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DEVILS (44-17-6) vs. LIGHTNING (40-22-6)
Head-to-Head
The Devils and Lightning faced off for their first game of the season series on Tuesday when Tampa Bay picked up a 4-1 victory over New Jersey. Damon Severson had the lone Devils goal while Anthony Cirelli (shorthanded), Brandon Hagel, Alex Killorn, and Nikita Kucherov's goals gave the visiting team a win.
Thursday's game is the second of three meetings, once again at Prudential Center. The series shifts to Tampa when the Lightning host the Devils on Saturday to wrap up the series. All three games this season will take place within a week.
Devils Team Scope
The Devils are looking to quickly put Tuesday's loss in the rear-view mirror, especially as they're still in the hunt for first-overall in the Metro Division. Currently New Jersey is two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes with one more game played.
New Jersey has had a strong March, picking up points in six of eight games, and having some big wins like the 3-0 shutout against the Hurricanes (March 12). As the team is in the final stretch of the regular season, games have gotten tighter with the Devils only outscoring their opponents 28-24 so far this month.
Jack Hughes leads the Devils with 37 goals and 80 points, career-high numbers for the forward in his fourth season. Dougie Hamilton leads New Jersey with 45 assists and is one goal away from setting a franchise record for most goals by a defenseman in a single season. Four Devils have over 20 goals: Hughes (37), Nico Hischier (28), Jesper Bratt (27), and Dawson Mercer (22) and four players have 60 points or more: Hughes (80), Hamilton (63), Hischier (61), Bratt (60).
Vitek Vanecek has a 28-8-3 record, a 2.52 goals against average, and a .908 save percentage. Akira Schmid has 8-4-1 record, 1.91 goals against average, and a .927 save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood (IR, undisclosed) has rejoined team on-ice activities as he works his way back to playing.
Lightning Team Scope
After a rough stretch going 3-5-2 over their last 10 games, the Lightning picked up a big 4-1 win over the Devils on Tuesday. Tampa scored a shorthanded goal late in the first before adding three tallies in the middle frame to get the win. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced against the Devils. Currently Tampa is third in the Atlantic Division and eight points ahead of Pittsburgh who occupies the first wild-card spot with one more game played.
Brayden Point leads the Lightning with 43 goals and is tied for fourth-most goals in the NHL. Point is having a career-best year for goals and with 14 more assists and 12 more points he could set career-highs in both those categories. Nikita Kucherov 69 assists and 96 points pace the team. Kucherov is second in the league with assists and third for points. Tampa has five players with 20 or more goals: Point (43), Kucherov (27), Steven Stamkos (27), Hagel (24), and Killorn (21). Five skaters have 50 or more points: Kucherov (96), Point (80), Stamkos (66), Hagel (56), Killorn (52).
Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to show why he's a key part of this Lightning team with big saves when his team needs him the most. He has a 30-17-4 record with a 2.67 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. Brian Elliott backs up Vasilevskiy when he needs it. He has a 10-5-2 record with a 3.16 goals against average and .896 save percentage.
Steven Stamkos did not play in Tuesday's game against the Devils due to a lower-body injury. Stamkos is the Lightning's best face-off player with a 54.7% win rate. He is tied for second-most goals on the Lightning with 27, third in assists with 39 and third with points (66) as the Captain continues to be a key part of Tampa's success.
By the Numbers
With six points through eight games in March, Damon Severson and Dougie Hamilton lead all blueliners in points during that span. Severson has two goals and four assists while Hamilton's added one tally and five helpers.
Vasilevskiy has 30 wins through 51 games this season. The 28-year-old goaltender has achieved 30 or more wins over the last six-straight season for Tampa Bay.
JK3 is on a record setting pace with 28 GDTs on the season.
Injuries
Devils
Miles Wood (undisclosed)
Nathan Bastian (upper-body, day-to-day)
Mackenzie Blackwood (undisclosed, IR)
Jonathan Bernier (hip, LTIR)
Lightning
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower-body, day-to-day)
Steven Stamkos (lower-body, day-to-day)
