The Matchup: The Montreal Canadiens(15-8-2) at The New Jersey Devils (8-14-2)

The Season Series: This is the second of four meetings between the clubs this season. The Devils won 3-0 at Montreal on Oct. 21

The Devils Last Game: They beat the Flyers in a shootout 2-1. The Devils came out and played an excellent game in the first period but slowly let the Flyers control the tempo to the game. Hedberg really kept the Devils in this game but its hard to blame them because they were skating with a short bench.

The Canadiens Last Game: They had a heartbreaking loss last night against the Edmonton Oilers. The Habs were up by two goals but the Oilers didn't quit playing and eventually tied the game and then won it 4-3 in OT.

Keep reading for injuries, big stories in tonights matchup and our thoughs on what the Devils need to do tonight in order to win the game.

                              
                                               

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (7-14-2) vs. the Philadelphia Flyers (15-6-3). Another early game as the puck drops at 1pm today.

The Devils Last Game: The Devils looked to finally be putting some kind of winning streak together, having defeated the Capitals and then the Flames. There was no better time to face the Islanders who came into this game having lost 14 straight. The Devils scorers looked to still be on a Thanksgiving Holiday as they took the night off and watched the Islanders skate away with a 2-0 win.

The Last Flyers Game: It was the Flyers turn to take on the Flames and like the Devils, the Flames took the Flyers into OT and then finally a shootout. Unlike the Devils game, the Flames found a way to beat the Flyers in a shootout.

Today's Game: I never like playing the Flyers but up until yesterday, the Devils seemed like they were finding confidence. Now, after yesterdays awful performance, I am wondering about which team will show up for this game, sort of like I was wondering which team would show up for the Washington game last Monday. However, I am not expecting the Devils to suddenly put 5 goals in today.

The Devils were flat yesterday and I expect them to have a better showing today. If the Devils find themselves up a man at any point of this game, they need to play smart on the PP. The Flyers have a league leading 6 shorthanded goals this season.

Who's Hot: After posting his first career two-point game against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday, Flyers forward Andreas Nodl has 9 points (5 goals) in his last 11 games. The third-year forward has notched two more goals (six) than the Devils' Kovalchuk in seven fewer games. … Devils rookie wing Mattias Tedenby has 2 goals, 4 points and a plus-5 rating in his last four games.

Injury report : The Devils will be without goalie Martin Brodeur (bruised elbow), forward Jamie Langenbrunner (upper body) and defenseman Matt Taormina (sprained left ankle). Langenbrunner (seven games missed) has begun skating on his own. Flyers forward Dan Carcillo (sprained MCL, left knee), defenseman Matt Walker (right hip surgery) and goalie Michael Leighton (back surgery) are out.

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (7-13-2) face off against the New York Islanders (4-12-5) at Nassau Coliseum. It’s the first of six meetings between the two teams this season.

The Last Devils Game: The Devils defeated the Calgary Flames, 2-1, in a shootout Wednesday night at the Rock. David Clarkson deflected a puck past Henrik Karlsson to give the Devils’ a 1-0 lead. New Jersey wouldn’t hold it, as Rene Bourque tied the game, 1-1, in the third period. Ilya Kovalchuk tallied the only goal in the shootout to lead the Devils to victory. Johan Hedberg stopped 25 shots for the win.

The Last Islanders Game: The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Islanders, 4-3, Wednesday night on Long Island. The teams traded leads throughout two periods, and ended the middle frame tied, 3-3. Jakub Voracek played hero in overtime, scoring the game-winner at 2:31 of the period. The loss sent the Isles to their 14th straight loss.

The Last Devils – Islanders Game: The Devils and Isles faced off six times last season, with New Jersey winning the season series, 4-2-0. The Devils pounded the Islanders, 7-1, in their final meeting of the season to win the Atlantic Division.

