Ducks at Devils preview
Miller will start for Anaheim; New Jersey plays first game since trading Hall
by Jon Lane @JonLaneNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer
DUCKS (14-16-4) at DEVILS (10-17-5)
7 p.m. ET; MSG+, PRIME, NHL.TV
The Game
The New Jersey Devils will play their first game since trading Taylor Hall when they face the Anaheim Ducks at Prudential Center on Wednesday.
The forward, who led New Jersey with 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) and was the Hart Trophy winner as NHL most valuable player in 2017-18, was sent to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday for two minor-league players, a prospect and two draft picks.
The Devils, who won 2-1 against the Coyotes on Saturday, are 1-4-1 since Alain Nasreddine replaced John Hynes as coach Dec. 3 and 1-6-1 in their past eight games while being outscored 28-12.
Ducks goalie Ryan Miller will make his first start since Dec. 6 after John Gibson started the past five games, including a 4-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
Players to watch
Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg has two goals and three assists during a five-game point streak.
Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is 1-1-1 with a 1.13 goals-against average and .965 save percentage (111 saves on 115 shots) since a 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 3.
They said it
"I felt tonight was one of the first games we got a little individual, tried to make things happen. I mean, I understand it as a player who's gone through it when things aren't clicking exactly, you want to take it on your shoulders, that's where you get away from your game and things aren't effective." -- Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf on the loss Tuesday
"It's an opportunity for guys to step up and step in, and maybe find their voice and find a way to make an impact and help lead this team. I think it's a learning process, but at the same time they're going to get to play big minutes in close games and find ways to win. That's how you become better players, is finding different ways to make an impact on a game and hopefully everyone in this room continues to do that." -- Devils forward Kyle Palmieri on moving on without Taylor Hall
Ducks projected lineup
Devin Shore -- Ryan Getzlaf -- Ondrej Kase
Rickard Rakell -- Adam Henrique -- Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois -- Sam Steel -- Sam Carrick
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Derek Grant -- Carter Rowney
Hampus Lindholm -- Josh Manson
Cam Fowler -- Erik Gudbranson
Jacob Larsson -- Michael Del Zotto
Ryan Miller
John Gibson
Scratched: Korbinian Holzer
Injured: Nick Ritchie (knee), Troy Terry (lower body)
Devils projected lineup
Jesper Bratt -- Nico Hischier -- Kyle Palmieri
Blake Coleman -- Travis Zajac -- Nikita Gusev
Pavel Zacha -- Jack Hughes -- Wayne Simmonds
Jesper Boqvist -- Michael McLeod -- Miles Wood
Andy Greene -- P.K. Subban
Will Butcher -- Sami Vatanen
Mirco Mueller -- Damon Severson
Mackenzie Blackwood
Gilles Senn
Scratched: John Hayden, Kevin Rooney, Colton White
Injured: Connor Carrick (finger), Matt Tennyson (upper body), Louis Domingue (lower body)
Status report
The Ducks did not hold a morning skate. … Terry is being evaluated. He left Philadelphia on crutches after a hit by Flyers forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel with 1:58 remaining in the second period. … Subban skated after missing practice Tuesday with an illness. ... Connor Carrick was activated off injured reserve Wednesday.
Stat pack
Henrique has three points (one goal, two assists) in four games against the Devils since he was acquired in a trade with New Jersey on Nov. 30, 2017. … Subban is without a point in his past 20 games. … The Devils have been outscored 41-20 in the third period.