New Jersey Devils Take Down Montreal Canadiens, Win Ten Straight
The New Jersey Devils have put forth an incredible run winning ten straight games. The bandwagon might start filling up early if fans from other franchises leave when they are down in the dumps. The Devils have a bit of a cushion moving forward, and it is their season to make the playoffs. They are outshooting opponents on close to a nightly basis. On Tuesday night, they put up 39 to the Montreal Canadiens 26, which is just normal now. They shoot from everywhere, and it is working in a big way.
The Good
The big guns were the big guns. Jack Hughes put up a pair of goals while Jesper Bratt had a goal and assist. They generated chances and were in the offensive zone most of the night. They combined for 10 shots, which is just crazy. They have been good each and every game like true stars.
On the back end, Dougie Hamilton had a great game and his goal was a superstar-level snipe that no one was going to save. He has looked like the Hamilton of old now that he has been healthy all season and having others who can play some of the tough minutes is really making a difference.
Vitek Vanecek is a goalie this team can rely on, and he came up massive early. The Habs had some great chances throughout the night, and in previous seasons they would have had three or four goals. The saves he made early were just so crucial, and he held this team together early.
John Marino continues to be an absolute monster on the back end. It was exemplified when he played the two-on-one with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki so well that he took away an easy goal from the Habs. His defensive play is just top tier, and he was rewarded with an empty netter Tuesday night for a little icing on the cake.
The Bad
Tomas Tatar’s goal that was taken away was 100% his own fault. People might see it differently, but it is odd to see an NHL player coasting in the offensive zone when the puck is still a ways off in the neutral zone. His coasting near the line, not even clearing it, was a bad look.
Want your voice heard? Join the Pucks And Pitchforks team!
Up next, the Devils have the Toronto Maple Leafs who have been good for a long time in the regular season. The Devils will have to handle the high end talent like they did against the Edmonton Oilers to keep the streak alive. They do have the capability to do just that now and should put up a good effort.
Let’s Go Devils