New Jersey puts home win streak on the line against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Penguins (39-23-6, third in the Metropolitan Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (28-28-12, eighth in the Metropolitan Division)
Newark, New Jersey; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: New Jersey hosts Pittsburgh trying to extend its five-game home winning streak.
The Devils are 9-9-2 against Metropolitan Division teams. New Jersey averages 9.7 penalty minutes per game, the seventh-most in the NHL. P.K. Subban leads the team serving 79 total minutes.
The Penguins are 19-16-4 in conference matchups. Pittsburgh has scored 42 power-play goals, converting on 20.3% of chances.
Pittsburgh took down New Jersey 4-1 in the last meeting between these teams on Nov. 22.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Rooney leads the Devils with a plus-eight in 48 games played this season. Nikita Gusev has totaled two goals and eight assists over the last 10 games for New Jersey.
Evgeni Malkin has recorded 71 total points while scoring 23 goals and totaling 48 assists for the Penguins. Jason Zucker has recorded five assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.
LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 2-8-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.7 assists, four penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game with a .857 save percentage.
Devils: 6-2-2, averaging 2.5 goals, 3.7 assists, 3.5 penalties and 9.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game with a .938 save percentage.
INJURIES: Devils: Will Butcher: out for season (thumb).
Penguins: Dominik Simon: out (upper body), Zachary Aston-Reese: out (lower body).