The New Jersey Devils come into town to take on the Penguins tonight for a 7 PM matchup at PPG Paints Arena. Both teams are off to good starts this season in the East. The Devils currently carry a 7-6-1 record but have dropped their last three games and have fallen to fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins are currently 8-6-0 and have won their past five games. They currently sit in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. This game should be a great one as both teams look to improve their position in the Metro.
On The Devils:
The Devils offense has been producing at a great rate, while they have been averaging 3.64 goals per game this year. The team has been led by forwards Jesper Bratt and Tyler Toffoli on the top line, who have combined for 15 goals and 19 assists. Other forwards Timo Meier, Erik Haula, and Michael McLeod have also combined for 13 goals and 12 assists, while defensemen John Marino and Dougie Hamilton have combined for six goals and 15 assists to help bolster the offense.
As much as the offense has played well, the Devils’ defense has been a struggle so far, including allowing 16 goals in their past three games. Luke Hughes and Marino have both played well, but the rest of the defense has struggled so far this year defensively. It doesn’t help that goalie Vitek Vanecek has a .887 save percentage and a 3.45 goals-against average so far this season.
On The Pens:
The Penguins have looked great recently, with offense being the name of the game for them. The Pens have averaged 3.64 goals per game, and have scored 25 goals in their last 5 games. Forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel have combined for 24 goals and 30 assists so far this year, with Bryan Rust, Reilly Smith, and Lars Eller also putting up a combined 15 goals and 17 assists as well. As for the blueline, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson have combined for six goals and 17 assists so far this year.
As for the defense, they are also playing at a great pace this year. The Pens blueline is only allowing 2.64 goals per game and has gotten very good defense from Marcus Pettersson and Erik Karlsson, who have combined for 38 blocks so far this year. The second pairing of Ryan Graves and Kris Letang has also been solid so far this year, as well. Tristan Jarry has also been good in net so far, with a .918 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average so far this year.
Game Preview
As for the game itself, expect a one-sided, high-scoring affair, with the Pens high powered offense and strong momentum with their five-game winning streak, to get a lot of chances and shots on net against a struggling Devils defense and a team that has lost their last three games. With the Penguins at home (and yours truly in the building), it should be a great game and a good game for the Pens.
ITR 35: Round One – Inside The Rink
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