Anaheim @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 9, 2018 ) New Jersey 5, Anaheim 6

After ending a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, the Anaheim Ducks look to post back-to-back wins away from home for the first time since Dec. 15-17 when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon. The Ducks were held to two goals or fewer nine times during the 0-8-4 drought before erupting for three first-period goals in a 3-0 win at Minnesota.

The month-long drought came to an end during a frenzied week in which Anaheim lost two players to injury, acquired four more in separate trades and promoted three from the minors. "Hopefully, we hit a few buttons that can give ourselves some life here and some momentum that we can carry this forward," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. The Devils followed two straight wins with a pair of meek efforts -- consecutive 4-1 road losses to Columbus and the New York Islanders to fall to a league-worst 5-17-3 away from home. “Internally we’re frustrated as players," New Jersey forward Brett Seney said. "We’re going to come out tomorrow and be ready, and do what it takes to prepare ourselves.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), MSG-Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (20-19-9): While Anaheim jumped out to a fast start Thursday, scoring twice in an 11-second span, John Gibson made the lead stand up by turning aside 37 shots to post his second shutout of the season to end a personal 11-start skid. "Any time you lose that many games in a row, it's a test to anyone's character and the will to win," Gibson said. "We finally came together and said 'Enough is enough.'" Forward Ondrej Kase, who scored a goal and collected two assists in a 6-5 shootout win over New Jersey on Dec. 9, is dealing with an upper-body injury that forced him to miss Friday's practice.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (18-22-7): At the end of Friday's practice, veteran forward Drew Stafford called his teammates together for a brief players-only meeting in an attempt to snap out of the funk. “We need to take some pride," forward Blake Coleman said. “Just watching video was hard. It was painful to watch. Just taking pride in it, putting your foot in the sand and having a response tomorrow.” Rookie netminder Mackenzie Blackwood had a rough opening period in Thursday's loss to the Islanders, giving up three goals to drop to 1-3-0 on the road, but he is 4-0-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average at home.

OVERTIME

1. Devils F Kyle Palmieri has goals in just one of the past eight games but scored twice versus Anaheim last month.

2. Ducks F Rickard Rakell has scored in each of the past three games.

3. Devils D Ben Lovejoy and F Miles Wood did not practice Friday but were not ruled out for Saturday's game.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Devils 2