Key’s For Devils To Stop Skid

Sorry for this being the first post in a little while, but a slow internet connection was prohibiting me from accessing the site like I would have like to. Anyway, since I last wrote, the Devils had lost to the Coyotes. It now appears that was the first loss of this now three game slide they are on. I wrote that they are going down a slippery slope and quickly need to rectify it before it gets out of hand. Well, that clearly did not happen and the offense has gone into hiding. In this three game losing streak, NJ has only scored 4 goals (3 of which came in Phoenix). They have lost 5 of their last 9 as well and have slowly allowed the Penguins to come within just two points of the Atlantic Division lead.

Tonight they are facing the Florida Panthers, a team in which they lost 4-2 on December 11th at The Rock. The Panthers come into the match up tonight going 4-0-1 in the last 5 games and are just two points out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. For the Devils, they need to get back to smart hockey. They have to limit their turnovers and really tighten up their defensive performance. Marty has not been playing his best either, however, the guys in front of him have been playing very sloppy and making key mistakes.

In order to come out on top tonight the Devils have to hone in on the Panthers top line and limit the chances they get with the puck in the neutral zone. If they make that part of the ice smaller, it will force them to play small and they like to rush the puck at an accelerated rate, this will throw them off of their game. As long as they get back to playing the smart hockey they had been playing for much of the year, I expect the Devils to get off the chopping block tonight to at least, some what, right this ship.