The New Jersey Devils were coming off a terrible loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday. The team was dominated like they were undeserving of being on the same ice surface. Playing the Florida Panthers right after is a recipe for disaster. The Devils scored two goals in the first five minutes and things seemed to calm down among the fanbase. Both of these goals were by the top line and that trio was firing on all cylinders early.
Yegor Sharangovich and Jack Hughes kept up a good pace all day and had four of the team’s goals including the first career hat trick for the young Sharangovich. They were clearly the best line for the Devils and it is a shame that the rest of the team let them down.
During the second intermission, the Florida broadcast crew said that the game was not over. Boy were they right, to no Devils fan’s surprise. The Devils put up one of the worst periods we’ve ever seen in the third period. The Panthers were all over the puck in the defensive zone and the team continues to just not win enough battles or be strong enough in front of the net. Damon Severson was guilty of this a few times and was a -4 on the night. Even guys like Hamilton were just too passive at times. These guys have to show a little more fight even if that is not their game. Being passive is sinking this team.
For the love of all that is good in this world, what would it take to get a goaltender on this team? Early on, Andrew Hammond looked alright. Then, the second Florida put their foot on the gas he had no answer. In the end, he finished 29/36 and had a .829 save percentage.
The team was hearing it from the thousand fans who showed up, getting booed at the end of regulation and overtime. This team is one goalie away from tieing the NHL record for most played in a season and still can’t find one that is just under average let alone competent. Hammond will be given a lot of games during the final stretch, so he does have time to show he can play. Fans probably won’t tolerate much from any goalie anymore, for good reason.
There were plenty of shots that were savable this game, but for the sake of keeping this short, let’s look at the final two. Sasha Barkov is a great shooter, but if Hammond was in position and on the post the tying goal does not go in. He was already moving across and it looked like he had just stopped short leaving a gap that players at this level can and will hit. It was also not the first time he did this in the seven goals he gave up.
In overtime, you just have to make the save on a wrist shot from the top of the circle that you can see. He was beaten clean and had a full view of the puck the entire way which is somehow just something that one can expect from any goalie in this jersey now.
The team faces off against a non-playoff team in the division rival Islanders on Sunday. One would guess that Nico Daws will get the start. He will have to play far better than he has and the team will need to buckle down defensively or they will lose again. While fans start to look at the draft this team needs to build some confidence and win some games.