The NHL's annual All-Star break commences with the completion of Thursday's schedule, and it can't arrive soon enough for the New Jersey Devils.
Beset by a string of injuries recently and bending under the weight of two wins in their last 11 games (2-7-2), the Devils host the surging Nashville Predators Thursday night at the Prudential Center.
Already without leading scorer Taylor Hall (hand), back-up goalie Keith Kinkaid (groin), 12-goal scorer Brian Gibbons (broken thumb) and defenseman Mirco Mueller (fractured clavicle), the Devils (24-15-8) not only lost their third straight game to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, they also saw starting goaltender Cory Schneider go down with a lower-body injury and veteran winger Marcus Johansson unable to finish the game after taking an elbow to the head from Brad Marchand late in the third period.