Preview: Panthers Visit Devils in Key Eastern Conference Matchup NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff picture will clash when the Florida Panthers visit the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers (30-29-0) arrive after a 3-2 home loss to Buffalo on Friday, snapping a brief win streak. The Devils (29-31-0) enter with momentum from a 3-1 road victory over St. Louis on Saturday, which halted a three-game skid. Both clubs sit with nearly identical records, making this a critical contest for postseason positioning. Florida will look to center Sam Bennett, who has been productive lately with a goal and two assists in his last two games, including a goal and an assist in the loss to Buffalo. His physical play will be key against a Devils squad that has struggled with consistency. New Jersey’s offense runs through winger Timo Meier, who scored a goal and fired eight shots on net in the win over St. Louis. He has goals in two of his last four games and leads the team in shot volume, posing a constant threat. The season series is split 1-1. The Devils won the first meeting 3-1 at home on Oct. 16, 2025, before the Panthers earned a 1-0 shutout victory in Florida on Nov. 20, 2025. Florida’s recent form has been uneven, going 4-6-0 in its last 10 games, including the recent loss to the Sabres where Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk provided the scoring. New Jersey is also 4-6-0 in its last 10, but the win over the Blues featured goals from Meier, Nico Hischier and Dougie Hamilton. The Panthers begin a two-game road trip with this contest before heading to Columbus and Detroit. The Devils are in the midst of a five-game homestand, with a matchup against Toronto looming on Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT at Prudential Center.