Devils at Panthers preview

DEVILS (33-22-8) at PANTHERS (29-25-6)
7:30 p.m. ET; MSG+, FS-F, NHL.TV

Hall has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in a 15-game point streak, the longest in the NHL this season and tied for the best in Devils history (Patrik Elias, 1999-2000; Brian Gionta, 2005-06). He also has scored in 22 straight games with 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in that span. Hall missed three games with a right hand/thumb injury from Jan. 22-25.
Devils goalie Cory Schneider is expected to return after missing the past 16 games with a groin/hip injury, and forward Pat Maroon, acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, is expected to make his New Jersey debut. New Jersey leads the Columbus Blue Jackets by five points for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
The Florida Panthers, who have won three straight and are 10-3-0 in their past 13 games, are five points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card from the East.

Players to watch

Devils rookie Nico Hischier has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past nine games.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo is 4-1-0 with a 2.58 GAA and .926 save percentage since returning from a lower-body injury Feb. 17.

They said it

"[Keith Kinkaid and Eddie Lack] have just piled up points here for us, and chipped away and got us to where we are. It's one thing to come back and play, but I've got to be as good as these guys have been." -- Devils goalie Cory Schneider
"[Luongo] did a lot of work and conditioning when he was hurt. But at his age (38) and where he's at, I just think he's driven. He wants this team in the playoffs and wants to put this team on his back; I think he has something to prove." -- Panthers coach Bob Boughner

Devils projected lineup

Taylor Hall -- Nico Hischier -- Kyle Palmieri
Miles Wood -- Pavel Zacha -- Jesper Bratt
Michael Grabner -- Travis Zajac -- Stefan Noesen
Blake Coleman -- Brian Boyle -- Patrick Maroon
Andy Greene -- Sami Vatanen
John Moore -- Damon Severson
Will Butcher -- Ben Lovejoy
Cory Schneider
Keith Kinkaid
Scratched: Mirco Mueller, Jimmy Hayes, Drew Stafford
Injured: Brian Gibbons (broken right thumb), Marcus Johansson (concussion)

Panthers projected lineup

Evgenii Dadonov -- Aleksander Barkov -- Nick Bjugstad
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Vincent Trocheck -- Radim Vrbata
Jamie McGinn -- Jared McCann --
Maxim Mamin
Micheal Haley -- Derek MacKenzie -- Colton Sceviour
Keith Yandle -- Aaron Ekblad
Mike Matheson -- Mark Pysyk
MacKenzie Weegar -- Alexander Petrovic
Roberto Luongo
James Reimer
Scratched: Connor Brickley, Ian McCoshen
Injured:Denis Malgin (lower body), Frank Vatrano (lower body)

Status report

Malgin is expected to miss two weeks. ... Vatrano was in a non-contact jersey during the morning skate. ... Eddie Lack was sent to Binghamton of the American Hockey League with Schneider being activated from injured reserve.

Stat pack

Devils coach John Hynes needs one win to reach 100 in his NHL career. ... Barkov has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his past 12 games.