New Jersey Devils: The Good, Bad And The Miles Wood

The Good

From the get go Egor Sharangovich played like a seasoned veteran. You would never know that he is 22 year old 5th round pick from the 2018 NHL Draft. All of the praise that we heard throughout the short training camp was justified. He had jump to his game, drew three penalties and made some nifty offensive plays. Could he be the next Jesper Bratt? Time will tell, but if he continues to play like he did tonight, he will be hard to take out of the lineup.

Ty Smith played a very good game for the Devils. You could almost say that this type of performance was long overdue, as he easily could have made the team as an 18 year old two years back. He was confident with and without the puck, played a solid game defensively and he showed a glimpse of his offensive ability with a goal. Okay, it wasn’t a pretty goal. But all that matters is that he put the puck in the back of the net. He was also a plus two. Sooner rather than later he is going to be playing a bigger role on the blue line. I think that’s a role that he could handle.

Mackenzie Blackwood stole a point for the Devils. The team really had no business coming close to winning the game, or even sniffing out a point for that matter. He was stellar the entire game. He was sharp, focused and locked in. When you get those types of performances from your goaltender, more often than not the team will have a chance to win the game. Blackwood could be something special.

This team is a resilient bunch. Their backs were against the wall for most of the game and the team never gave up. Even after giving up a late goal in the third to break the tie it didn’t seem to phase them. They bounced back after Smith tied the game up. I know it’s a small sample size, but a young team such as the Devils didn’t break when things were looking bleak. Let’s hope they continue to play with such passion and resiliency.