Better Call Sal
Salnalysis
To ensure we rebound from our last game, we're bringing back an old favorite.
PREVIEW
DEVILS (37-15-5) vs. KINGS (32-19-7)
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET; Televised on MSGSN
RADIO: 7:00 p.m. ET; Live on Devils Hockey Network
Head-to-Head:
The Devils and Kings meet for the second and final time this season. The Devils defeated Los Angeles in California, 5-2, on Jan. 14. In the contes, Erik Haula, Jesper Bratt, Tomas Tatar, Ryan Graves and Nikita Okhotiuk scored. Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala tallied for Los Angeles.
Devils Team Scope:
The Devils continue their four-game homestand with the third leg against Los Angeles. New Jersey is 1-1 so far, with Tuesday's loss to Montreal snapping a six-game home winning streak. The Devils rank second in the Metro Division (five points behind Carolina for the top spot).
Forward Dawson Mercer has a career-high four-game goal scoring streak with five total and six total points. Center Jack Hughes recorded his 100th career assist Tuesday night to become to the third youngest Devil to reach the milestone. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek's loss against the Canadiens was his first in regulation in the past 14 games (12-1-1).
Kings Team Scope:
The Kings are in second place in the Pacific Division, two points behind first-place Vegas. Los Angeles is 4-1 since the All-Star break. The Kings are on the second leg of a five-game road trip with a 2-1 loss at Minnesota being its most recent contest.
Adrian Kempe paces the team with 28 goals (to go with 45 points) while Kevin Fiala has a team-best 61 points (21g-40a). Anze Kopitar has 19 goals and 51 points. Defenseman Drew Doughty is second on the team with 34 assists. Goaltenders Phoenix Copley and Jonathan Quick have split time between the pipes.
By the Numbers:
The Devils are 23-0-2 when leading after two periods, the second-best mark in the NHL (Boston, 30-0-2).
Since Jan. 1, the Kings have the NHL's best power play, clicking at a 33.3% (18-for-54).
Injuries:
Devils:
Bernier (LTIR, hip)
Blackwood (undisclosed)
Kings:
Grundstrom (lower-body)
Your New Jersey Devils Projected Lineup:
#90 Tomas Tatar - #13 Nico Hischier (C) - #91 Dawson Mercer
#17 Yegor Sharangovich - #86 Jack Hughes (A) - #63 Jesper Bratt
#18 Ondrej Palat (A) - #56 Erik Haula - #49 Fabian Zetterlund
#44 Miles Wood - #20 Michael McLeod - #70 Jesper Boqvist
#71 Jones Siegenthaler - #7 Dougie Hamilton
#33 Ryan Graves - #6 John Marino
#2 Brendan Smith - #28 Damon Severson
#41 (The) Vitek Vanecek
#40 Akira Schmid
Los Angeles Kings Projected Lineup:
#55 Quinton Byfield - #11 Anze Kopitar (C) - #9 Adrian Kempe
#12 Trevor Moore - #24 Phillip Danault - #33 Viktor Arvidsson
#22 Kevin Fiala - #46 Blake Lizotte - #19 Alex Iafallo
#13 Gabriel Vilardi - #89 Rasmus Kupari - #34 Arthur Kaliyev
#44 Mikey Anderson - #8 Drew Doughty
#50 Sean Durzi - #3 Matt Roy
#2 Alexander Edler - #26 Sean Walker
#29 Pheonix Copley
#32 Jonathan Quick
LFGD
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET; Televised on MSGSN
RADIO: 7:00 p.m. ET; Live on Devils Hockey Network
Head-to-Head:
The Devils and Kings meet for the second and final time this season. The Devils defeated Los Angeles in California, 5-2, on Jan. 14. In the contes, Erik Haula, Jesper Bratt, Tomas Tatar, Ryan Graves and Nikita Okhotiuk scored. Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala tallied for Los Angeles.
Devils Team Scope:
The Devils continue their four-game homestand with the third leg against Los Angeles. New Jersey is 1-1 so far, with Tuesday's loss to Montreal snapping a six-game home winning streak. The Devils rank second in the Metro Division (five points behind Carolina for the top spot).
Forward Dawson Mercer has a career-high four-game goal scoring streak with five total and six total points. Center Jack Hughes recorded his 100th career assist Tuesday night to become to the third youngest Devil to reach the milestone. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek's loss against the Canadiens was his first in regulation in the past 14 games (12-1-1).
Kings Team Scope:
The Kings are in second place in the Pacific Division, two points behind first-place Vegas. Los Angeles is 4-1 since the All-Star break. The Kings are on the second leg of a five-game road trip with a 2-1 loss at Minnesota being its most recent contest.
Adrian Kempe paces the team with 28 goals (to go with 45 points) while Kevin Fiala has a team-best 61 points (21g-40a). Anze Kopitar has 19 goals and 51 points. Defenseman Drew Doughty is second on the team with 34 assists. Goaltenders Phoenix Copley and Jonathan Quick have split time between the pipes.
By the Numbers:
The Devils are 23-0-2 when leading after two periods, the second-best mark in the NHL (Boston, 30-0-2).
Since Jan. 1, the Kings have the NHL's best power play, clicking at a 33.3% (18-for-54).
Injuries:
Devils:
Bernier (LTIR, hip)
Blackwood (undisclosed)
Kings:
Grundstrom (lower-body)
Your New Jersey Devils Projected Lineup:
#90 Tomas Tatar - #13 Nico Hischier (C) - #91 Dawson Mercer
#17 Yegor Sharangovich - #86 Jack Hughes (A) - #63 Jesper Bratt
#18 Ondrej Palat (A) - #56 Erik Haula - #49 Fabian Zetterlund
#44 Miles Wood - #20 Michael McLeod - #70 Jesper Boqvist
#71 Jones Siegenthaler - #7 Dougie Hamilton
#33 Ryan Graves - #6 John Marino
#2 Brendan Smith - #28 Damon Severson
#41 (The) Vitek Vanecek
#40 Akira Schmid
Los Angeles Kings Projected Lineup:
#55 Quinton Byfield - #11 Anze Kopitar (C) - #9 Adrian Kempe
#12 Trevor Moore - #24 Phillip Danault - #33 Viktor Arvidsson
#22 Kevin Fiala - #46 Blake Lizotte - #19 Alex Iafallo
#13 Gabriel Vilardi - #89 Rasmus Kupari - #34 Arthur Kaliyev
#44 Mikey Anderson - #8 Drew Doughty
#50 Sean Durzi - #3 Matt Roy
#2 Alexander Edler - #26 Sean Walker
#29 Pheonix Copley
#32 Jonathan Quick
LFGD
