Canadiens @ Devils: Game thread and lines
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Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PSTIn the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)In the Devils region: MSGSNStreaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Things felt a bit different the last time the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils played each other. It was the second game of the pre-season, and the Canadiens followed up a 5-0 win the previous night with a 3-0 victory over the Devils. The mood was very positive as the season approached.
Two games later, Patrik Laine was injured, the mood soured, and it hasn’t returned to that earlier level since. Defensive issues have plagued the Canadiens, taking them from what looked like a post-season contender to, currently, a rank of fourth-last in the league.
Defence was better in the last two games despite the record being 0-1-1, but some ill-timed lapses still cost them goals. They played well enough to earn the win on Saturday versus the Flames, but it usually takes a game like that for a team to turn things around. Perhaps that was an indication that their play is trending upward, and tonight’s game in New Jersey can be the first win since October 27.
Scratched: Michael Pezzetta, Jayden StrubleInjured: Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Patrik Laine
New Jersey Devils projected lineup Left Wing Centre Right Wing Timo Meier Nico Hischier Dawson Mercer Ondrej Palat Jack Hughes Jesper Bratt Paul Cotter Erik Haula Stefan Noesen Curtis MacDermid Justin Dowling Tomas Tatar Left Defence Right Defence Brenden Dillon Dougie Hamilton Jonas Siegenthaler Johnny Kovacevic Luke Hughes Brett Pesce Starter Backup Jacob Markstrom Jake Allen
