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New Jersey Devils: MacKenzie Blackwood Starts When He Is Healthy

By Vincent Parise |
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 12: New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the third period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers on January 12, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 12: New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the third period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers on January 12, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The New Jersey Devils are going with MacKenzie Blackwood again on Monday vs the Chicago Blackhawks. They have been on fire with the young goalie in net so far this season. In nine games played so far this season, he has a record of 4-2-0. In the short sample size, it has been a boost to the team.

Blackwood has a 1.85 goals against average and a .947 save percentage. Those stats may be a little too good to be true, because they’re a bit unrealistic. If those were someone’s numbers over the course of a season, they would not only win the Vezina Trophy but the Hart Trophy as MVP of the league. Still, he has been excellent for the Devils so far.

If MacKenzie Blackwood could just keep playing well, the Devils could make a run, making the stretch of the season interesting. Some team always comes out of the bottom of the league standings to scare some of the other bubble teams, and if Blackwood stays healthy and Taylor Hall comes back from injury that team could be the Devils.

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What is Blackwood looking at on Monday? A Chicago Blackhawks team that is a shell of their old self. They still have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews who can burn you on any given night, but the Devils should be able to take care of business against them. It will be Blackwood vs the Hawks Cam Ward.

They Devils will be without Taylor Hall for the 12th time this season. Missing the MVP of the league obviously hurts, but the Devils have shown they can win without him on the back of Nico Hischier. He has been the Devils’ best player in the absence of Hall, and the one positive out of the injury has been seeing Nico Hischier run his own line.

If New Jersey could use their speed and stay out of the box, there is no reason to believe they can’t beat the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night on home ice.

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