Dainius Zubrus, Dean McAmmond and Zach Parise scored within a span of 4:54 to put the Devils ahead, 3-0, in the first period. Zubrus opened the scoring, giving the Devils a lead at 10:54 of the first period. Parise increased the lead to 2-0 at 14:18 of the period with an even-strength tally. McAmmond finished the first period scoring, extending the lead to 3-1 with an even-strength goal.

The Devils stretched the lead to 5-0 in the second period. Patrik Elias scored on the man-advantage at 11:16 of the second, increasing the lead to 4-0. Brian Rolston would answer with a powerplay tally, putting the Devils ahead, 5-0, at 19:11 of the period.

New Jersey continued the scoring in the third period. Kovalchuk continued the rout, netting an even-strength goal at 8:47 to increase the lead to 6-0. Matt Moulson ended the shutout, scoring a powerplay goal at 13:10 of the period to put the Islanders on the board. Elias capped the scoring, netting his second goal at 18:24 of the period.

Tonight’s Matchup: The Devils finally won two games in a row against the Flames, marking the first time this season the team won consecutive games. Now they head to Long Island, where the team will look to continue the good times.

It finally feels like the Devils have something going. The second line looks awesome, the defensive play improved, and Hedberg gives the Devils a solid option in net. The two games showed a marked improvement in all aspects of the Devils play. The Isles provide the opportunity to continue the recent success. Losers of 14 straight, the Islanders are clearly struggling. But it’s not a lack of effort that cost the team wins. Some bad breaks and bad luck have largely driven their skid. Therefore, the Devils can’t sleep on their Atlantic Division rivals.

New Jersey needs to come out with pressure from the drop of the puck. They didn’t effectively pressure Calgary, and while they still won, the Devils didn’t create many scoring chances. The Isles will come into this game hungry and firing on all cylinders. Pressuring in all three zones will slow their game and could discourage the Isles from taking chances. That’ll help the Devils take control of the game.

New Jersey also needs to improve on their offensive play. During Wednesday’s game, the team failed to connect on their passes and looked sloppy through the neutral zone. They continually struggled to set up the offense, which stopped the team from setting up many great scoring chances. That inability forced the shootout and allowed Calgary to hang around the entire game. With a struggling team, the Devils need to take advantage early. Offensive pressure in the Isles zone play could break down, leading to some early scoring chances for the Devils.

Gametime is 1 p.m., and you can check all the action on MSG Plus or WFAN 660 AM. Here are the projected starting lineups:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Dainius Zubrus - Alexander Vasyunov
 Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Travis Zajac - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta
 
Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Mark Fayne - Olivier Magnan

Johan Hedberg
Mike McKenna 

The Matchup - The Calgary Flames (8-11-1) face off against the New Jersey Devils (6-13-2) at the Prudential Center. It is the first and only meeting between the two teams this season.

The Last Flames Game - The New York Rangers defeated the Flames, 2-1, Monday night at MSG. In a game filled with hard hits and rough play, goals were tough to come by. The Flames gave the Rangers a golden opportunity to take the lead when Curtis Glencross went of for high-sticking in the second period. Dan Girardi made the Flames pay, scoring the game-winner on that powerplay chance at 12:14 of the period.

The Last Devils Game - The Devils dismantled the Washington Capitals, 5-0, Monday night at the Rock. Patrik Elias, Jason Arnott and Mattias Tedenby scored first period goals to put the Devils ahead, 3-0. They wouldn't look back, tallying two more in the first ten minutes of the middle period to take a 5-0 lead. Johan Hedberg finished with 30 saves for his 15th career shutout.

The Last Flames - Devils Game - The Flames defeated the Devils, 5-3, in Calgary. Zach Parise opened the game’s scoring at 13:37 of the first period, giving the Devils a 1-0 lead. It would stay that way until the second period, when the Flames came out red hot. Daymond Langkow evened the score, 1-1, at 1:43 of the second period. Glencross gave the Flames a lead, tallying a shorthanded goal at 5:41 of the period. Eric Nystrom continued the scoring, increasing the lead to two with a goal at 16:04 of the period.

