Devils Host Back-to-Back Champs in Home Opener | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (2-1-0) vs. FLORIDA PANTHERS (3-2-0)

New Jersey hosts the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the club's home opener at Prudential Center on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.

Read below for your game preview presented by Complete Mechanical Solution and check back for the pre-game story.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils held a full morning skate on Thursday at Prudential Center ahead of their home opener against the Florida Panthers.

The Devils used the following workflow…

Palat – J.Hughes – Bratt
Meier – Hischier – Mercer
Gritsyuk – Glass – Brown
Cotter – Glendening – Halonen

L.Hughes – Pesce
Siegenthaler – Hamilton
Dillon – Nemec

The Devils used the following power plays:

PP1: L.Hughes, J.Hughes, Meier, Bratt, Hischier
PP2: Hamilton, Palat, Gritsyuk, Mercer, Glass

Devils forward Stefan Noesen continues to practice with the team and is inching closer to a return to play.

“He won’t play tonight but he’s getting close," coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Forechecking

Much is made of the forecheck of the Carolina Hurricanes, and with good reason. Carolina is the most aggressive team when it comes to getting into the offensive zone and applying pressure on retreating defensemen. But the Florida Panthers aren’t too far behind them in that respect.

“Being crisp, being quick, get in and out fast before they can get on top of us,” Keefe said. “Also, being poised under pressure when they get their big swings in momentum. That’s the stuff we talk about most nights. But certainly, it’s that much more important against a team like this.

“It’s not unlike Carolina in the sense of how they play and the pressure they put on you on your half of the ice. You need to cope with that.”

Devils captain Nico Hischier echoed that sentiment.

“They’re a very good forechecking team. Coming out of our end will be important, coming through the neutral zone,” he said. “Obviously, you can’t turn pucks over against these guys. They’re very good on the rush, too. That’s really important.”

Faceoff Depth

With the signing of center Luke Glendening for the Devils, there has been a trickledown effect in the faceoff circle, particularly for the captain.

Nico Hischier shouldered the bulk of the faceoffs for the team last year, especially key defensive zone and PK draws. But having someone like Glendening – who is a right-hand shot and has a 57-percent career success rate in the dot – it gives the Devils another option.

That not only makes the team’s usage more diverse and spread out, but will alleviate some of the demand on Hischier.

“The hope is that we get a fresher version of Nico more consistently,” Keefe said. “He doesn’t have to take as many faceoffs, especially when he’s already fatigued.

“We want to give Glendening a real good run of taking on that responsibility because we think he can do the job, but we’re hoping there is payoff on the impact of Nico.”

Hischier appreciates the help, but also the team’s ability to tailor the centerman to either the right or left faceoff dot.

“It helps when you have lefties and rights on certain faceoff dots you have an advantage,” Hischier said. “You can move things around and that helps the whole team, and helps me as well.”

Get Gritty Wit It

Rookie Arseny Gritsyuk has had a strong start to his NHL career. Through three games in the League, he has three assists. While he’s been driving offense, what’s been most encouraging in his game has been his play away from the puck defensively.

“I see a greater comprehension of the systems. He’s a smart guy. With more repetitions he’s been able to pick it up,” Keefe said. “He doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s been really good in that area. He’s got really good skating ability, especially those first one, two steps. He covers a lot of ground. That helps defensively in terms of recovery and getting to places quickly. Puck changes directions fast and he seems to be able to adjust and get back, get proper body position to protect our net. He’s just been solid in all areas of his game.

“It’s been good. The more he does that the more you can trust him with matchups. That was important on the road to giving him and his line more shifts. He’s also driving offense in our bottom-6, which is so vital.”

THE SCOOP

The Devils opened the season by going 2-1-0 on a three-game road swing through Carolina (L), Tampa Bay (W) and Columbus (W). They host the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers Thursday followed by facing the back-to-back Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers Saturday afternoon.

The injury bug has ravaged the Devils in the early going. Starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom was added to the list with a lower-body injury that will have him out for a "couple of weeks." The club is also without Evgenii Dadonov, Johnathan Kovacevic, Stefan Noesen, Seamus Casey, Luho Lammikko and Zack MacEwen.

Florida began the season with a three-game homestand, which included another championship banner raising. The Panthers swept those home contests to open the season 3-0-0. Now, Florida hits the road for a five-game road swing with the Devils being the third stop. The Panthers dropped the opening two road games, including in Detroit last night. They'll face the Devils on the second half of back-to-back nights.

The Panthers have their own fair share of injuries. The club is without arguably its best two players in Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Timo Meier has two goals and three points in the past two games, including a power-play tally.

Panthers: Brad Marchand, who decided to run it back with the Panthers and re-sign after winning the Stanley Cup last year, has five points (3g-2a) in the team's opening five games.

INJURIES

Devils:
Dadonov (hand), month-to-month
Kovacevic (knee), month-to-month
Noesen (groin), day-to-day
Casey (lower body), undisclosed
McLaughlin (undisclosed)
Lammikko (undisclosed)
MacEwen (undisclosed), week-to-week
Markstrom (lower-body), week-to-week

Panthers:
Tkachuk (groin), month-to-month
Barkov (knee), month-to-month
Nosek (knee)
Kulikov (undisclosed)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 16 vs. Florida
• Nov. 20 at Florida
• March 3 vs. Florida

GAME NOTES

• Jesper Bratt (3g-2a) and Nico Hischier (1g-4a) led the Devils with five points against Florida last year.
• Luke Hughes has 97 career points (17g-80a). He has played 158 career games. The fastest Devils defenseman to reach 100 points was Brian Rafalski (176). Hughes in on pace to break that mark.
• Dawson Mercer has played in 331 consecutive games to start his career. He is 5th in the NHL among active skaters.
• Rookie Arseny Gritsyuk recorded his first career NHL point (assist) Saturday in Tampa Bay. He's still looking for his first goal.