After a great 2-0 start to the season in the Global Series, the Devils have been up and down since returning to North America. Any team that is mostly young, with a new head coach, takes time to get in synch. But add in a schedule of nine games in 16 days, and you have a team that has not practiced enough together to learn the new systems and play together on the ice.
This has been a difficult week for the Devils’ defense, who gave up 23 goals in the last four games. Not only was the team defense terrible, passing issues abounded, the uneven goaltending made matters worse. But, finally last night, there were signs of hope, despite the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders.
Although there were still too many giveaways that led to excellent scoring chances for the Islanders, there looked like there was more Devil energy on the ice and the positioning of the skaters, generally, was better. Passing still needed work, as did work in front of their own and their opponent’s nets. But it was work in front of New York’s net with under a minute and a half left in regulation that led to New Jersey’s tying goal to get at least one point out of the contest.
Unfortunately for the Devils their backup netminder, Jake Allen, was not on top of his game last night. The Devils’ number one goalie, Jacob Markstrom, had played the night before in Detroit, so Allen got the call last night. And there were at least two goals that the Islanders scored on Allen that it was clear he wished he had back. It seems to be a bit of a pattern for the New Jersey goalies over the past week, to make breathtaking saves one minute and just a few minutes later let in a shot that absolutely should have been stopped. In a division and conference that promises to be very tight for post-season spots, the Devils cannot afford to give away goals and lose any points to other teams this way.
For all their issues this past week, New Jersey’s elite scoring forwards are off to excellent starts for the season and the week. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier have been prolific scorers. Hischier, particularly, has shown how versatile he is—the Devils captain not only leads the team in points (11), he is tied for the most goals in the NHL (8), is consistently strong on the puck, and can be trusted to play in every situation. And Meier is an excellent winger for him on the second line.
Jack Hughes and Bratt on the top line have wasted no time showing everyone that their skills with the puck and ability to create offense continue to be some of the best in the league. And Hughes has proven to be better and better taking and winning face offs. What their first line seems to be missing, however, is a big, power forward to set up in front of the net and screen the opposing netminder on the line’s left side. Head Coach Sheldon Keefe has been rotating forwards on that side of the line to see who works best on Hughes and Bratt’s other wing, but so far no one has totally clicked. The latest skater on that line is Ondrej Palat, who does not really fit that role.
What this week has shown is that this team needs time and this team needs time off. They are about to get the time off—there are three days between tomorrow night’s matchup against Anaheim at the Pru and the game against the Canucks in Vancouver on Wednesday.
As for the time, the Devils need for the team to completely come together, we will just have to wait and see. Luckily, those Global Series wins are adding to their stats and really helping their standings right now. But the Devils started off badly just two years ago and came back strongly to be an excellent team. Given the talent on the team, there is no reason to believe that this team will not rally and make the playoffs once again.
The post Signs of Hope Within New Jersey Devils’ Difficult Week appeared first on NY Sports Day.