The Flames weren’t done scoring. Matt Stajan continued the goal streak, increasing the lead to 4-1 at 9:29 of the third period. David Moss scored 33 seconds later to push the lead to 5-1. But the Devils wouldn’t go quietly into the night. Parise scored again, tallying a powerplay goal at 16:08 to bring the Devils within three goals, shrinking the Flames lead, 5-2. Ilya Kovalchuk brought the Devils to within two, scoring at 17:26 to shorten the Flames lead, 5-3.

But it would be too little too late, as the Devils couldn’t complete the comeback and defeat their former coach, Brent Sutter. Martin Brodeur stopped 20 shots in the loss. Mikka Kiprusoff made 22 saves for the win.

For a full recap, including historical data of the matchup, check our season preview post.

 Hello Old Friend - The Devils welcome back former coach Brent Sutter to the Rock. It's the first time Sutter has visited the Prudential Center since leaving the organization at the end of the 2008-2009 season. Sutter, who wanted to leave the Devils to be closer to his family and the Red Deer Rebels, took the Flames coaching job shortly after leaving the Devils. The contract dripped of conspiracy, but Sutter maintains that he wasn't looking for a coaching opportunity.

"Strictly put, I resigned here because of all the right reasons and if I wasn’t going to be coaching in Calgary, which was an opportunity because Lou gave them permission to talk to me, I wouldn’t have coached last year,” Sutter said to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "I went home for the right reasons. I went home because it was the right thing to do because there are things bigger than the team. I made that decision based on that."

Even if he did it for the right reasons, he'll probably be booed tonight.

For the rest of the recap, read after the jump!
no comments

The Matchup: The Washington Capitals (14-5-2) face off against the New Jersey Devils (5-13-2). This is the second of four meetings between the two teams this season. Washington currently leads the season series, 1-0-0.

The Last Capitals Game: The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Capitals, 5-4, in a shootout Saturday night in Philadelphia. Down 3-1 in the third period, the Capitals used two straight powerplay tallies to tie the game. The teams then traded goals, ending regulation in a 4-4 tie. Danny Briere scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the Flyers the win.

The Last Devils Game: The St. Louis Blues edged the Devils, 3-2, Saturday night in St. Louis. Tied 2-2 in the third period, Brad Winchester scored the game-winner, deflecting a point shot past Mike McKenna for the 3-2 lead. The Devils couldn't solve Jaroslav Halak, who stopped 35 shots for the win.

The Last Capitals - Devils Game: The Capitals blew out the Devils, 7-2, on October 9 at the Verizon Center. New Jersey held a 2-1 advantage at the end of the first period, but the wheels fell off in the second. The Capitals scored four straight goals in the middle period - highlighted by two goals in less than a minute - to take a 5-2 lead. Martin Brodeur was pulled after two periods of play.

Tonight's Matchup: This has the feeling of a David vs. Goliath matchup. The Capitals are their usual dominate selves, leading the entire league in points and looking like an unstoppable force. The Devils, meanwhile, haven't caught many breaks during the season. This has the feeling of a blowout in the making.

The Devils need to continue their solid play. Saturday night's game in St. Louis was disappointing because of the bad breaks against the Devils, not their overall play. They put 37 shots on net and played a relatively sound defensive game. But as its been all season, New Jersey couldn't catch a break. The puck wouldn't cooperate with the Devils, as it's been the entire season, and cost the Devils.

Tonight's important key will be the Devils' discipline. The Caps have scored at least one powerplay goal in eight of their last 11 games, going 14-for-38 (36.8%) during that stretch. Giving a talented offensive team powerplay chances won't bode well for the Devils, especially with their struggling penalty kill. I can't expect New Jersey to play a game without taking a penalty, but they can't be undisciplined. The team doesn't need to give Alex Ovechkin and his talented teammates more ice to work with.

