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Game Day #44: Devils @ Kings Preview

New Jersey Devils v Los Angeles Kings

Time: 7:30 PM PST

TV: Fox Sports West, MSG+

Enemy Reading: In Lou We Trust

Lineups:

New Jersey Devils

Henrique-Gomez-Bernier
Zubrus-Cammalleri-Ryder
Elias-Zajac-Havlat
Whitney-Sestito-Tootoo

Greene-Larsson
Merrill-Zidlicky
Fraser-Harrold

Schneider
(Kinkaid)

Scratched: Josefson; Injured: Jagr, Ruutu, Gionta, Clowe, Gelinas, Salvador, Severson

Los Angeles Kings

Gaborik-Kopitar-Carter
Brown-Stoll-Williams
King-Richards-Lewis
Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan

McNabb-Doughty
Muzzin-Greene
Schultz-Martinez

Jones
(Quick)

Scratched: McBain, Shore; Injured: Pearson, Toffoli, Regehr; Suspended: Voynov

Notes:

  • Contrary to popular belief, the Devils actually do employ a backup to Corey Schneider.
  • Sadly, he’s not playing tonight.
  • Here’s your friendly reminder that Schneider is historically good against LA (3-1-0, .962 SV% in the regular season; 1-1-1, .960 SV% in the playoffs). Let’s hope that’s not the case tonight. Though there was this, too.
  • Without Peter DeBoer at the helm, the Devils haven’t really improved and are currently looking at a top 5 pick come the June draft. Connor McJersey, possibly? Nah, probably not… Connorlina has a step on them.
  • The Kings are 1-1-2 to start a season-long seven-game homestand. They really need to pick up points against a struggling team.
  • After Monday’s win, though, they’re changing nothing.
  • The Devils are the oldest team in the league. That means they are both bad and slow.
  • They’re also missing Jaromir Jagr and Tuomo Ruutu due to the flu. That’s not good for an already bad team, especially since they were shut out on Thursday with those two in the lineup. That leaves the one and only Steve Bernier (yes, that Steve Bernier) on the first line.

Prediction: Kings win 3-1, Andreoff scores the GWG and Schneider wonders what he did to deserve this fate.

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