New Jersey Devils Face True Test Against Ottawa Senators
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils continue their maybe contending, maybe not when they welcome the Ottawa Senators to the Prudential Center on Thursday.
With 26 games left in the season, the New Jersey Devils continue to hold onto their razor-thin playoff hopes alive in the Eastern Conference. Being in the Metropolitan Division, the team’s only path to the postseason is through the final Wild Card spot.
The Ottawa Senators are clearly in a much better spot playing in the Atlantic Division. The best team in the Atlantic (Montreal Canadiens) would be the last Wild Card team if it was in the Metro. The two divisions are just on different scales when it comes to competition.
That being said, the Devils should not be talked about in the same breath as the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. The fact is, the team is more likely talked about with the teams in the Atlantic.
That is what makes its Thursday night matchup with the Ottawa Senators so intriguing.
On Tuesday, the team escaped with two points against the Colorado Avalanche. The defense let goalie Cory Schneider down with terrible positioning allowing the Avs to get two easy goals.
Against the Senators, the team will see where they actually sit. The Devils are one of 11 teams between 54 and 64 points. The Eastern Conference has some elite teams, then literally the rest of the teams are in the same boat.
The Devils faced the Senators one other time this season, but it was during a dreadful December where the Devils couldn’t find a win. The 3-1 defeat also had Keith Kinkaid in net, which isn’t the case Thursday night.
According to NHL.com, Schneider is a beast against the Sens. His .945 save percentage over his career is the best against any other Eastern Conference team.
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The Senators have been as inconsistent as the Devils all season. The only difference between the two teams is geography.
The Sens are also riding high thanks to the return of goalie Craig Anderson, who spent over a month tending to his wife who is battling cancer. This could propel them past the mediocre teams in the East.
The Devils face a true test on Thursday night. If the team cannot keep up, it shows that this isn’t their year to compete.