New Jersey Devils: 3 Positives from Win Over Sabres to Build Upon

2. The win was a complete game/complete team effort

The Devils haven’t played many complete games this season. Often, they look like two or three different teams throughout the game. They have a tendency to fall behind early (a holdover from last season) and not show up until it’s too late. Saturday night was different.

The team showed up and played hard from start to finish. The Devils were the better team for the whole game. Their four goals in the first period tied a season-high for the Devils. Their 5v5 play was the strongest it’s been all season. The defense looked the best it has all season, holding the Sabres to just three shots in the first period. The Devils outshot the Sabres 38-12.

For sixty minutes, the whole team found ways to get involved, whether it was on offense or defense, or both. Eight different players had a multi-point game, including Dougie Hamilton, Nico Hischier, Alexander Holtz, Jesper Bratt, Tyler Toffoli, Dawson Mercer, and Luke Hughes. The Devils didn’t have to rely on one player or one line. Everyone pitched in to come away with a huge win. Now, the key is maintaining consistency in playing a complete game.