The New Jersey Devils have struggled against the top teams in the Eastern Conference, going just 4-7-0 against the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers.
The situation gets even more bleak against the Bruins. New Jersey is winless against Boston this season, with the Bruins outscoring the Devils 14-5 in three games. The Devils will look to break their skid against the Bruins tonight the TD Garden. Gametime is 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on MSG Plus.
The Devils have lost their last three games, falling from fourth in the Eastern Conference to seventh. Their five points ahead of the eighth-place Washington Capitals. In the last two losses, the Devils have managed to score just one goal.
The lack of offense caused coach Pete DeBoer to make changes in his lines for tonight's game.
"One goal two of the last three games," DeBoer told Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. "I think the Vancouver game we at least created some opportunities. I thought the Ranger game we didn't get a lot going. So, we'll make some changes and see if that works."
The Rangers defeated New Jersey, 2-0, Monday night in Madison Square Garden. Carl Hagelin scored his 11th goal of the season in the first period, which stood up as the game-winning score. Ryan Callahan added an empty net goal in the third period.
Devils right wing David Clarkson said the team knows how important each point is heading into the matchup.
"You know where teams are at and we know everything is tight," he told Gulitti. "Every game is important and we've just got to go out there and somehow find a way to get points right now."
The Bruins are also struggling, with just two wins in their last five games. The Ottawa Senators defeated Boston, 1-0, Tuesday night in Boston. Erik Karlsson scored the game's only goal, scoring on the powerplay at the 14:44 mark of the first period. Robin Lehner stopped 32 shots for his first career NHL shutout.
Boston is just one point ahead of the Ottawa Senators for first in the Northeast Division.
DeBoer knows that the Bruins will be looking to get back on track and will be a tough team to face.
"It's a tough match-up," DeBoer told Gulitti. "They're, obviously, not happy coming out of Ottawa with that loss. They're in the same spot we are. They're fighting for their division and playoff positioning, so you know what you're going to get when you go in there. It will be physical, a lot like the Ranger game."
Dainius Zubrus, re-united with Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora for tonight's game, says the Devils will only break the streak by relying on their own system.
"I think at times like this you kind of lean back on your system, your structure and everything that has worked and we know has worked," he told Gulitti. "You just trust that. That's what makes us good and successful and you do the same thing and do all those things better."
DeBoer echoed those same sentiments, saying the team needs to focus on playing their hockey.
"It's always dangerous," he told Gulitti. "But, if you're asking me, 'Is our confidence shaky? Or are we feeling the pressure that we have to win the next game? I don't think so. We realize we're playing well and I know it's lip service, but we could have easily won two of the last three the way we played. So, I think that's the focus. It's how our game is. As long as we're playing well, we all know as a group we're going to get out of this."