Devils Host Islanders to End Homestand | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (41-31-7) vs. NY ISLANDERS (34-33-12)

New Jersey hosts the New York Islanders in the final contest of a five-game homestand.

You can watch on TNT or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight's game is presented by Ott, Shore and Co.

Keefe Media Availability Recap

NEWARK, NJ - With just three games remaining for the Devils in the 2024-25 regular season and a slew of healthy bodies on the roster, Sheldon Keefe has elected to begin resting players ahead of the postseason.

Stefan Noesen will not play against the Islanders this afternoon to get him some additional rest before the start of next week's playoffs.

On the flip side, defenseman Dougie Hamilton will be on the ice for warmups, though he will not play. Hamilton rejoined his teammates for practice for the first time on Saturday, as he continues to improve in his rehab process from a March 4 injury against the Stars.

"Dougie had a good day yesterday," Keefe said. "That's positive. We're going to put him in warmup today and have him go through his regular game-day routine with the nature of it being an afternoon game, he'll take in our meetings, and then go get warmed up and then head over to the other side to get a skate with all the other scratches. It's just kind of maximizing the number of days we have left here for each different situation."

Keefe also added that Jacob Markstrom will get the start in net against the Islanders.

THE SCOOP

The Devils are locked into the No. 3 seed in the Metro Division and will open the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs in Carolina in Round One. The club still has three regular-season games left to finish up the year.

It’s been a record setting year for a few Devils players. Captain Nico Hischier set a career high with 35 goals, while Jesper Bratt has career highs in assists (67) and points (88). Bratt’s 67 assists are a single-season franchise record.

In some good injury news, defenseman Dougie Hamilton joined his teammates for practice on Saturday and the coaches hinted that he may be ready to play when the postseason begins.

The NY Islanders’ playoff hopes were squelched Saturday afternoon with a shootout loss to Philadelphia. The setback officially eliminated New York from postseason play.

The Islanders fate was really sealed in a 9-2 loss to the NY Rangers Thursday, both with the loss of the game and the loss of goalie Ilya Sorokin, who missed the game with a lower-body injury.

The Islanders have struggled all season to score goals, ranking 25^th in the NHL with 2.77 goals per game and 31^st with a 12.8% power play. They’ve missed offensive star Mathew Barzal for 49 games this season, a blow to the club’s offense. The Islanders’ usual stalwart defense has also been absent this year, as the team has allowed 3.14 goals per game, ranking 20^th, and the PK is 31^st with a 71.9% mark.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Timo Meier has three goals in his past three games.

Islanders: Bo Horvat has points in nine of this last 13 games for 12 points (6g-6a).

INJURIES

Devils: J.Hughes (shoulder, LTIR), J.Siegenthaler (undisclosed, LTIR), D.Hamilton (undisclosed, week-to-week)

Islanders: Barzal (lower-body), Sorokin (lower-body), Varlamov (lower-body)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 25 vs. Islanders, 4-3 OTL
• Nov. 9 at Islanders, 4-3 OTW
• April 12 vs. Islanders

GAME NOTES

• The Devils and Islanders meet for the third and final time this season. Both teams have recorded one overtime win against the other, with both teams picking those wins on the road.
• The Devils conclude a 5-game homestand against the Islanders. The club is 2-2-0 thus far.
• Cody Glass has 7 points (2g-5a) in 11 games with New Jersey.

• Hudson Fasching scored his first goal of the season Thursday night against the NY Rangers.

• The Islanders have allowed 19 goals over the past three games.