Practice Before DC Departure | NOTEBOOK

The Devils practiced Friday at the RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House inside Prudential Center prior to departing for DC to face the Washington Capitals Saturday afternoon. 

Read the notebook for the latest info, updates, interviews, videos and more from the practice session!

Friday's Workflow

The Devils were back on the ice Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours after their convincing 7-1 victory over the New York Rangers at Prudential Center.

With a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Washington Capitals on the horizon, head coach Sheldon Keefe provided updates on several players, while the team reflected on Thursday's performance and the importance of carrying that momentum forward.

Here's the latest from Friday's practice.

Evangelista Eyes Tuesday Return Plus Updates on Glass, Brown

Luke Evangelista returned to practice Friday after missing several days with an illness, but the Devils won't rush the forward back into game action.

Keefe confirmed that Evangelista, who has been battling a fever, will not travel with the team to Washington for Saturday's game. Instead, the Devils are targeting Tuesday's home game against Colorado for his return.

"He's doing better, obviously, to be out here today," Keefe said. "He's fever-free and all that kind of stuff. It's good to have him back on the ice."

The decision comes after Evangelista was limited in his activity for much of the past week.

"We just made the decision that we're going to give him an opportunity to build himself back up," Keefe explained. "He won't travel with us, won't play, hasn't really done much of anything in the last five days or so."

The Devils have an off day Sunday followed by a practice Monday, giving Evangelista additional time to regain his conditioning before potentially returning Tuesday.

Keefe also provided updates on two other forwards.

Cody Glass was absent from the team's full practice but skated on his own beforehand. Keefe described it as a maintenance day and confirmed Glass is fine for Saturday.

Connor Brown, meanwhile, continues working his way back from injury and will not accompany the team to Washington.

Luke Hughes' Confidence Grows

Luke Hughes' two-goal performance against the Rangers on Thursday was the latest indication of a young defenseman continuing to elevate his game.

And nobody has a better view of that development than his defensive partner, Brett Pesce.

"Just his confidence," Pesce said when asked what has stood out about Hughes' recent play. "I think he's more confident with the puck."

Hughes demonstrated that confidence in spectacular fashion on his second goal against New York, making a move to create space before driving toward the net and finishing the play himself.

For Hughes, it was a matter of reading what the defense gave him, something he's worked on by studying other elite defensemen.

"I got to watch Quinn and Werenski and some really talented guys in the summer and talk about things like that," Hughes explained.

He noted that he'd been looking to pass on similar plays, using that tendency to his advantage when the defender anticipated a dish rather than a drive to the net.

"I've been dropping to pass a lot," Hughes said. "I just turned the corner and was in."

For Pesce, those offensive instincts are only part of what makes Hughes such a valuable player.

"He's so dynamic and he's so smart and so rangy," Pesce said. "You're kind of seeing both sides really come alive to get kind of him putting it together. So, it's been a blast playing with him this year."

The appreciation goes both ways.

Hughes credited Pesce for helping create opportunities, emphasizing that their success starts with taking care of business defensively.

"I think for us, it starts in the D zone," Hughes said. "Try to get out of our D zone as fast as possible and defend and not give anything up."

"He's a great partner for me, and he's always looking for me in the offensive zone, so it's nice for him to get rewarded (with two points against the Rangers)."

Now in their third season together, the two have developed a strong understanding of each other's games, but Pesce believes there's still plenty of room to improve.

"I think we have pretty good chemistry out there, move the puck well," he said. "I think there's still room for us to grow as a pair."

More Depth, More Options

One of the more interesting developments through the early portion of the season has been how Keefe is distributing ice time throughout his lineup.

Jack Hughes played approximately 17 minutes against the Rangers on Thursday, considerably less than his typical workload. Timo Meier has also seen his minutes decline in recent games.

But according to Keefe, those numbers reflect the Devils' increased depth rather than any conscious effort to limit individual players.

"When you have a chance to sort of look ahead and preserve some of your top guys, you want to take advantage of that," Keefe said. "I think that's really important."

Keefe was quick to point out that the circumstances of each game still dictate his decisions.

"If we're searching for a goal, he's probably closer to 27 than 17," Keefe said of Jack Hughes.

The bigger picture is that the Devils can now lean more heavily on their entire lineup, particularly at even strength.

"We're using our fourth line a lot more than we ever really have," Keefe said.

That depth has also allowed different lines to establish distinct identities.

Keefe highlighted the work of Evan Rodrigues, whose versatility has helped the Devils in several situations, including on special teams. Rodrigues has also developed chemistry with Anthony Mantha and Stefan Noesen, giving New Jersey a line that plays a more direct, north-south style.

"I really liked the way that line has come together," Keefe said, pointing to their ability to play simple, straightforward hockey and establish offensive-zone time.

The increased competition extends to younger players such as Amadeus Lombardi.

After making his NHL debut on Opening Night, Lombardi has continued to impress Keefe while adjusting to the demands of a full NHL schedule.

"He's managed this week really well," Keefe said, noting the challenges of back-to-back games, a demanding schedule and travel.

While his skating, speed and offensive ability remain strengths, Lombardi is learning the details required to establish himself in a supporting role, including checking habits, shift lengths and puck management.

"He's done a nice job with us," Keefe said. "It's put him firmly in the mix of a guy to be in the lineup every night."

It's an encouraging assessment for the rookie, although Keefe emphasized that maintaining those standards will be important as injured players return and competition for lineup spots increases.

Building on the Breakthrough

Thursday's seven-goal outburst against the Rangers was a welcome reward for a Devils team that felt it had been generating opportunities without always seeing the results.

For Timo Meier, the key now is not allowing one big offensive night to change the team's approach.

"I think if you play the right way, eventually pucks are going to go your way, so you just got to earn it," Meier said. "And we got to continue with that mindset of earning it, playing the right way, and then you'll deserve it."

Brett Pesce echoed that sentiment.

"If you stick to the process, night in and night out, one night, you might not get the results, but eventually it's going to pay off," he said. "And obviously last night, it happened for us."

The next challenge arrives quickly.

The Devils travel to Washington to face a Capitals team that Keefe described as big, strong and physical, with plenty of offensive skill to complement its aggressive forecheck.

"Hard forechecking, big, strong, physical team," Keefe said. "That's kind of what you come to expect from them."

Washington presents a different style of opponent than New Jersey has faced recently, but Keefe said the focus remains on establishing consistency in the Devils' own game.

"There's no easy days in the NHL. That's just the reality of it," he said. "So, just have your game as buttoned up as possible and be prepared to give your best every night."

After responding to the challenge of a rivalry game at home, the Devils now have an opportunity to demonstrate that same level of play on the road.

"Yesterday, we thought we met the challenge and played very well on home ice," Keefe said. "And now you got to go out and do it on the road."

HE SAID IT

Brett Pesce on Luke Hughes:

"I mean, he's so good. I don't even know if that guy needs a D partner, to be honest."