Duchene_OTT

SENATORS (15-16-4) at DEVILS (11-15-7)
7 p.m. ET; MSG+, TSN5, RDS, NHL.TV

Duchene has missed the past six games with a groin injury sustained in the second period of a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 6. The forward ranks third on the Senators with 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) in 29 games.
Goalie Keith Kinkaid will start for the Devils, who have lost three straight games (0-2-1) and will be without forward Marcus Johansson, who left in the second period of a 2-1 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday with an undisclosed injury. He was placed on injured reserve Friday.

Players to watch

Senators forward Mark Stone has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his past nine games.
Devils right wing Kyle Palmieri has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past seven games.

They said it

"We know [Duchene's] a big part of this team, one of the pillars. He's a point-per game player. If you count all the games that there's a one-goal difference, that's a lot of games. He's one of those guys who is a game-breaker, just like Stone." -- Senators coach Guy Boucher on the return of Matt Duchene to the lineup
"The game (against Columbus) came down to a goaltending battle and [Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood] certainly had a great performance. That's what you need. You need goaltending like that to give yourself a chance to win. As the game wore on, he got better, and our team did as well." -- Devils coach John Hynes

Senators projected lineup
Devils projected lineup
Status report

DeMelo returns to the lineup after missing the past five games with an upper-body injury. ... Boucher will use 11 forwards and seven defensemen. ... The Devils did not hold a morning skate.

Stat pack

Anderson is 3-1-0 with a 2.25 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in his past four starts. ... Chabot, who has three points (two goals, one assist) in his past three games, will play his 100th NHL game. ... Hall has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in his past 12 games. ... Kinkaid is 2-3-1 with a 3.62 GAA and .873 save percentage in his past six games.