Surging New Jersey Devils may cool down against Boston Bruins - NHL Preview
Defending Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins face off against an improving New Jersey Devils side at the Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday.
The Bruins enter the game on the back of a surprising 5-3 loss at the hands of the lowly Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday and will be fired up to face the Devils and return back to winning ways.
The Bruins are currently second in the Eastern Conference with a 29-13-1 record after they rescued their season following a very poor start.
Coach Claude Julien however, does not believe that the Bruins have reached the potential they are capable of and there is a lot more that this team can deliver on the rink.
"Our compete level isn't there," Julien said. "We're no better and no worse than any other team when we don't compete. We become a very ordinary team, and that's what we are right now."
The Devils at home will not be an easy test for the Bruins. New Jersey has won its past three games in a row and looks to have found their feet with some brilliant performances which shot them up the Easter Conference to sixth with a 26-17-2 record and 54
points.
The Devils have won five of their previous eight games and with forward Ilya Kovalchuk in the form of his life New Jersey have become a team that can trouble the Bruins a lot on Thursday.
Kovalchuk scored a brace in the Devils 5-1 victory on Tuesday and will pose the greatest threat to the Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask.
Devils Centre Dainius Zubrus praised Kovalchuk’s form and said that he has never seen the forward perform so well.
There are only a few guys in the league that can carry a team like that,"Zubrus said. "Kovy is playing as good as I've ever seen him play."
Kovalchuk however, played down the praise he is receiving by saying that he is just doing his job and delivering what his teammates and coaches expect of him.
"I'm just a little more relaxed lately," Kovalchuk said. "I'm just doing what I have to do. I'm supposed to produce. Each team has guys who have to score."
This game is tough to call and the Devils also have home advantage but the Bruins experience will most likely shift the game in Boston’s favour. The fact that Boston has won six of its previous seven meetings against the Devils tells its own story.
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