NEW JERSEY DEVILS (24-14-3) vs. SAN JOSE SHARKS (17-19-3)
New Jersey is in San Jose to wrap up the California portion of their five-game road trip.
You can watch on MSGSN or listen on the Devils Hockey Network. Puck drop is 4:08 p.m. ET.
Read below for your game preview and our pre-game story. Tonight’s game is presented by Warren Thompson & Son.
SAN JOSE, CA – Stay tuned after the morning media session with head coach Sheldon Keefe at approximately 10:45 a.m. local time.
THE SCOOP
The Devils are currently on their toughest stretch of the season, having gone three games without earning a point. To begin the five-game road trip, the Devils have lost in Carolina, Anaheim and Los Angeles, hoping to turn their fortunes around against the San Jose Sharks.
Jacob Markstrom continues to lead the way in goal for New Jersey, named Third Star of the Month by the NHL earlier this week. He has played 28 games this season, with 19 wins and three shutouts, to go with his 2.15 goals against average and his .912 save percentage.
The Devils’ offensive output dried up against the Kings on New Year’s Day, shutout for a sixth time this season. Captain Nico Hischier still paces the club in goals, with 18, last scoring on December 27, at home against the Hurricanes. Jesper Bratt leads the charge in points with 47, but is currently on one of his longest goal-less droughts, not having scored since December 17 when the club was in St. Louis. Bratt has been without a goal in seven games but has registered five assists.
The San Jose Sharks just ended an eight-game losing streak after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Former Devil Tyler Toffoli opened the scoring for the Sharks and leads the team in goals with 15.
The Sharks are led by a young squad of up-and-coming elite-level talent, headlined by Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 first-overall pick from this past June. Celebrini has played 29 games to date with 12 goals and 15 assists.
The Sharks boast a slew of former New Jersey Devils, starting with forward Fabian Zetterlund who is in the clubs top-5 in scoring with 26 points (11g-15a) in 41 games this season. Along with Zetterlund and Toffoli, goaltender Vitek Vanecek is also a member of the Sharks, although he is currently unable to play after being caught by an errant puck in the face while sitting on the bench as a backup, sustaining a facial injury that has left him on the sidelines.
WHO’S HOT
Devils: It’s all about the goaltender! Jacob Markstrom is as hot as they come. Markstrom is 4-1-0 in his last give games with just six goals against and a .941 save percentage.
Sharks: Tyler Toffoli has two goals and four points in his last five games. He’s currently the clubs leading scorer, while center Mikael Granlund has three assists in his past five games.
INJURIES
Devils: Hatakka (shoulder, IR)
Sharks: Walman (day-to-day), Grundstrom (IR), Eklund (IR), Vanecek (IR)
REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS
GAME NOTES
