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The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (24-14-8) at the Boston Bruins (27-10-8). SBN Blog: Stanley Cup of Chowder.
The Time: 7:00 PM EST
The Broadcast: MSG
Back-to-Back Without Hall: Last night, the New Jersey Devils played the Detroit Red Wings without Taylor Hall. That game ended 3-0, in favor of the Red Wings. Not having Hall in the lineup really showed at five-on-five. While the Devils outshot the Red Wings, it just wasn’t all there for the Devils. They didn’t have their offensive leader. For more on that game, John has a recap. It’s bad enough they had to play one game without him, as he ties everything together. But to play a back-to-back, after being flat at times in the first half of it? Yikes.
Charlie McAvoy: Charlie McAvoy is one of the many young players making a splash with the Boston Bruins this year. On the top pairing,he has five goals and 20 assists and averages 22:49 of ice time per game. However, he will not be suiting up against the New Jersey Devils. According to reports, Charlie McAvoy has supraventricular tachycardia. From the Boston Sports Journal, Dr. David Finn is quoted as saying:
“The type of SVT Charlie has is not considered to be dangerous to his health, but can recur at any time and causes significant symptoms.After consultation with team physicians, as well as experts in this type of heart condition, Charlie decided to have the condition treated with a procedure called an ablation. The decision to have the procedure done at this time is due to a high probability of recurrence.”
It’s good that McAvoy had told the team about his palpitations and I hope his symptoms do not go beyond this. Heart conditions have at times caused scary moments in hockey.
Regardless, the Bruins will have to adjust to hockey without McAvoy for the time being. I imagine Adam McQuaid might be seeing some more ice time, though he definitely does not make up for the two-way prowess of McAvoy.
The Devils need all the help they can get:
#NJDevils did have a closed-door, players-only meeting after the game. Several veterans stood up and talked, Greene, Boyle, Stafford, Schneider among them.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) January 23, 2018
As the Devils move forward in the year, they are going to need more out of veterans not named Taylor Hall. It’s good to know that they are at least trying to bring leadership to the team, but the Devils need numbers on the scoring sheet. They need all the help they can get. But the question is: do they have the right people for the job?
Schneider: Despite the back-to-back off of an illness, Cory Schneider will be getting the start tonight. There will be no Ken Appleby in net for the time being.
John Hynes confirms Cory Schneider starts tomorrow night at Boston.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) January 23, 2018
Your Take: What are your thoughts on tonight’s game? Can they pull out some points? Or will they go into the game with Nashville having lost both ends of a back-to-back? Leave your thoughts in the comments.