New Jersey Devils Lose Vancouver Canucks Winning Streak
The New Jersey Devils put up a mixed effort for the first half of the back-to-back in Western Canada against the Vancouver Canucks before they head to Calgary to take on the Flames. They went into the game with a 12-game winning streak against the Canucks. The Canucks came out ready to play and had the air of desperation in their game that they will need to propel them into the playoffs in a tight race. Devils goalie Nico Daws was strong early while the Devils got little going and despite letting in a goal early and two in the first eleven minutes it wasn’t his fault.
Early in the second, J.T. Miller who had an incredible game got a breakaway and could have put them up 3-1, but Colton White made a very strong defensive play without taking a penalty. After this, the Devils were able to tie the game thanks to a high IQ play by Jesper Bratt flipping the puck to Jack Hughes who used his speed to continue his hot play.
The game continued to be a burner in terms of offensive chances but the Devils fell behind thanks to a dreaded blind pass at the offensive blueline by Tomas Tatar who has a bad game and is just getting frustrating to watch. Bo Horvat is not a player that you want on a breakaway. While Daws should have had it, the team can’t make those plays. Unfortunately for young Daws, his night was soon finished as the Canucks put up another goal seconds later, but this one was 100% on P.K. Subban. Ty Smith was clearly on his man and defending well when Subban comes across to go for the puck leaving a player wide open for a cross-ice tap in goal.
Jon Gilles came in cold and the team’s defense continued to unravel bit by bit as they have for years but to my surprise, he made some good saves and saved what should have been a goal and likely the end of the game for the Devils. The team showed some fight however and they know now that they can score with the best of them. Hughes made a good long pass to Sharangovich who did what he does best and fired the puck on the net. While it was saved the big-bodied Bastian did what he does best and crashed the crease banging in the puck and keeping the Devils in the game.
This goal was just a picture-perfect look at people playing different games and playing them well.
Next, the Devils had a prime opportunity to tie the game but Tatar missed a huge amount of empty-net again. Watching him and Zacha get so many chances throughout the year and not capitalize is frustrating and hopefully, he can turn it around because this team would look good with the younger version of him.
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Starting the third the Devils continued a four-minute powerplay which not only was not converted on but let in another goal against. After this, the team was virtually dead in the water unfortunately and despite more powerplay chances later nothing came of it. They have improved in both special teams areas since the new year but it still was hard to watch the team play like it was November again in this area.
Tomorrow they take on the Flames who are a very good team so they will have to be ready to go and put this off-night behind them. It will be interesting to see who Coach Ruff chooses to start in goal. Since it is a back to back though it is probably time to give Daws the night off so he can be fresh to go in Edmonton.