New Jersey Devils: Interesting Line Shake Ups For Pittsburgh Game

The New Jersey Devils are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils are trying some new lines against a team they’ve had success against.

Exactly one week after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils are going to have a rematch with them over in Pittsburgh. They are still without their captain and best player Sidney Crosby but that doesn’t mean that this is an easy game whatsoever. The Penguins severely outplayed the Devils but MacKenzie Blackwood stood on his head and somehow the Devils won the game 2-1.

If they play like that again in this one the Pittsburgh Penguins will destroy them. Somehow, Evgeni Malkin gets even better than his normal all world self when Sidney Crosby is out of the lineup so he is going to be the main player of focus in the Devils’ room. Containing Malkin and Jake Guentzel is easily the most daunting task they will face but they have proven that they can do it in the past.

The Devils were idle last night while the Penguins lost in overtime to the New York Islanders. Jersey’s Team will be a little fresher. They need to jump on them early and often if they are going to have a chance in this game. Matt Murray was in net for the Penguins so there is a chance that they use Tristan Jarry in this game. The Devils are viewed as a lesser team by the opposition on most nights so they will draw the backup if they are ever a part of an opponent’s back to back.

John Hynes has changed up the lines in practice and it is very interesting. A very familiar trio of Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier, and Kyle Palmieri will be the top line but after that is where it gets interesting. Pavel Zacha will center Miles Wood and Jesper Bratt on the second line while Jack Hughes centers Jesper Boqvist and Wayne Simmonds on the third line. You would like to see those lines flipped as far as line numbers but the pace of the game will likely determine each line’s ice time.

Blake Coleman is on Travis Zajac‘s wing with Nikita Gusev as the fourth line but that feels like a third line that will play a big checking role while trying to score. Gusev has been awesome playing with those two guys. They can all score while Zajac and Coleman really help out Gusev’s two-way game. Jesper Boqvist on a line with Hughes can be fun in their own end but it will be interesting to see how they do if they get caught. Simmonds is the guy on the line who will help create space for them. These are some unique combinations so hopefully, they work out for the best.

This is the front end of a back to back for the Devils as they are back home on Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings. MacKenzie Blackwood should start in this game against the Penguins and Louis Domingue should get his first-ever start with the Devils against Detroit. This is an important weekend for the Devils as they look to get back on track after a very ugly loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.