The Devils need this win tonight. Beating the Caps would show the team still has the ability to slay the power teams in the the conference. It would also be a nice start to the next 10 game segment. The Devils can't continually lose points. They're in no position to be careless with points. The team needs a win badly, and it would be a nice to get it over the Caps.

For a view from the Caps' perspective, make sure you visit Rock The Red or Capitals Kremlin. 

Gametime is 7 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSG Plus or WFAN AM. Here's a shot at the potential lineup for tonight's game:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Dainius Zubrus - Alexander Vasyunov
Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Travis Zajac - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta


Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Olivier Magnan - Matt Corrente


Johan Hedberg
Mike McKenna 

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (5-12-2) face off against the St. Louis Blues (10-5-3). It is the first and only matchup of the season between the two teams.

The Last Devils Game: The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Devils, 3-1, Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre. Mikhail Grabovski and Phil Kessel gave the Maple Leafs an early 2-0 lead in the second period. Dainius Zubrus brought the Devils to within 2-1, but the team couldn't solve Jonas Gustavsson. Kris Versteeg put the Devils away with a powerplay goal in the third period to put the Leafs ahead, 3-1. Gustavsson, who stopped 12 pucks in the third period, made 29 saves for the win.

The Last Blues Game: The Blues defeated the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, Friday night. The second period was the game's turning point, as the Blues scored three goals to bury the Sens.

The Last Devils - Blues Game: The Devils and Blues faced off once last season, which the Blues won, 1-0. Alex Steenwould score the game’s only goal at 19:47 of the first period. Steen found an open lane down the left side of the ice, where he received a pass from Barret Jackman. Steen rifled the shot past Martin Brodeur’s glove for the game-winning goal. Ty Conklin finished with 29 saves for the win. Brodeur stopped 19 shots in the loss.

For a full historical preview of the matchup with the St. Louis Blues, check our season preview post.

McKenna Gets The Call: Devils goalie Mike McKenna, called up as an emergency replacement for Brodeur, will make his first start of the season tonight. McKenna, whose from St. Louis, showed a contained excitement during today's morning skate.

"It’s exciting to come home, but this is a business trip," McKenna told Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "We really need to win some games. If we win the game, I’m going to have a lot of fun."

In 15 career NHL games, McKenna is 4-8-1 with one shutout and a 3.56 goals-against average. In seven games for the Albany Devils this season, McKenna went 2-4-0 with a 3.72 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage.

Tonight's Game: The injuries are continuing to mount for the Devils, as Brodeur will miss two weeks to allow his injured right elbow to fully heal. Devils coach John MacLean decided to make the headscratching decision of putting in McKenna tonight. The first key to tonight's game, therefore, is offense. The Devils need to get some goals on the board early. One look at McKenna's numbers shows that he's not a great goalie, and I question his ability to win the game for the Devils. But he is playing in his hometown, and sometimes that can bring out the best in a goalie. Just look at Brodeur's numbers in Montreal. Maybe (hopefully?) McKenna turns in a great performance.

New Jersey also needs to come out with a sense of urgency tonight. The team needs a win, plain and simple. There's no more "moral victories" or building block games. The only thing that matters now is wins and points. Failing to get one tonight may cause drastic moves by general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Special teams will once again be the focus of tonight's game. The Devils power-play is 1-for-36 on the road. That's a .03 percent completion rate. That's downright abysmal. The Devils need to make teams pay for making mistakes and taking penalties, but they've been unable to do that this season. If they get the opportunity tonight, the Devils need to make the Blues pay while shorthanded. If they can convert one or two of those chances, it would go a long way to restoring confidence in the powerplay and, hopefully, winning the game.

Gametime is 8 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSG Plus. Here are the potential starting lineups for tonight's game:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Dainius Zubrus - Alexander Vasyunov
Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Travis Zajac - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta

Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Olivier Magnan - Matt Corrente

Mike McKenna
Johan Hedberg 

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (5-11-2) face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs (6-8-3). It's the first meeting between the two teams this season.

