THE SCOOP
The Devils (10-4-0, 20 points) and Penguins (9-4-2, 20 points) sit atop the Eastern Conference standings (along with Montreal). The Devils vs. Penguins will also feature a matchup between the top two teams in the Metro standings when they collide Saturday afternoon in New Jersey.
The Devils opened the season with an eight-game winning streak. They stumbled a bit with a 1-3-0 road swing, but seem to have course corrected with a 4-3 comeback overtime victory at home against Montreal. The Devils will face the Penguins on the second leg of a three-game homestand.
The club lost defenseman Dougie Hamilton (undisclosed) to an injury during the Montreal win. He joins a long list of injuries plaguing the team already.
The Pens had one of the hottest starts in the NHL, winning six of their first eight games under new head coach Dan Muse. Pittsburgh is coming off an emotional 5-3 win against Washington in the 99th meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.