In a last-ditch effort to stave off elimination and avoid a sweep, New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer is making two key changes to his lineup for Game 4—Peter Harrold and Jacob Josefson are out and Henrik Tallinder and Petr Sykora are in.
Wednesday’s Game 4 between the Devils and the Los Angeles Kings will be the Stanley Cup playoff debut for Tallinder, who hasn’t played since Jan. 17 because of a blood clot in his leg.
Though the steady defenseman had been practicing with the team for weeks and said he’s ready to go, he also admitted that it’s impossible to fully prepare for an elimination game in the Stanley Cup Final.
“I feel pretty comfortable in practice, but it’s practice,” Tallinder told reporters. “Stanley Cup final, how do you prepare for that? Excitement. A lot of jump in your legs. And try not to think too much.”
As for Sykora, the 35-year-old hasn’t played since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers. The Devils are hoping his experience and veteran presence will help shift the series back to New Jersey.
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