On a Monday matinée, the New Jersey Devils continued their impressive play from Saturday night, netting their second winning streak of the season, and handing the Utah Hockey Club their first loss in franchise history in front of a sold out crowd at the Prudential Center. A true team effort all around, the Devils held their bearings from the start and imposed their will on the ice with physicality and pressure throughout the game. In this piece, we identify some key takeaways from a well-rounded Devils victory on home ice.
Depth Continues To Impress
Although five games are a small sample size, the Devils' depth has shown they are everything but. In Monday’s game, once again, depth was on full display in all three personnel groups, from the forwards to the defensive pairings to the goaltending. Against a skilled Utah team with lots of speed and quickness in transition, the Devils three defense pairs showed their ability to safeguard their own end with help from a persistent forward group. They also made life very easy for goaltender Jake Allen, who delivered a solid performance with a 20 save shutout. He showed precisely why it is so vital to have an NHL-caliber backup, especially in back-to-backs. A heavy nod to the Nemec Casey pairing which before today’s game had looked less than stellar on the defensive side of the ice. The young defensemen looked much more improved against Utah, stronger on their sticks, playing the body, and making quicker decisions with the puck.
Speaking of the Devil, Seamus Casey has been an integral part of the aforementioned depth, demonstrating both his offensive and defensive abilities against the Hockey Club. On a marvelous defensive play against Logan Cooley, Casey forced a turnover by stripping the puck, not quitting on the play, coming back into the zone only to end up swiftly roofing a wrist shot over the left shoulder of Karel Vejmelka on a pass from captain Nico Hischier. Hischier, like Casey, finished the game with a multipoint effort. With an unclear timeline for the return of Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce, Casey once again showed his ability to bridge the gap on both ends of the ice until both Hughes and Pesce are healthy enough to return.
Once again, the Cotter-Haula-Noesen line made their presence known, netting the second goal of the game off a Seamus Casey shot from the blueline. Casey received the lone assist on the goal, but the new-look third line were all there and have made both Tom Fitzgerald and Sheldon Keefe look very good at their jobs this season. They have undoubtedly been the most prolific line thus far. Nico Hischier would tap a pass into the back of the net from Jack Hughes on the second to last Devils power play opportunity of the game. It would prove to have no bearing on the outcome of the game. However, it rewarded the top six for their efforts in what was a well-balanced effort from all portions of the lineup.
The Devils Did Not Get Trapped Playing Utah’s Style
The Devils had a choice: play Utah’s style or impose their style on Utah. It’s clear the Devils preferred the latter approach. At the start of the game, the Utah Hockey Club showed their speed and quickness in transition, yielding some opportunities off the rush, but as the game progressed, the Devils settled in and stalled the Hockey Club's transition play, forcing them to play away from their strengths, utilizing a dump and chase zone entry which extremely benefited New Jersey as the game went on.
The Devils can play with teams in all three zones, and they’re displaying a strong multifaceted style of play. Against Utah, Keefe’s team established pressure in all zones, specifically the offensive and neutral zones, clogging lanes and forcing Utah to play away from their strengths, and it worked to perfection.
Special Teams is Improving
Following the penalty kill’s strong finish against Washington, the Devils PK continued their serviceable play against Utah. Thus far this season, Sheldon Keefe has entrusted a litany of forward personnel on the penalty kill and, so far, the decision has yielded successful results. The Devils are now 14/15 on the kill to start the new season after they absolutely stifled the Utah power play, going 4/4 in the process. Now, this team has to be careful not to be on the wrong side of the man advantage too much. Nevertheless, the Devils have continued to keep their composure on the kill behind an aggressive style of play.
While the penalty kill flourished, the Devils' man advantage began to find their groove against Utah. It has taken some time for both power play groups to get going, but all eyes have been on the top unit, waiting for the eventual breakthrough to occur. The Casey goal was the first on the day, but it was Hischier’s goal from Hughes at the red line that finally got the top unit to break through. The Devils finished 2/7 on the power play, which is not great, however a lot of that can be blamed on a lack of urgency to get shots on net, which has certainly contributed to the amount of Devils shots blocked.
The Devils impressed with a balanced effort, and have displayed a new and improved style of hockey. Coach Sheldon Keefe is implanting in his players an appreciation for every part of the game, prioritizing and emphasizing pressure in all three zones. Through the first five games of the season, the Devils have been on the winning side four times. It’s a small sample size, but a very promising start. The Devils will look to sweep their second back-to-back of the regular season tomorrow night against the well rested Carolina Hurricanes.