G31 New Jersey Devils vs Florida Panthers: Right the ship

The Devils have mostly played well of late yet enter this contest on a four-game losing skid; and their schedule is about to get much tougher.

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A few notes to get you set for New Jersey vs Florida:

Time to unleash

Jesper Bratt and Yegor Sharangovich, two of the team’s most dangerous offensive wingers, have gone ice cold.

Bratt has three points at 5v5 over the last 10 games, with only one of which being a primary.

Meanwhile, Sharangovich has mustered up just one assist through seven games in the month of December. Not ideal.

Realizing they – like the team as a whole – needed a spark, Lindy Ruff put Bratt and Yeezy on a line with the red hot Jack Hughes. It didn’t amount to anything for the wingers last time out but, as I noted Friday, it wasn’t for a lack of opportunity.

Sharangovich had eight attempts and six chances at 5v5 – not to mention a shorthanded breakaway – and Bratt looked very dynamic and comfortable alongside Hughes.

As a trio, they helped the Devils generated 12 scoring chances in less than 10 minutes of work.

While the sample remains small, they actually lead all lines in expected goal generation on a per minute basis this season.

At home they will avoid the toughest matchups – Nico is likely going to see a lot of the Barkov line – so this line will have every opportunity to make its mark tonight.

If they can create anywhere close to the same volume as against Philadelphia, I expect they’ll find the scoresheet multiple times.