If the Devils are going to have any chance to turn their season around, it must start tonight against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Stevens, the Devils former captain hated losing to defending champs and the Devils could get the spark they need to turn things around with a win tonight. Tonight's game will be the Devils second game without their face of the franchise Zach Parise, who will miss 3 months after surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It will be up to Ilya Kovalchuk and other struggling Devils to fill the void left by Zach Parise for the 3 month period.
Marty Brodeur will start in net for the Devils and Marty Turco for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks will dress 10 forwards and 8 defensemen in the game due to injuries to the front line. Here are the Devils forward lines for tonight's match-up:
Kovalchuk Zajac Langenbrunner
Elias Arnott Zubrus
Pelley Mair Clarkson
Sestito Mills Vasyunov
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There is a good chance that Anton Volchenkov will return this Friday against the Rangers. He has been practicing on a conditioning stint with the Albany Devils of the AHL, so it should give the Devils struggling defense a boost. Brian Rolston should begin practicing with the team sometime next week and could be ready to play the following week. Corrente should also be close to returning. Josefson, Salvador, Parise, and Salmela are the Devils longer term injuries though Salvador is likely to be the earliest returnee.
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