NEW JERSEY DEVILS (6-4-2) vs. CANUCKS (4-1-3)

New Jersey opens up its Western Canada trip with a Hughes Bowl contest in Vancouver Wednesday night. It will be just the second time all three Hughes brothers – Quinn, Jack, Luke – will face each other in the same game.

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

Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight’s game is sponsored by Flock Free Bird Control.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

VANCOUVER, BC – Check back following Devils morning skate at 2:30 p.m. EST.

THE SCOOP

The Devils got back in the win column against Anaheim Sunday with a 6-2 victory. The win snapped the club’s 0-2-2 skid.

Devils captain Nico Hischier continued his hot play with his NHL-leading ninth goal of the season. He has six goals in his past five games (and seven points). Hischier and Jesper Bratt tie for the club lead in scoring with 12 points. Bratt paces the club in assists with 10 on the season. Forwards Paul Cotter (6 goals), Stefan Noesen (5) and Erik Haula (4) have also started the year with goal outbursts.

The Devils lost Curtis Lazar “for a while” due to an injury per head coach Sheldon Keefe. The club recalled center Justin Dowling and he centered the fourth line at Tuesday’s practice.

The Canucks close out a three-game homestand against the Devils. Vancouver is 4-0-1 in its past five games, and 4-1-3 on the season.

Brock Boeser paces the team with five goals and nine points. J.T. Miller also has nine points. It’s been a somewhat slow start for superstar Elias Pettersson, who inked an 8-year, $11.6 million AAV at the end of last season. He has just four points (1g-3a) in the opening eight games of the season. Last year’s Norris Trophy winner and eldest Hughes brother, Quinn, is third on the club with eight points (2g-6a) in eight games.

Meanwhile, the club has been without starting goaltender Thatcher Demko all season as he has struggled with a rare knee injury, a problem with his popliteus muscle. The issue has caused him stability issues with the knee and rehab has been a slow process. Kevin Lankinen has filled in admirably, going 4-0-2 with a 2.29 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Jesper Bratt has a five-game scoring streak with six total points (1g-5a). He has points in 10 of his last 11 games.

Canucks: Miller has a three-game point streak heading into the contest with New jersey. He has two goals and six points in the three games.

INJURIES

Devils: Lazar (undisclosed), Hatakka (upper-body)

Canucks: Demko (knee, IR), Joshua (IR)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 30 at Vancouver
• March 24 at New Jersey

STATS LEADERS

GAME NOTES

• The Devils power play has been especially affective lately. The units, which rank sixth in the NHL with a 30-percent conversation ratio, has seven goals in the past five contests.
• Wednesday’s game will be the ninth edition of the Hughes Bowl, and the second time all three brothers – Quinn, Jack, Luke – will be in the lineup. The Devils have a 6-2-0 edge in the series. Jack leads his brothers in scoring with 13 points (7g-6a) in seven games.
• In the only game to feature all three brothers, the Devils won 6-5, Dec. 5, 2023, with Jack earning a goal and assist, Luke scoring a goal (assisted by Jack) and Quinn adding two assists of his own.
• The Devils rank third in the NHL with a 53.6% faceoff winning percentage.
• Vancouver’s Brock Boeser has a six-game point streak (3g-4a-7pts).
• Teddy Blueger had his four-game point streak (1g-3a) snapped in his last game against Carolina