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New Jersey Devils News

Daws was in the starter's net at Thursday's morning skate.

Despite Vitek Vanecek winning his last two starts, including a roller-coaster 6-5 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Devils' last game, the Devils will likely return to Daws between the pipes on Thursday night. Daws has dropped three straight games (0-3-0), including his worst performance of the season in his last outing, allowing six goals on 36 shots (.833 SV%) in a 6-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. The struggling Devils, losers of five of seven (2-4-1), are +140 road underdogs against a Carolina Hurricanes club that played last night, defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2.

Nico Daws
Kovacevic will draw back into the Canadiens' lineup Tuesday vs. Ottawa.

Justin Barron drew back into the lineup last week in favour of Kovacevic, who has been a healthy scratch the last three games. Kovacevic played 13:18 time-on-ice in his last game and will draw back into the lineup on Tuesday as Barron has been reassigned to the Laval Rocket of the AHL.

Johnathan Kovacevic
Glass will be a healthy scratch Monday vs. Florida.

Glass will join Juuso Parssinen as a healthy scratch on Monday as the Predators will welcome Philip Tomasino and Michael McCarron back into the lineup. Glass has been held without a point in five straight games while recording a -5 plus/minus.

Cody Glass
Hughes (upper body) is not expected to skate before the All-Star break.

Hughes has already missed 10 games this season, seven with his current ailment, and although he still has a week-to-week prognosis, he appears to be making progress toward returning. The Devils have struggled, going 2-5 with Hughes out of the lineup.

Jack Hughes
Allen will start Tuesday vs. Ottawa.

Allen has watched from the sidelines as the Canadiens have been outscored 15-6 in their last two games (0-2-0), including a 6-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The Senators will turn to Allen in the crease on Tuesday in a rematch against the Senators as he looks to build on a stellar showing in his last performance, a 32-save (.914 SV%) showing in a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Jake Allen
Rittich will start Monday vs. San Jose.

Rittich has earned himself a third straight start, and fourth in the last five games, in a favourable matchup against the San Jose Sharks on Monday. Rittich has been a bright spot during a poor stretch for the Kings, going 3-1-1 with a .937 SV% and being responsible for the Kings' only three victories in the last 14 games (3-7-4). Despite their poor play lately, the Kings are sizeable -387 home favourites against a Sharks club that is 2-7-1 in their last 10.

David Rittich
Hatakka is expected to make his season debut Monday vs. Vegas.

Hatakka has not played an NHL game since a nine-game stint with the San Jose Sharks in the 2021-22 season. The Sharks' sixth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft has spent most of the last three seasons in the AHL, playing with the San Jose Baracuda and the Utica Comets, registering 23 points (5G / 18A) in 77 games.

Santeri Hatakka
Rittich will start Thursday vs. Nashville.

The Kings will likely return to Rittich between the pipes for the second time in the last three games after he helped end their eight-game losing streak. Rittich is responsible for the Kings' only two victories during a horrid 2-5-4 stretch. Rittich has been limited to only five appearances this season (3-0-1) but has played well when called upon, posting a stellar 1.61 GAA and .932 SV%. Despite their struggles, the Kings are -139 home favourites against the Nashville Predators, who are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

David Rittich
Rittich is expected to start Thursday vs. Nashville.

The Kings will likely return to Rittich between the pipes for the second time in the last three games after he helped end their eight-game losing streak. Rittich is responsible for the Kings' only two victories during a horrid 2-5-4 stretch. Rittich has been limited to only five appearances this season (3-0-1) but has played well when called upon, posting a stellar 1.61 GAA and .932 SV%. Despite their struggles, the Kings are -139 home favourites against the Nashville Predators, who are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

David Rittich
Hatakka has been recalled from Utica (AHL).

With the Devils' placing Brendan Smith (sprained knee) on the Injured Reserve Thursday, Santeria Hatakka has been recalled to the Devils' for the first time this season. The 23-year-old defensemen has appeared in 28 games for Utica (AHL) this season, and had two goals, nine points, 22 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus. He previously last appeared in nine NHL games in 2021-22 with San Jose.

Santeri Hatakka
Hughes (illness) is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play against the Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Hughes is battling an illness but, despite not participating in the morning skate on Wednesday, will suit up for the Devils' contest against the Montreal Canadiens in the evening. Hughes has been held without a point in three straight games but was on a roll before that, scoring seven points (3G / 4A) in a six-game span.

Luke Hughes
Meier (mid body) will return to the Devils' lineup Wednesday vs. Montreal.

Meier has not played since December 30th, when he exited a game against the Boston Bruins with a mid-body injury and has missed six games since. He will re-enter the Devils' lineup on Wednesday on a line with Michael McLeod and Dawson Mercer. Before his injury, Meier had four points (4G / 0A) in four games after being held without a point in nine straight.

Timo Meier
Hughes (illness) missed Wednesday's morning skate but is expected to still play vs. Montreal.

Hughes is battling an illness but, despite not participating in the morning skate on Wednesday, is expected to suit up for the Devils' contest against the Montreal Canadiens in the evening. Hughes has been held without a point in three straight games but was on a roll before that, scoring seven points (3G / 4A) in a six-game span.

Luke Hughes
Daws will start Wednesday vs. Montreal.

Daws has given the Devils their first glimpse of consistent goaltending this season, and he will start for the third straight game on Wednesday. Since making his debut towards the end of December, Daws has allowed more than three goals on once in five games (3-2-0), sporting a respectable 2.63 GAA and .921 SV%, a significant improvement over the netminding the Devils received up to that point from Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid. Daws and the Devils have a favourable matchup on Wednesday and are -174 home favourites against the Montreal Canadiens, who have lost three of their last four (1-1-2).

Nico Daws