Game Preview: New Jersey Devils Face Arizona Coyotes

On the second leg of a back-to-back, the New Jersey Devils face the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night. New Jersey is 1-0-0 following their victory over the Detroit Red Wings Friday night. Akira Schmid is your projected starting goaltender for New Jersey. Let’s dive into more.

Time: 7:00 PM      Watch: MSGN/MSG+     Listen: DEVILS HOCKEY NET

Projected Devils Lineup

Tyler Toffoli-Jack Hughes-Jesper Bratt

Timo Meier-Nico Hischier-Dawson Mercer

Ondrej Palat-Erik Haula-Alexander Holtz

Tomas Nosek-Michael McLeod-Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler-Dougie Hamilton

Kevin Bahl-John Marino

Luke Hughes-Brendan Smith

Akira Schmid

Vitek Vanecek

Project Coyotes Lines

Clayton Keller-Barrett Hayton-Nick Schmaltz

Jason Zucker-Logan Cooley-Alexander Kerfoot

Matias Maccelli-Nick Bjugstad-Lawson Crouse

Michael Carcone-Jack McBain-Liam O’Brian

JJ Moster-Mathew Dumba

Jusso Valimaki-Victor Soderstrom

Sean Durzi-Josh Brown

Karel Vejmelka

Connor Ingram

Last Game

The Devils hosted the Red Wings in their 2023-24 season and home opener at the Prudential Center. Detroit came out strong in the first period peppering Vitek Vanecek, outshooting the Devils 14-6. However, the Devils’ netminder turned all 14 aside keeping the game scoreless. The Red Wings broke through in the second period, however, as a deflected puck by Daniel Sprong found its way across the goal line. Jack Hughes scored a power-play goal to even the score, then again later in the period to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead.

Alex DeBrincat scored a power-play goal for Detroit to tie the game for the second time Thursday night. However, Dougie Hamilton netted New Jersey’s third goal and Erik Haula hit the empty net, the eventual game-winning goal after Robby Fabbri scored late, sending the Devils to a 4-3 victory. Vanecek stopped 32/35 pucks and made an even one goal saved above expected according to MoneyPuck.

Player to Watch

Ondrej Palat has been in the NHL long enough to face Arizona more than a handful of times. In 16 games against the deserts hockey team, the two-time. back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion has scored seven goals and six assists for 13 points. Palat already got on the board in last night’s contest, a primary assist on Hughes’ power play goal. Playing on the third line with Haula and Alexander Holtz, New Jersey’s third line should eat against Arizona’s bottom six. Sign Palat up for another point in tonight’s contest.

Devils vs. Arizona

According to Devils PR, “The Devils and Arizona face-off for the first of two matchups this season:

Mar. 16, at Arizona, 5:00 P.M. E.T.

New Jersey logged a 2-0-0 record vs Arizona in 2022-23, which included a 4-2 win on Nov. 12 and a 5-4 OT win on Mar. 5 at ‘Zona.”

Further, “The most goals in franchise history earned in a single game vs ARI/WPG is seven goals, which was earned vs WPG on Oct. 12, 1993, in 7-4 win at New Jersey.

The most goals that the Devils allowed in a single game vs ARI/WPG is eight, twice occurred, last logged on Nov. 9, 1986, at WPG,
after an 8-1 loss.

The most shots that Jersey earned in a single game vs ARI/WPG is 45, twice occurred, last logged on Dec. 15, 1992, at WPG in a 4-3 win.
The most shots that the Devils allowed in a single game vs ARI/WPG is 45, which was logged on Feb. 17, 1985, after a 2-2 tie at WPG.

The last time that the Devils shut out ARI was on Jan. 16, 2016, after a 2-0 win in the Desert (C. Schneider, 27 saves).

The last time ARI shut out the Devils was on Dec. 2, 2017, after a 5-0 loss at ‘Zona.

The first-ever matchup between the Devils and Coyotes was on Nov. 28, 1996, which resulted in a 4-3 overtime loss at Arizona (then called Phoenix Coyotes). The two foes later met in New Jersey that same season on Dec. 7, 1996, which also resulted in a 4-3 overtime loss for the Devils.”

ALL-TIME vs ARI/WPG

Record: 33-41-9-1

Home: 20-14-6-1

Road: 13-27-3-0

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Mon., Oct. 16, vs FLA, 7:00 P.M.
Fri., Oct. 20, at NYI, 7:30 P.M.
Tue., Oct. 24, at MTL, 7:15 P.M.
Wed. Oct. 25, vs WSH, 7:30 P.M.

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