Devils at Blackhawks
Less than 24 hours after salvaging the finale of their three-game homestand, the New Jersey Devils kick off a four-game road trip Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Devils were one of the biggest surprises in the NHL in the early going, winning nine of their first 11 games, but had dropped four straight (0-2-2) before edging Florida 2-1 on Saturday.
Kyle Palmieri scored the winning goal for New Jersey in his second game back from a lower-body injury that sidelined him for six contests. Chicago avoided a third straight setback on Saturday as it overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period and posted a 4-3 overtime triumph in Carolina. Rookie Alex DeBrincat was an offensive force, scoring two goals before setting up Brandon Saad's team-leading seventh tally 1:44 into the extra session. The 19-year-old DeBrincat's effort gave him six points in as many games and was his second career multi-point performance, with the first being a one-goal, one-assist outing at Montreal on Oct. 10.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), NBCSN Chicago
ABOUT THE DEVILS (10-4-2): New Jersey hopes to have a key player back in the lineup as soon as next week. Travis Zajac participated in practice on Saturday, marking the first time he was on the ice with the team since suffering a torn left pectoral muscle over the summer - an injury that required surgery on Aug. 17. Defenseman Will Butcher notched his 13th assist versus the Panthers, giving him the lead on the team and among all NHL rookies.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (8-7-2): Each of Chicago's last two home games have resulted in shutouts, as the club blanked Philadelphia 3-0 on Nov. 1 before suffering a 2-0 loss to Montreal four days later. The Blackhawks have reached the three-goal mark just once in their last six at United Center after totaling 15 tallies in their first two on home ice. Saad's goal against the Hurricanes ended his 10-game drought and was just his second point in 11 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Devils LW Taylor Hall leads the team with 17 points and is two shy of 400 for his career.
2. Chicago was 3-for-3 on the penalty kill Saturday and has not allowed a power-play goal in its last five games.
3. New Jersey D Andy Greene's next point will be his 200th in the NHL.