[Karl]

Nico Hischier is week to week for the Devils because of an upper-body injury.

"It's something I think they'll evaluate again next week and then take it from there," coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday. "But he won't be available this week for sure."

Hischier, a center and New Jersey's captain, took a cross-check up high in the ribs from Nick Suzuki late in the second period of a 4-3 overtime win at the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and did not play the remaining 2:10 of the period. He returned to the bench to begin the third period and was on the ice for a 36-second shift before returning to the locker room.

"Nico is a guy we lean on for so much, whether it's power play, penalty-kill, 4-on-4, end of the game, start of the game, who to go to for a voice ... it's Nico," forward Nathan Bastian said. "When he's gone you need a collection of guys to step up, probably everyone, so hopefully we can come together and show that we can miss our top guys and still be the team we are."

Hischier leads New Jersey with 24 goals in 51 games and is second among forwards with an average ice time of 20:21.

The Devils are already without goalie Jacob Markstrom, who was injured in a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 22; he will be out 4-6 weeks because of a sprained MCL in his knee.

New Jersey is sinking...