Preview: Boston Bruins host NJ Devils for TDebut

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7 PM

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, ESPN+, MSG, Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: All About the Jersey

Know your enemy

• Scoring: Kyle Palmeiri, 2G-1A—3Pts
• Cory Schneider has a 3.51 GAA and .891 Sv%. Mackenzie Blackwood should take some starts early while Schneider gets his sea legs back.

Game notes

• It’s been a winless season so far for the New Jersey Devils, through four games. An opening-night rally from the Winnipeg Jets that saw goalie Cory Schneider leave the game; a throttling from the Buffalo Sabres on night 2; a shutout at the hands of the Flyers and a shootout loss to the Oilers. That’s a bad kind of week for any NHL team.
• Boston, meanwhile, has opened the season on a strong streak, leading with three wins before dropping the trip-closing game in Colorado. Through four, the team has looked strong on Cassidy’s system and it feels like they have only to sharpen the saw as the season progresses. In other words, they’re looking good.
• Tonight’s game is the first game on TD Garden ice since the Stanley Cup Final Game 7 loss. Rumor has it the seats are a little less comfortable for other entertainment events, but let’s see how it translates to the barn’s best product.
• Since we’re talking history from last season, the Bruins were 2-1 against the Devils last season, and 1-1 in the two games at home. We should note, however, that the roster for New Jersey looks much different than last year,

New faces on the Devils should give the Bruins fits, as it was a bit of a calm few years without P.K. Subban riling things up in the division. Taylor Hall progressing towards healthy is a dangerous proposition.

Defense of home ice starts with game one.