New Jersey Devils Split Back to Back to Hit 100 Points This Season
The final stretch of the New Jersey Devils‘ season is on us, and the team was in a bit of a slump prior to Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators. With under 10 games left in the season, there are some issues that must be worked out. The team is young and needs to get things rolling before the playoffs. Going into it without maximum confidence will be a disaster, especially considering the team is very likely playing their biggest rival: the New York Rangers.
The Good
Jack Hughes was the coldest he had been all season; held scoreless in five straight games and just one goal in 12 games previous to the Sabres on Friday night. He looks to get back on track now though with a pair of goals to start the back to back and an overturned goal which is all the more disappointing knowing it would have been a hat trick. Unfortunately, the play was clearly an inch or two offsides. On night two, he added another goal and assist and looks to be catching fire again.
Kevin Bahl has quietly become a pretty good bottom-pairing defender for this team. His good play was rewarded with a goal and assist versus the Sabres. He might not put up many points, but that’s not a big part of his game nor a part that this team even needs. Defensemen can take a long time to get settled into the NHL, and the guy is barely over 50 games, so he could be a solid fit for a long time as he improves on the back end and could even play the more stay-at-home role for a guy like Luke Hughes next season on a sheltered pair.
Vitek Vanecek held this team in the game against the Sabres despite another sub-900 save percentage. This time, he came up big right after Akira Schmid was pulled and again at the end of the game to give them a shot to win in Buffalo.
Dougie Hamilton, who was also in a bit of a slump, snapped it and had a goal and assist on the weekend and equally importantly played a solid two-way game.
The Bad
Damon Severson took another stupid late penalty when the Devils had a shot to win against the Sabres, killing the momentum and giving the team too little time to have a real shot at scoring and forcing overtime. He doesn’t take a lot of penalties, but the timing always seems to be the most infuriating time.
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Schmid let in a trio of goals on seven shots in the first 11 minutes of the game in Buffalo, and it could have been the end of the night for the team if not for Vanecek’s relief. Mackenzie Blackwood let one in three minutes. This is just par for the course with Blackwood, who finished the night with his normal .893 save percentage in his return from injury. Schmid, who has been great this year, should be given the chance to get back in the net next week instead of the unreliable Blackwood, who would 100% lose this team the game if he starts in the playoffs.