New Jersey over the course of seven seasons 1991-98, and was a member of the 1995 Stanley Cup Championship team.