Adam Henrique looks to continue his torrid pace when his New Jersey Devils host the struggling Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. After entering the Olympic break with a seven-game goal-scoring drought, Henrique has tallied in each of New Jersey’s five contests since the conclusion of the Winter Games, collecting a total of seven goals during the streak. The 24-year-old was the lone bright spot for the Devils on Friday as he registered his second two-goal performance of the season – and in the last five games – in a 7-4 loss at Detroit.
The defeat dropped New Jersey four points behind the Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 18 games remaining. Carolina fell eight points behind Detroit as it suffered a 4-2 defeat at the New York Rangers on Friday. Anton Khudobin made 40 saves but was unable to prevent the Hurricanes from losing for the sixth time in seven contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN (Carolina), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (27-27-9): Jeff Skinner ended his eight-game goal-scoring drought Friday, converting a penalty shot for his team-leading 24th tally. The goal was Skinner’s first point in seven contests. Defenseman Andrej Sekera failed to get on the scoresheet Friday, ending his five-game point streak during which he recorded two goals and four assists.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (27-24-13): Tuomo Ruutu didn’t have to wait long for the chance to pay back his former team. The 31-year-old Finn faces the Hurricanes just three days after the club traded him to New Jersey for Andrei Loktionov and a draft pick. Ruutu, who recorded five goals and 11 assists in 57 games with Carolina, registered one shot on goal and a minus-1 rating in 13:48 of ice time in his debut with the Devils on Friday.
OVERTIME
1. Loktionov saw 11:09 of ice time in his debut with the Hurricanes on Friday and lost three of the four faceoffs he took.
2. New Jersey LW Patrik Elias enters Saturday with a five-game point streak during which he has collected three goals and five assists.
3. Carolina has allowed a short-handed goal in four of its last five games.
PREDICTION: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2
