New Jersey Devils continue to win despite lack of production from top lines

The New Jersey Devils split their two-game road trip after a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. Jacob Markstrom once again delivered a stellar performance and a near shutout, posting 30 saves on the night. The only goal he gave up was a late 6-on-4 opportunity for the Senators with the game pretty much sealed.

Goals from all across the lineup and solid play along the perimeter helped New Jersey take command of the game after a somewhat disjointed start for the Devils. This piece aims to identify some key takeaways from what turned out to be a cohesive road victory against a capable Senators team. 

Jacob Markstrom has been as good as advertised for New Jersey 

Following a tough loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, Sheldon Keefe decided to ride the hot hand and roll with Jacob Markstrom again to conclude New Jersey’s road trip. Markstrom, after a stellar performance for New Jersey in the loss against Carolina, proved Sheldon Keefe correct Thursday night. The newly acquired goaltender earned his third victory of the season convincingly and came very close to posting his first shutout in a Devils sweater, stopping 30 of 31 shots and posting a .968 SV%. 

Markstrom stood tall throughout the game with the help of some lucky bounces off the post, giving the road team time to settle in. With Markstrom as a cushion, New Jersey was able to withstand the Senators' flurry, allowing the Devil's defense to rally and the offense to find its rhythm in short order. Goaltending was set to be the major X factor coming into the new season for the New Jersey Devils with contention on everyone’s mind. Jacob Markstrom’s play thus far has been the epitome of dependability. 

Devils Depth and Structure Once Again Make an Impression 

Against Ottawa, once again, the Devils' depth would break the surface, delivering a solid performance. Although early on, New Jersey had difficulty generating opportunities and sustaining pressure in the offensive zone, the game would progress, and some unexpected names would be rewarded for their efforts. Erik Haula’s first goal of the season broke the game’s scoring drought on a redirection of Johnathan Kovacevic’s shot from the point. The Devils' tenacious penalty kill would follow that up, continuing its season-long effectiveness this time on the scoring sheet with Nathan Bastian scoring off a beautiful no-look shot on a two-on-one play with Curtis Lazar. His first goal of the season doubled the lead and proved to be the game-winner for New Jersey. 

Now, the elephant in the room continues to be the top players' inability to lunge forward and take control of games. But, so far this season, it’s the little things which have produced the desired results, unlike the successful play of the Devils team two years ago which heavily relied on the Devils' speed and skating ability in transition. By playing complimentary hockey in all three zones under Sheldon Keefe, all players, the top six included, have shown an early ability to wear teams down and attack when openings present themselves, letting the game come to the Devils instead of chasing the game. Sheldon Keefe mentioned the following in his post-game interview: 

“Really good process of keeping the puck down in their half of the ice, got rewarded with another goal in that good process, and I thought it really sucked the life out of that game, which is what we’re trying to do.” 

New Jersey’s ability to get the puck deep, matching the Senators' pressure throughout the lineup, and not only relying on established structure but maintaining it throughout the game is what helped the Devils claim victory in the Canadian capital. It's not the flashiest method of winning games, but it certainly has been effective for the league-leading New Jersey Devils. 

The Defense Kept It Simple 

The New Jersey Devils knew matching intensity against a physical Ottawa Senators team was only part of the solution. With an extra day's rest, Ottawa was following an overtime victory on Monday night, where they scored eight goals on home ice. They came out following an energetic game with equal energy in transition and were hard on the forecheck, drawing the game's first penalty less than two minutes into the contest. Once again, however, the Devils penalty kill prevailed, and Jacob Markstrom continued his elite level of play from the opening face-off. 

Head Coach Sheldon Keefe specifically mentioned the Devils' play on the perimeter, which led to the desired end result of the game. That’s exactly what kept Ottawa from generating any momentum. As the game went on, New Jersey’s defense would do a much better job suppressing the Senators' zone entries, minimizing space and stuffing any attempts at maintaining pressure in the offensive zone. The Devils defense kept it simple once they settled in, making the quick play when necessary and patient play when needed. The Devils' reliance on their effective structure wore down the Senators as the game went on. It was not perfect as Ottawa had more than a couple of chances to take hold of the game. But, again, a total defensive team effort all around the lineup earned the Devils two more points for the season. It was the fourth time in seven games this season the Devils gave up one or fewer goals in a game. 

The New Jersey Devils responded well after Tuesday's loss and now return home after splitting the two-game road trip. They will be welcoming the Washington Capitals to the Prudential Center on Saturday night for the second of four meetings between division opponents.