The New Jersey Devils prepare to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, looking to rebound following a recent defeat. The matchup brings together two competitive squads as the Devils carry an 8-5-0 record into the contest against a Golden Knights team standing at 9-4-1.
Following a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, the Devils did not hold a morning skate on Thursday. However, coaching staff indications suggest the team will likely deploy the same group of skaters that took the ice in Denver. The projected New Jersey forward lines feature Arseny Gritsyuk centering Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt on the top unit, followed by Timo Meier alongside Nico Hischier and Luke Evangelista. The third line lists Anthony Mantha with Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist, while Amadeus Lombardi centers Cody Glass and Connor Brown on the fourth line.
On the blue line, New Jersey projects Luke Hughes paired with Brett Pesce, Jonas Siegenthaler alongside Dougie Hamilton, and Brenden Dillon partnered with Declan Chisholm. Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Allen make up the goaltending options, with Johnathan Kovacevic and Remi Poirier listed as scratched. The Devils report no active injuries heading into the contest.
For the home side, the Golden Knights are expected to maintain the identical skater lineup used in their 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Vegas projects Ivan Barbashev centering Jack Eichel and Mark Stone on the first line, with Brett Howden, William Karlsson, and Mitch Marner forming the second unit. The third line features Trevor Connelly alongside Tomas Hertl and Braeden Bowman, while Raphael Lavoie, Nic Dowd, and Marc Gatcomb round out the forward group.
Defensively, Vegas lists Shea Theodore paired with Brayden McNabb, Ville Heinola alongside Rasmus Andersson, and Jeremy Lauzon with Noah Hanifin. Adin Hill and Cameron Whitehead represent the goaltending depth, with Dylan Coghlan designated as a scratch.
Uncertainty surrounds a few roster spots for Vegas as they manage lingering injuries. Goaltender Carter Hart participated in the morning skate, though his availability for Friday remains unclear as he deals with an undisclosed issue. Forward Victor Olofsson practiced wearing a noncontact jersey for a lower-body injury. Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig expressed optimism that Olofsson could potentially join the lineup for the team’s upcoming four-game road trip, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.
Television and streaming coverage for the interconference matchup will be available through SCRIPPS, MSGSN, and SN+ as the teams meet to close out the week.
