The New Jersey Devils came into their matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks on a role. The team made a statement against one of the NHL’s powerhouses.
The New Jersey Devils finally have a healthy lineup, well at least for one game. With the return of Jesper Bratt, the Devils went one game with every forward in the lineup for the first time all season. They used that opportunity to send a clear message to the rest of the league; this Devils team is for real.
The Devils beat the Blackhawks in every way possible. In the first period, they took clear advantage of Corey Crawford, who was not on his mark. In the second, Cory Schneider took over and stopped an onslaught of shots. The third period was a great defensive performance that held a desperate team to just nine shots.
This Devils team has stepped up against great competition before. They beat the Blackhawks at the United Center after originally going down 4-1. Their only nationally televised game saw them play the best team in the league in the Tampa Bay Lightning. That ended in a Devils win. When the Los Angeles Kings came into The Rock with the game’s best winning streak, they left with a 5-1 loss. This team clearly steps up when the odds are against them.
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Saturday night’s win propelled the Devils into first place in the Metropolitan Division with two games at hand. This team goes into the Christmas break at an all-time high.
The Devils will have to understand that this team will never be underestimated again. Teams know going up against the Devils this year is no picnic. While they faced backup goalies in many of last year’s matchups, this year they take on the best of the best. Not only that, they beat the best of the best.
A win against Chicago adds two points to the standings just like any other game, but it does so much inside the locker room and out in the long run.