Game Preview – Game 13: Carolina Hurricanes @ YOUR New Jersey Devils

Carolina Hurricanes (5-6-3, 13 points) @ New Jersey Devils (6-5-1, 13 points)

7:30 PM EDT

TV: Versus HD

Radio: WFAN 660

Match-up:

This is the second of four meetings between these two Eastern Conference rivals. The Devils took the first meeting earlier this season, 4-2, at the Prudential Center.

Quick Recap:

The Devils have now won back-to-back games after defeating the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at the Prudential Center. After Patrik Elias made it 1-0 New Jersey, Adam Henrique scored his second in as many games to double the Devils’ lead at the time. Winnipeg rallied to pull within one in the third, and ended up tying the game with under three minutes remaining in regulation, to force overtime. After coming up empty on a power play that carried into overtime, Adam Larsson fed Zach Parise, who sent Henrique in alone on his second breakaway of the game, and he beat Winnipeg’s Ondrej Pavelec to win the game for the Devils. Henrique now has four points in his last two games, and five over his last three (3 goals, 2 assists). The win also marked the Devils’ fourth win beyond regulation this season: three shootouts and one overtime win.

Although injuries have been a big story for the Devils this season, especially at the center position, but they have also provided Adam Henrique an opportunity to play on the top line, as he did Saturday with Parise and David Clarkson. Henrique has also been one of coach Pete DeBoer’s primary penalty killing forwards since he was re-called from Albany.

Speaking of injuries, Ilya Kovalchuk will miss a second straight game after pulling a muscle in his leg late in the Devils’ 4-3 shootout win in Philadelphia last Thursday. He expects to be ready for the Devils’ contest against Washington this Friday at the Prudential Center. Defenseman Andy Greene will be a game-time decision, following his lower body injury that also kept him out of the game against Winnipeg on Saturday. He will participate in warm-ups. Martin Brodeur will start his second straight game in goal for the Devils.

Devils vs. Canes:

The Devils lead the all-time series against the Hartford/Carolina franchise, holding a 55-37-10-1 record (Wins-Losses-Ties-Overtime losses), including the 4-2 win on October 10th this season. The Devils are 33-18-2-0 against Carolina in New Jersey. The Devils won three out of four matchups last season, outscoring the Hurricanes 13-11 in the four games.

Carolina has dropped two straight: 5-1 to the Capitals and 5-2 to the Stars.

Projected Lineup:

Parise – Henrique – Clarkson

Sykora – Elias – Zubrus

Tedenby – Carter – Palmieri

Pelley – Mills – Janssen

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Tallinder – Fayne

Larsson – Salvador

Volchenkov – Greene (assuming he plays)

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Brodeur

Hedberg (backup)

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Hurricanes lineup:

Jeff Skinner – Eric Staal – Chad LaRose

Alexei Ponikarovsky – Tuomo Ruutu – Zach Boychuk