The Last Devils Game: The Boston Bruins blanked the Devils, 3-0, Monday night in Boston. It was the Tim Thomas show, as the Boston goalie stopped 27 shots for his fourth shutout of the season. Michael Ryder, Nathan Horton and Blake Wheeler scored goals for the Bruins.

The Last Maple Leafs Game: Toronto defeated the Nashville Predators, 5-4, Tuesday night. Down 4-1 in the second period, the Maple Leafs rallied to score four straight goals and take the lead. The win came with a price, as Jean-Sebastien Giguere left the game with a minor groin strain.

The Last Devils - Maple Leafs Game: The Devils split their season series with the Maple Leafs last season, going 2-1-1 against their Canadian opponent. The Maple Leafs won the final game of the season series, 2-1, in a shootout on March 18. Phil Kessel struck first, scoring a goal at 18:54 of the first period. David Clarkson tied the game at 15:46 of the second period. The Maple Leafs solved Yann Danis in the shootout, scoring in all three rounds to defeat the Devils, 2-1.

For a full recap of the matchup, check out our season preview post. 

Tonight's Matchup: Both of these teams enter the game tonight struggling. The Devils, as we know, have been stuck in a rut since the beginning of the season. The Leafs came out of the gate blazing hot, but they've fallen on hard times, winning twice in their last seven games.

The Devils, thankfully, won't have to face Giguere tonight. Instead, Maple Leafs' coach Ron Wilson announced Jonas Gustavsson will man the pipes for Toronto tonight. On the season, Gustavsson is 1-3-1 with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. In two career appearances against the Devils, the Toronto goalie is 0-1-0 with a 4.60 goals-against average and a .851 save percentage.

The strategy needs to remain the same for the Devils - pressure the Maple Leafs, early and often. The Devils did that against the Bruins, but a couple of early saves by Thomas frustrated the Devils. Which leads me to my next point...

The Devils need to avoid frustration. It crept into their game early Monday night, and continued throughout the game. The mounting penalties and lack of pressure showed that frustration, and failing to score at the end of the game didn't really help the cause. When the team is frustrated, nothing works well. It's going to be difficult, but the Devils need to avoid allowing frustration creep into their play. If they do, it'll be another long night.

Finally, the defense needs to play better. They're not making good passes or smart decisions in the offensive zone. The defense needs to move the puck quickly and present some kind of threat in the offensive zone. I'd like to see Andy Greene step up and show the offensive skill we all know he has. If the defense can make something happen in the offensive zone, it'll force the Maple Leafs to cover the points, and maybe open up some scoring down low.

Gametime is 7 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSG Plus or WFAN 660 AM. Here's a guess at the potential line combinations for tonight's game:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Dainius Zubrus - Alexander Vasyunov
Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Travis Zajac - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta

Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Olivier Magnan - Matt Corrente

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg 

The New Jersey Devils traveled to Boston on Monday night, fresh off their first home win of the season. The Devils looked to beat the Bruins and uber-goalie Tim Thomas to start their first win streak of the season. The Bruins, however, wouldn’t allow the Devils the pleasure of winning on their home ice. Boston scored once each period and defeated the Devils, 3-0.

Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty Images

Thomas Stones The Devils

Entering tonight’s game, Thomas carried impressive season statistics. In ten games, the Bruins goalie was 8-1-0 with a 1.45 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage. And while he carried rather pedestrian numbers against the Devils (5-5-0-3, 2.43 GAA, .920 save %), Thomas played stellar hockey tonight. It was two desperation saves that kept the game scoreless in the opening minute and ultimately affected the tone of the game.

The Devils generated two great scoring chances only 40 seconds into the opening period. Patrik Elias broke in on a 2-on-1 with Mattias Tedenby, and held the puck as he cut across the slot. Thomas came out of the net, and Elias looked to have a wide-open chance. But Thomas kicked out the pad to make a save, and stoned Tedenby with the back of his knee on a rebound attempt.

