Devils vs. Blackhawks Preview: 3 Keys to Victory

The New Jersey Devils return to the ice to face a Chicago Blackhawks team that's 0-12-1 in their last 13 games on the road. Here are 3 keys to victory.

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The New Jersey Devils return to the ice tonight, looking to build off their 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. They'll take on the Chicago Blackhawks, who have struggled mightily on the road. Here are three keys to victory. 

Running Back the Same Line Combos

A significant reason the Devils came away with the win against the Capitals is because their middle-six dominated at five-on-five. With Ondřej Palát out with an injury, Dawson Mercer moved up to a line with Erik Haula and Nico Hischier. 

Those three combined for four goals (Mercer and Hischier each had 2) and controlled a majority of the scoring chances at five-on-five. Palát will be out tonight, so expect these three to stick together.

The other change was Alex Holtz moving up a line alongside Michael McLeod. Holtz collected two primary assists on McLeod's two goals, rekindling the chemistry they had earlier in the season. The two have an expected goals percentage (xG%) of just under 60 percent and a plus-8 goal differential as linemates this season. It's a combo that works. 

Fortunately, both the Hischier and McLeod lines should be in a good spot to have productive games. The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers last night, so like Wednesday, the Devils are getting a team on the second half of a back-to-back. 

And even if that weren't the case, the Devils have a massive edge over the Blackhawks at five-on-five. Chicago's 41.64 xG% is the worst in the NHL this season, and it's been even worse over their last ten games (38.3 percent). Look for the Hischier and McLeod lines to build off what they started against the Capitals. 

Blackhawks' Road Woes Continue to Pile Up