Game Preview: Devils Visit Wild in Second Meeting of Home-and-Home

The New Jersey Devils capped off the first month of the 2023-24 season with Jack Hughes being named the first star for the month of October. They start November on the road, beginning in Minnesota. The Devils (5-2-1) face the Wild (3-4-2) tonight in the second leg of a home-and-home mini-series that will also conclude the season series. After Wednesday’s morning skate, head coach Lindy Ruff revealed captain Nico Hischier won’t make New Jersey’s four-game, eight-day road trip.

Time: 8:00 PM      Watch/Stream: MSGSN 2/MSG+      Listen: DEVILS HOCKEY NET

Projected Devils Lineup

Tyler Toffoli-Jack Hughes-Timo Meier

Ondrej Palatr-Michael McLeod-Jesper Bratt

Dawson Merce-Erik Haula-Curtis Lazar

Alexander Holtz-Chris Tierney-Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler-Dougie Hamilton

Kevin Bahl-John Marino

Brendan Smith-Luke Hughes

Vitek Vanecek

Akira Schmid

Projected Wild Lineup

Kirill Kaprizov-Ryan Hartman-Mats Zuccarello

Marcus Johansson-Joel Eriksson Ek-Matthew Boldy

Pat Maroon-Marco Rossi- Marcus Foligno

Brandon Duhaime-Connor Dewar-Vinni Lettieri

Jonas Brodin-Brock Faber

Jacob Middleton-Dakota Mermis

Daemon Hunt-Calen Addison

Filip Gustavsson

Marc-Andre Fleury

Last Game

A three-point effort from Jesper Bratt propelled the Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Wild. The Swedish forward potted two goals, including one on the power play that eventually turned into the game-winner. Bratt also fed Tyler Toffoli with an authoritative pass, his first of two power-play points of the night. Erik Haula continued to build off his strong season, netting his fifth goal. Vitek Vanecek made his sixth start of the season, receiving a second start in a row. Vanecek turned in a strong performance despite allowing three goals by stopping 31 pucks on 34 shots. More impressively, Vanecek made 12/13 saves on the penalty kill with a strong Wild power play applying plenty of pressure.

Player to Watch

Kevin Bahl and John Marino have been the Devils’ strongest defensive pair this season. Currently, Bahl is riding a two-game point streak after dishing out assists in back-to-back games. Bahl’s two-game point streak is a career-high in which he’s met four times in his career. A single point against the Wild will mark a new height for the 6-foot-6 defenseman.

Devils vs. Wild

Per the Devils PR, “The Devils and Minnesota conclude their 2023-24 season series. New Jersey was 0-0-2 vs Minnesota last season and hasn’t won a season series against the Wild since 2016-17 (2-0-0). The last time that the Devils won a game at Minnesota was on Feb. 15, 2019, after a 5-4 victory.

ALL-TIME vs THE STATE OF HOCKEY (Wild)

Record: 16-9-2-3
Home: 9-4-1-2
Road: 7-5-1-1

DID YOU KNOW…

The most goals in franchise history earned in a single game vs Minnesota is seven, which was logged on Mar. 17, 2016, in a 7-4 win at the Rock.

The most goals that the franchise allowed in a single game vs Minnesota is six, which was recorded on Mar. 10, 2015, in a 6-2 loss at ‘Sota.

The most shots that the franchise earned in a single game vs Minnesota is 48, which was earned in a 2-1 overtime loss on Mar. 21,
2023, at the Rock.

The most shots that the franchise allowed in a single game vs Minnesota is 39, which was logged on Dec. 3, 2005, in a 2-2 shootout win at Continental Airlines Arena.

The last, and only, time that the Devils shut out Minnesota was on Mar. 20, 2009, in a 4-0 win at the Rock (M. Brodeur, 35 saves).

The last time that Minnesota shut out the Devils was on Mar. 26, 2011, in a 2-0 loss at Buffalo (R. Miller, 28 saves). The Devils and Wild’s first-ever matchup was on Jan. 21, 2001, at Minnesota, after a 4-2 win.”

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Thu. Nov. 2, at MIN, 8:00 P.M. E.T.
Fri. Nov. 3, at STL, 8:00 P.M. E.T.
Sun. Nov. 5, at CHI, 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Tue. Nov. 7, at COL, 10:00 P.M. E.T.

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