If the Devils score, this game may have ended differently. But a hot goaltender will get lucky, and Thomas made one lucky save to keep his team even early. Thomas stopped 27 shots en route to his league-leading fourth shutout of the season.

“It’s unfortunate,” Devils coach John MacLean said. “We had a chance there early, but we couldn’t bury our chances. They got some chances and put them in. Our stars didn’t bury their chances.”

Checking In To The Sin Bin

The Devils spent 19 minutes in the penalty box tonight, and it seemed like the constant whistles helped stymie whatever momentum the Devils generated. Within those 19 minutes, the Devils faced a 5-on-3 and a double minor. With all those minutes in the box, the Bruins got several advantages, and Michael Ryder took full advantage to score the game-winning goal.

Matt Corrente and Adam Mair took penalties in the first period to give the Bruins a 5-on-3 opportunity. With both players in the box, Ryder received a pass from Patrice Bergeron near the goal line. The right-winger held the puck and fired a shot on Martin Brodeur. The puck snuck through a gap between the Devils goalie and the near post for Ryder’s sixth goal of the year.

The refs didn’t make the best of calls tonight, but the Devils should have found ways to avoid the box tonight. They couldn’t, and it severely hampered any offense they tried to muster.

Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty ImagesThese Bruins Are Lightning Quick

The Bruins struck quickly against Brodeur, opening the second and third periods with first minute goals to bury the Devils.

Nathan Horton scored 43 seconds into the third period to put the Bruins ahead, 2-0. Milan Lucic carried the puck into the neutral zone, and passed cross-ice to Horton. The right-winger carried the puck across the line and let go a wrist shot near the top of the circle. The puck beat Brodeur stick side for Horton’s eighth goal of the season.

In a bit of deja vu, Blake Wheeler scored 43 seconds into the third period to extend the Bruins lead to 3-0. With Henrik Tallinder pinching down the boards in the offensive zone,Mark Recchi created a turnover near the blue line. The veteran left-winger carried the puck through the neutral zone and fed Wheeler near the Devils’ blue line. Wheeler carried it to the circle and fired a wrist shot toward the net. The puck glanced off of Colin White’s stick and through the legs of Brodeur for Wheeler’s fourth goal of the season.

Continue reading for the rest of the recap!
no comments

Milan Lucic carried the puck into the neutral zone, and passed cross-ice to Horton. The right-winger carried the puck across the line and let go a wrist shot near the top of the circle. The puck beat Brodeur stick side for Horton's eighth goal of the season.

The Devils penalty killers have been busy tonight. In the first period, they faced a 5-on-3 chance, in which they allowed a goal. But down 2-0, the P.K. players killed off a four-minute double minor to Mattias Tedenby for high sticking. 

The Bruins led the first period in shots, 10-7.

Michael Ryder's powerplay tally at 15:26 of the first period put the Bruins ahead, 1-0.

With both Matt Corrente and Adam Mair in the box, Ryder received a pass from Patrice Bergeron near the goal line. The right-winger held the puck and fired a shot on Martin Brodeur. The puck snuck through a gap between the Devils goalie and the near post for Ryder's sixth goal of the year.

Both teams have had excellent scoring chances throughout the first few minutes of play. Patrik Elias gave the Devils a great opportunity within the first minute of play. Breaking in on a 2-on-1, Elias held the puck and cut across the slot. Tim Thomas came out of the net, and Elias looked to have a wide-open chance. But Thomas kicked out the pad to make a save, and stoned Mattias Tedenby with the back of his knee on a rebound attempt.

Martin Brodeur made his own great save, using a poke check to deny Daniel Paille on a breakaway opportunity.

While Paille broke in alone on Brodeur, Rod Pelley and Adam McQuaid dropped the gloves near center ice. Though Pelley dropped McQuaid immediately, the Bruins rookie got up and made it an even fight. Eventually Pelley dropped McQuaid to the ice for the win.

