Desperate to keep their slim playoff chances alive, the Devils were dealt a tough blow when captain Bryce Salvador was scratched with a lower-body injury just prior to tonight’s game against the Coyotes.
The ailment, believed to be a groin issue, kept Salvador out of practice this week, but there was no confirmation he’d be missing tonight’s big game until just prior to puck drop.
Health-wise, it’s been a tough season for the 38-year-old -- he missed 30 straight games from October to December with a non-displaced stress fracture in his foot, then missed a pair of games in early March with a bruised collarbone.
All told, Salvador has appeared in just 40 games this year, scoring one goal and four points. He has one more year remaining on his three-year, $9.5 million deal.