NEW JERSEY DEVILS (17-12-1) vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (17-11-2)

New Jersey will welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Prudential Center Thursday night. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.

Read below for your game preview presented by Cuttler Produce and check back for the pre-game story.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, NJ. - Check back following the Devils morning skate around 12:30 p.m. ET.

THE SCOOP

The Devils snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory at Ottawa on Tuesday night. The Devils third line of Arseny Gritsyuk, Cody Glass and Connor Brown exploded to provide three goals while compiling eight points (2g-6a) between the three of them.

The Devils currently have 35 points (17-12-1) in the standings, which places them in the third spot of the Wild Card chase. But they’re only four points behind Metro Division-leading Washington (39). So, the standings are extremely tight right now with little daylight between teams. In fact, the Buffalo Sabres (currently in last place) are only seven points out of a playoff spot. Only 11 points separates first place and last place in the Eastern Conference.

The Lightning have had a similar season to the Devils. The Bolts started the season strong, racking up a seven-game winning streak. But that winning streak was followed by a four-game losing streak.

The Bolts, just like the Devils, snapped their losing streak Tuesday night with a 6-1 win at Montreal. Tampa is in the midst of a four-game road trip with New Jersey being the third leg. They’ll finish the trip on Long Island Saturday.

Tampa has been stout defensively this season, ranking 5^th in the NHL with 2.53 goals against per game. Though the club has lost starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to injury. He was placed on IR Monday, though Brayden Point was taken off IR and returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an injury.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Connor Brown is coming off a career-high tying three-assist night against Ottawa in a 4-3 victory. Brown picked up as many assists in that game as he had entering that game. He now has six total on the season.

Lightning: Darren Raddysh posted two goals and a plus-3 against Montreal in a 6-1 win. Two of Raddysh's five goals this season have been against the Devils.

INJURIES

Devils:
J. Hughes (finger)
Pesce (upper-body)
Dadonov (upper-body)
Kovacevic (knee)
McLaughlin (undisclosed)
MacEwen (upper body)

Lightning:
Hedman (undisclosed)
James (undisclosed)
McDonaugh (undisclosed)
Vasilevskiy (undisclosed)
Cernak (undisclosed)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 11 at Tampa Bay, 5-3 W
• Nov. 18 at Tampa Bay, 5-1 L
• Dec. 11 vs. Tampa Bay

GAME NOTES

• The Devils and Lightning have split the first two matchups, with both taking place in Florida. Thursday will be their first and only meeting in New Jersey.
• Arseny Gritsyuk recorded his first 3-point game (1g-2a) against Ottawa.
• Gritsyuk (1g-2a), Cody Glass (1g-1a) and Connor Brown (3a) line combined for 8 points (2g-6a).
• Tampa's Darren Raddysh has two goals and four points in two games against the Devils this season.