**********

Here were the starting lineups:

DEVILS

Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby; Colin White - Matt Taormina; Martin Brodeur

BRUINS

Jordan Caron - Blake Wheeler - Mark Recchi; Dennis Seidenberg - Mark Stuart; Tim Thomas

**********

The New Jersey Devils (5-10-2) travel to Boston to face off against the Boston Bruins (8-5-1) at TD Garden in Boston.

The Devils are looking to put together their first win streak of the season. After a win, New Jersey is 0-4-0 and has been outscored, 15-4.

Captain Jamie Langenbrunner and rookie defenseman Matt Taormina will miss tonight's game with injuries. Both players had a MRI taken Monday, but won't know the results until tomorrow.

Matt Corrente will step in for the injured Taormia. The rookie defenseman missed seven games with a non-displaced fracture of his right hand.

Martin Brodeur starts in net for the Devils. Tim Thomas will get the start for the Bruins.

Here were the line combinations during pre-game warmups:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Alexander Vasyunov
Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Dainius Zubrus - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta


Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Olivier Magnan - Matt Corrente


Martin Brodeur 

The Matchup - The New Jersey Devils (5-10-2) face off against the Boston Bruins (8-5-1) in Boston. This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Bruins lead the season series, 1-0-0.

The Last Devils Game - The Devils defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, in overtime Friday night at the Prudential Center. The Devils overcame deficits of 2-0, 2-1 and 3-1 to tie the game in the third period. With the game in overtime, Ilya Kovalchuk drew a tripping penalty on Dustin Penner. The frustrated left-winger, who flubbed a shootout attempt on Wednesday night, blasted a slap shot by Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk for the game-winning goal.

The Last Bruins Game - The Bruins were blanked by the Ottawa Senators, 2-0, on Saturday night in Ottawa. Erik Karlsson broke a scoreless tie in the second period, and Daniel Alfredsson added an insurance goal in the third period. Brian Elliott stopped 31 shots for the win.

The Last Devils - Bruins Game - The Bruins defeated the Devils, 4-1, on October 26 at the Prudential Center. Dainius Zubrus broke a scoreless tie at 3:45 of the second period, putting the Devils ahead, 1-0. But the Bruins would roar back, scoring four straight goals to jump ahead, 4-1. Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots for the win.

Tonight's Matchup - The Devils come in off a big win over the Oilers on Friday, overcoming three deficits to win the game in overtime. It wasn't the best game in the world, but the team continued to battle and fight back. It was one of the first times all season we've seen some resolve and life from this Devils team. A switch must have flipped, because they're 2-1-1 in their last four games, a reflection of the increased quality of play and the confidence of the team. If the Devils can win tonight, it'll be their first winning streak of the season.

Tonight's matchup won't be easy, as the Devils face one of the best goalies in the league. On the season, Thomas is 8-1-0 with a minuscule 1.45 goals-against average and a .957save percentage. He's been almost unbeatable, and he's looks like he regained his Vezina form from two years ago. In his career against the Devils, Thomas has rather pedestrian numbers. He's 5-5-0-3 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.

Both teams are pretty even, and they're both dealing with injuries to key players. Like most games, the Devils need to jump on the Bruins early. Make Tim Thomas and that defense work. New Jersey needs to mirror that effort in their end as well. During Friday night's game, the defense allowed several great scoring opportunities, allowing Oilers forwards to drive the puck into the slot. The Devils need to be stronger in their own zone, because making a comeback against Thomas will be way more difficult then scoring on Dubnyk.

Both Jamie Langenbrunner (upper-body injury) and Matt Taormina (ankle) will miss tonight's game. 

For the opponents view of tonight's game, check out Something's Bruin. 

Gametime is 7:00 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSG Plus. Here's a guess at tonight's possible line combinations, based on the past few days of practice:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Alexander Vasyunov
Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Mattias Tedenby
Brian Rolston - Dainius Zubrus - David Clarkson
Rod Pelley - Adam Mair - Stephen Gionta


Colin White - Henrik Tallinder
Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Olivier Magnan - Matt Corrente


Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg