The New Jersey Devils earned a huge win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. It came just 24 hours after an annoying shootout loss to the same team in the same building. They came out with some energy in this one as Michael McLeod gave them a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds in. That was just the beginning for the new-look fourth line that New Jersey has put together with Miles Wood and Nathan Bastian on each side of McLeod. Wood was the number-one star of the game and he deserves major credit for the way he played.
Miles Wood was the New Jersey Devils’ best player in their win over the Buffalo Sabres.
There might not be a player that the fanbase of this team likes to rip on more than Miles Wood. Even after a game like this where he was the first star of the game, some people refuse to believe it. Well, that doesn’t matter as long as Wood continues doing what he is doing. He is fast, he has some skill, and the points are coming for him so far this season. He is also a nice physical presence that can annoy the other team and get them off their game.
The Devils were in a tough spot when they let a 2-0 lead slip away. At 2-2, Miles Wood took the puck down the ice as the clock was expiring on the second period and buried his own rebound to give the Devils a 3-2 lead with 0.6 seconds left. When Buffalo got it tied again, he made a sweet pass to Michael McLeod who buried his second of the game for the eventual game-winner. Wood’s 140-foot empty netter was just the cherry on top of a great game.
Wood’s fourth line with McLeod and Bastian needs to stick. We all know how good Jesper Bratt has been with Jack Hughes and Andreas Johnsson. They created a goal of their own which is always great and helpful. If they have their first and fourth lines figured out, that is big. When Nico Hischier and Travis Zajac come back, there is a lot to work with to figure out the middle six. If that happens, this has the makings of a pretty good team.
If the fourth line doesn’t play as well as they did in this game, the Devils might not have won. They were hard on the forecheck, made things difficult for the opposition when they were trying to attack, and contributed a few goals in key moments. They are big, fast, and skilled which is a great combination for a pesky good fourth line.
Miles Wood is a key piece to this team as of now. He has been very good in his role. Nobody thinks he needs to be one of the team’s leading scorers but he can be one of the leading depth role players. There is a reason that he has an “A” on his sweater when enough of the team’s leaders are out with injury. The coaching staff clearly sees something in him.
In today’s NHL, a good fourth line is needed to be a championship contender. The Devils still have a long way to go before they are a championship contender but this fourth line leading the way to victory over Buffalo is a great sign. If they can keep up this level of intensity, they have a chance to make some noise this season.