SHAKE UP
Judging by the lines, the Devils are sticking with the changes they made late in the third period against Dallas with Jesper Bratt skating with Dawson Mercer and Ondrej Palat while Stefan Noesen will work with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier.
“Those are two players that I’ve played with before,” Bratt said. “They’re two great individual players that can make our line better. … It’s good for a shakeup and could be good for matchups as well.”
“It’s getting greater balance in our lines,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We’re playing against a team today that gives you no shifts off. That’s really a big part of it.”
THE SCORING TOUCH
For Bratt himself, it’s been a mix on his offensive production. He leads the Devils with 21 assists and 26 points through 27 games. But he’s only scored five goals. That said, Bratt has gotten his fair share of opportunities, including some breakaway chances of late, that haven’t fallen for him.
“I feel like we’re creating on the ice,” Bratt said. “I feel like I’m taking teammates to some good spots. I feel like I’m setting myself up for chances to score and create goals for the team. The puck doesn’t want to bounce in for me right now. There’s nothing to really do about it except keep working and keep shooting and the puck will go in. If you keep creating, it can’t stay like that for a whole long season.”
Bratt admitted that it’s been hard on his mind.
“You definitely think about it because you’re a competitor,” Bratt said. “You want to find a way to score more. It’s definitely on your mind. It’s how you take it. Are you going to think about it in a negative way all the time? Or are you going to work on it and find ways to score instead.”
DEBUT
Forward Angus Crookshank has appeared in 21 NHL games in his career, scoring two goals and four points. All of those came with Ottawa. He’ll get his first taste as a Devil tonight.
“I’m excited. You want to play in the NHL so any day you can be here it’s great,” Crookshank said. “Hopefully, I can show my stuff.”
For the 5-foot-10, 183-pounder, his game is simple.
“Try to be as competitive as possible, turn pucks over, be hard on the forecheck, be a bit of a rat, hang out around the net,” he said.
During training camp, many of the veteran players in the locker room often mentioned Crookshank as the player that most impressed them. That includes the head coach.
“He skates hard. Shoots the puck extremely well,” Keefe said. “We think if he can get a scoring chance, he can shoot it in the net. We’re just trying to give him a chance.”
SCOUTING VEGAS
Bratt on Vegas: “They play a similar game as Dallas. They don’t give you a lot on the inside. They’re a good, structured team. They create a lot off the rush, a lot offensively. It’s going to take our A Game to beat a team like this. We’re focused on the first period to play really solid defensively. Don’t give them the inside of the ice.”
