Devils open homestand against MacKinnon and the Avalanche
New Jersey, 4-4-0 and coming off a loss in Washington, hosts Colorado at Prudential Center on Tuesday night.
What's newConnor Brown will make his season debut and Luke Evangelista will return against Colorado.
New Jersey begins a three-game homestand against Colorado on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with Nathan MacKinnon leading an Avalanche team playing for the second consecutive night. The Devils list puck drop at Prudential Center for 7:08 p.m. ET.
The Devils enter at 4-4-0 after losing 4-2 in Washington. Colorado is 5-3-1 following Monday’s 3-2 defeat in Philadelphia.
MacKinnon has six goals and 10 assists for 16 points through Colorado’s first nine games. Artturi Lehkonen also has six goals, sharing the team lead. Their production gives New Jersey a demanding opening assignment as it returns home.
Jack Hughes leads the Devils with nine points, including seven assists, in eight games. Nico Hischier has scored four times, with three of those goals coming on the power play. New Jersey has rotated Jake Allen and Nico Daws in goal.
The Devils’ official preview points to Scott Wedgewood as Colorado’s likely starter after MacKenzie Blackwood played in Philadelphia. That remains a projection ahead of the morning skate, rather than a confirmed assignment.
Connor Brown will make his season debut after missing New Jersey’s first eight games. NHL.com reports that he had been sidelined by a lower-body injury. Luke Evangelista will also return after sitting out three games because of illness, the Devils confirmed in their morning-skate update.
New Jersey later assigned Stefan Noesen to the AHL’s Utica Comets and activated Brown from injured reserve, the club announced Tuesday. Amadeus Lombardi will be scratched.
