GDT: Devils @ Lightning - 7:00PM - MSG2

[JK3]

PREVIEW

The Devils and Lightning meet for the second time this season. The two clubs met just two weeks ago, also in Tampa, where the Lightning beat the Devils in overtime 4-3. Dawson Mercer, Jesper Bratt and Nathan Bastian scored for the Devils while Tyler Raddysh had the overtime winner for the Lightning, Luke Glendenning scored two in regulation and Brayden Point added his 20th goal of the year.

Devils Team Scope:
The Devils will complete a two-game road trip with the stop in Tampa and also begin their week-long break heading into the All-Star Game. Currently four points out of the second and final Wild Card spot (with two games in hand on Detroit who currently occupy the spot), the Devils are seeking out another win on Saturday night to stay in the hunt.

The club continues to deal with a plethora of injuries and managing a lineup filled with call-ups from the Utica Comets.

Forward Justin Dowling made his season debut with the Devils in Carolina, the 33-year-old scored against the Hurricanes for his first NHL tally since 2021. Called up alongside Dowling was defenseman Daniil Misyul who has practiced with the club, but has yet to make his NHL debut.

Lightning Team Scope:
The Lightning will take a two-game win streak into their game against the Devils on Saturday, after a win at home on Thursday against the Coyotes. Tampa Bay currently sits third in the Atlantic Division with 57 points, behind the Florida Panthers (64 pts) and the East-leading Boston Bruins (69 pts).

Forward Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with a whopping 83 points in 48 games, having already cracked 30 goals (32) and has 51 assists,. Brayden Point is second in Lightning points with 52.

By the Numbers:
Kucherov has recorded three points in each of his last three home games at Amalie Arena.

Steven Stamkos registered his 1100th NHL point on Thursday night. As a Lightning lifer, he became the first player in club history to reach 1100 points.

Should Justin Dowling play against Tampa, it would mark his 100th career game.

Injuries:

Devils
Hamilton (pectoral muscle - LTIR)
Nosek (foot - IR)
Smith (sprained knee - IR)
J. Hughes (upper-body - week-to-week)
Siegenthaler (broken foot - IR)

Lightning:
Fleury (hand - IR)
Cernak (unknown)
Watson (unknown - IR)
Sergachev (lower-body, IR)
Jeannot (unknown - IR)

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Click to read more...

 

[JK3]

No morning skate so no update on lines till later. Not sure if Haula will play or if Misyul gets in. We may have found our goaltender though.

More importantly, I found a font called Krabby Patty.

 

[My3Sons]

Buffalo Bill the meme that keeps on giving. Hopefully NJ can sstarve the Lightning and make a suit out of their skins tonight!!! LGD!!!

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Damm Kucharov is having a killer frigging year. Work cut out once again. LGD they seem to win games down there even in recent seasons. I remember the Blackwood save in a 2 on 0 and the Devils came away with a victory. Too bad Vitek isn't MB29 hahaha!

 

[Clam Jensen]

83 pts for Kuch, Jesus.

 

[Bleedred]

Damm Kucharov is having a killer frigging year. Work cut out once again. LGD they seem to win games down there even in recent seasons. I remember the Blackwood save in a 2 on 0 and the Devils came away with a victory. Too bad Vitek isn't MB29 hahaha!

I was at that game.

I’ve been at every Devils game in Tampa (including the 3 in the 2018 playoffs) since 2011-2012, up until two weeks ago. I wasn’t into driving into Tampa on a weeknight during rush hour and I was going to the game in Sunrise two nights later anyway.

I’m 50/50 on this one. I’m only going if my buddies ride up (on their bikes) from the other side of the state. I’ll meet them in Tampa by the arena because for them to come out to my house is out of their way. Even though one of their mom’s lives close to me.

I usually go with my bestie too, who isn’t a huge hockey fan. He likes basically every other sport more than hockey. And that includes wrestling.

Royal Rumble is at the stadium in Tampa tonight. So he’s going to that with his entire family. He even offered to take me and get me a ticket. I declined so I could go see the Devils on the same night with our other two friends who live across the state.

There’s also a boat parade in Tampa this afternoon, which should be over way before the game starts.

It’s pretty close to a game time decision, though we have to know by 2:00 or 3:00 because those guys are 3 hours away. I’m only about 40 minutes away, but it may be jammed up with all the Royal Rumble traffic. The stadium and arena aren’t anywhere near each other, but you have to drive past the exit for the stadium to get to the arena if you take 275.

The Gandy bridge takes you a bit out of the way of the stadium though.

Actually Royal Rumble is at Tropicana Field. Never mind. Not sure why I thought it was at Raymond James. Probably because they’ve had Wrestlemania there before. That’s actually closer to my house, but I also don’t have to go anywhere near it to get into Tampa.

 

[Blender]

LGD

 

[HoliksGhost]

No morning skate so no update on lines till later. Not sure if Haula will play or if Misyul gets in. We may have found our goaltender though.

More importantly, I found a font called Krabby Patty.

Goaltender ? What ?

 

[Darkauron]

This uhh might be a bloody one

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

LGD.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m not sold on Daws, but I have more faith in him than Vitek.

I think I have more faith in Samsonov, he at least had a shutout this week.

Vitek’s only shutout in the last 40 games was one in relief lol.

It happened last game though.

 

[forceten]

What about Nick DeSimone?

 

[theking72]

The entire roster says....

Let's hope they wait until tomorrow to mentally check out. LGD

 

[NjDevsRR]

LOL the Danocel

 

[JK3]

Goaltender ? What ?

This guy.

 

[The Wumpus]

LGD

 

[glenwo2]

Devils season is on Life Support right now

 

[Devils731]

LGD

View attachment 811525

Those were more fun when it still didn’t put me on the old side of things.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

What about Nick DeSimone?

He entertain the guys by singing Pusher Man.

 

[longislanddevil]

#FREEHOLTZ

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

meh 10-0 Tampa

 

[Bleedred]

My buddies are leaning towards going.

Go and hang out with my buddies? Or stay home and watch on the couch?

End the 23-24 season with a perfect 1-0 attendance record?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I wonder if Lindy will mess with the lines a bit since we lost last game.

My buddies are leaning towards going.

Go and hang out with my buddies? Or stay home and watch on the couch?

End the 23-24 season with a perfect 1-0 attendance record?

stay home, don’t risk it

 

[NjDevsRR]

My buddies are leaning towards going.

Go and hang out with my buddies? Or stay home and watch on the couch?

End the 23-24 season with a perfect 1-0 attendance record?

Go, the couch will be there afterwards

 

[Bleedred]

Vitek simply needs to refuse to lose. To borrow a DD’ism.

Oh wait, he doesn’t lose often lol.

He needs to refuse to allow all these goals, like two through his elbow like the last time he played in Tampa.

Todd Cordell or someone posted during the Vegas game that he has a .900% this season only once against playoff teams? That had to be the 2-1 OT win over Boston last month. Which was his lone one goal against game until Columbus last weekend.

And he also had a 1000% against Carolina in relief, so there’s two games above .900% vs playoff teams.

So he’s 1 or fewer goal in 2 of his last 3 after only having a single 1 goal against game in 25 this season before that!