Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils Winning Streak Comes To An End in Washington

By David Holliday

Mar 25, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) not pictured scores a goal against New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) not pictured scores a goal against New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Jersey Devils good luck ran out as the Washington Capitals took them down on Thursday night. The biggest factor in the game was really the Capitals ability to counter punch the second the Devils got momentum on their side. After Nick Merkley’s goal to open the scoring in the first period, it took 2 minutes for a response. After Miles Wood‘s goal, it took one minute and after Bratt’s again it took one minute for the Capitals to light the lamp. Overall the Devils played a solid game, but there were many things of note on both sides of the ice good and bad.

The Good

Jesper Bratt‘s six game point streak is a positive trend in the second half. It adds to a top six that has been mediocre at best this season. His shot is incredible and he needs to use it more because only having three goals on the season is baffling. The pass from Ty Smith was hard and fast and Bratt ripped it past the Capitals goaltender high glove side from the right circle. It would be nice to see him there and doing that more often because having him on the right and Palmieri on the left as one timer options would likely lead to a very solid powerplay.

Wood was shooting from everywhere and had 4 shots including his goal from a wide angle that he banked off the goalie. This was reminiscent of Jack Hughes goal the other game and a really high skilled play. He might not have been laying out hits everywhere but he was effective in a more quiet night and it is good to see him able to be a useful player in so many ways.

Merkley had a solid game again capitalizing on a huge miscue early by the goaltender and poking the puck in setting the Devils up in a great position. Late in the game he almost scored again with some slick hands sliding it through the goalies legs and just wide to Maltsev. It was nearly a 2 point night for him and with 3 points in 8 games plus the little extra grit and hard work he brings he should be in the lineup for a while.

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The Bad

Dmitry Kulikov really needs to not screen Blackwood on the point shot. He usually is physical at a time like this. If he had just cleared the player out, Mackenzie Blackwood makes the save.

The Devils after scoring goals failed to lock it down as mentioned before. They built momentum and while the Capitals were able to take it back, the Devils were not. They had a few golden opportunities during the game and in the first on a two on one Palmieri fanned on two passes that could have sent his linemate Hughes in and likely turned the tides back in their favor. Late in the game, Merkley made a fantastic play almost scoring, but the follow up by Mikhail Maltsev was a huge miss of a wide open net from about three feet in. Both of these plays really hurt and were probably the biggest keys to the loss as a quick response would have changed the entire momentum of the game.

The referees were amazingly bad on two plays where Devils players were hit with blatant high sticks. While it is a fast game, when you are in camera frame staring at the player with the puck who gets a high stick that knocks them to the ice, a call needs to be made. First, Miles Wood was brought down on what should have been a four-minute powerplay with two staring directly at him, and then Zajac took one up high and slid across the ice in obvious pain, once again with a referee looking right at him the entire time. This should be reviewed by the league and at least they need to be given a talking to about why this was not called because it was 100% seen.

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