New Jersey hosts Tampa Bay after Hischier's 2-goal game
Tampa Bay Lightning (27-13-4, second in the Atlantic Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (16-21-7, eighth in the Metropolitan Division)
Newark, New Jersey; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit New Jersey after Nico Hischier scored two goals in the Devils' 5-1 win over the Capitals.
The Devils are 10-12-4 in conference play. New Jersey averages 10.3 penalty minutes per game, the fifth-most in the NHL. Wayne Simmonds leads the team serving 54 total minutes.
The Lightning are 16-2-0 against opponents from the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay averages 9.9 points per game to lead the NHL, recording 3.6 goals and 6.2 assists per game.
In their last meeting on Oct. 30, Tampa Bay won 7-6. Ondrej Palat scored a team-high two goals for the Lightning in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Gusev leads the Devils with 18 assists and has collected 26 points this season. Sami Vatanen has recorded eight assists over the last 10 games for New Jersey.
Palat leads the Lightning with a plus-16 in 43 games played this season. Brayden Point has collected 14 points over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 10-0-0, averaging 4.3 goals, 6.8 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.1 penalty minutes while giving up 1.7 goals per game with a .941 save percentage.
Devils: 5-3-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.7 assists, 4.8 penalties and 13.8 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game with a .911 save percentage.
INJURIES: Devils: Jack Hughes: day to day (upper body), Mackenzie Blackwood: day to day (upper body).
Lightning: Ryan McDonagh: day to day (upper body).
