NEWARK, N.J. -- The Penguins' game at Boston today is one of the most-anticipated in the NHL this season because of Matt Cooke's controversial hit March 7 on Bruins center Marc Savard at Mellon Arena.

There have been numerous calls from Boston's fan base (and others) to avenge the blow delivered by Cooke, which left Savard with a Grade 2 concussion that quite possibly will end his season, and there clearly is the potential for mayhem at some point in the game.

That's something with which Cooke and his teammates will have to deal with today; as of Wednesday, however, they were focused on their first-place showdown against New Jersey at the Prudential Center, not what will go on at the TD Garden in Boston.

"This [Devils game] is the most important thing right now," Cooke said. "It's a game that probably will have a huge [influence] on the winner of our division."

Although Penguins center Evgeni Malkin sat out the Devils game because of a bruised foot, coach Dan Bylsma has not ruled out having him play in Boston.

"I'm still hopeful that it's day-to-day," he said. "and [that tonight] he will be in."

New Jersey broke out its original red-white-and-green uniforms Wednesday night for the first time since the 1992-93 preseason.

Only two players involved in the game -- Penguins right winger Bill Guerin and Devils goalie Martin Brodeur -- had worn those colors the first time around.

"My first-ever game, I played with these colors," said Brodeur, who tried to replicate the mask and stick that he used then.

Guerin also broke into the NHL with New Jersey and commended the team for reaching back into its history.

"It's good to see the Devils doing stuff like that now," he said. "It's pretty cool to see them."

With Malkin out, Tyler Kennedy shifted from right wing to center on the third line, between Cooke and Ruslan Fedotenko.

A center throughout his major junior career, Kennedy was shifted to the wing after about a month with the Penguins' minor league team in Wilkes-Barre.

He acknowledged that his new spot posed different responsibilities, but does not seem to mind the switch.

"It's good," Kennedy said. "There's a little more thinking and positional play, so I'm excited for the challenge.

"It might bring a little more patience to my game. I could do great. I hope so."

Veteran referees Stephen Walkom and Bill McCreary are scheduled to work the Penguins-Bruins game tonight. Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations, is expected to attend. ... The Penguins also played Wednesday night without right winger Eric Godard and defenseman Jay McKee. ... Devils defenseman Andy Greene, on New Jersey's dominance in the season series: "I think we match up well against them. They make you play your best to beat them."

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