Both the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils could be without some key players this evening as they battle for the first time this season at the Garden State's Prudential Center.
The Devils return home after claiming a 4-3 shootout win over the Flyers on Thursday, but forward Ilya Kovalchuk did not finish the game due to a lower- body injury. Kovalchuk missed overtime and the shootout phase of the game and is questionable for tonight as is Andy Greene, who sat out Thursday's win due to a lower-body issue of his own.
Without one of their top snipers, Patrik Elias and Zach Parise scored in the breakaway session to earn the extra point and snap a three-game slide. The Devils won for only the second time in seven games after rallying from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 thanks in part to 21 shots in the second period.
"I think that obviously it was an important game for us and we knew that," said Devils head coach Peter DeBoer. "We stuck with it and got rewarded for it. It's nice to get rewarded for an effort like that."
Adam Henrique scored his first career goal and both Parise and David Clarkson lit the lamp in regulation.
"We felt like we're playing the right way early, but we found ourselves down ... but our heads were still up on the bench," said Henrique. "We knew if we kept battling, pucks would eventually start going our way and we battled for a full 65 minutes."
Though New Jersey could be without Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur is expected to get the start in net. Brodeur missed six games with a right shoulder injury before returning to action in Wednesday's loss to the Maple Leafs. Johan Hedberg started versus the Flyers and made 20 saves in addition to another two stops in the shootout.
The Jets recently learned they will be without talented defenseman Tobai Enstrom for the foreseeable future due to a broken collarbone and then saw two players suffer injuries while blocking shots in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Islanders.
Defenseman Randy Jones suffered a right ankle injury and did not finish the game, while forward Nik Antropov hurt his hand, though he did return after blocking a shot. Both players are questionable for this game.
In addition to Enstrom, the Jets are already without blueliners Ron Hainsey and Derek Meech.
Ondrej Pavelec stepped up for his wounded defense with 34 saves, posting his first shutout of the season and seventh of his career. The goaltender was quick to credit his teammates afterwards.
"I think we had like 20 blocked shots. That's amazing," said Pavelec. "The guys on the [penalty kill] did a great job."
Evander Kane drew first blood with a goal, Johnny Oduya had a goal and an assist and Alexander Burmistrov capped the scoring with an empty-net tally as Winnipeg won for the fourth time in six games and moved to 3-1-0 on a seven- game road trip.
"Pavelec played really well in net," said Burmistrov. "He made the first save for us ... and we just tried to shut the door."
New Jersey has won three straight and six of its last seven over the Winnipeg franchise, including each of the last three meetings at home.
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