The New Jersey Devils two-game win streak came to an end Tuesday night in a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Coming into the matchup, the Devils were well aware of what to expect and the kind of game they were set to take part in. While the climate is what we expect, the weather is what we get and, after a multiple-day rest from game action, the Carolina Hurricanes played the style of hockey the National Hockey League has come to expect over the past six years. Although the end result was not what the Devils were hoping for, it must be taken as a lesson to be learned.
It was clear from the opening face-off that the Carolina Hurricanes were prepared and energized, a response to their opening night loss on Friday night. This is the kind of game that would have gotten away from previous Devils teams, but the game remained close, closer than it should’ve been considering Carolina’s dominant play in the offensive zone. New Jersey finished with more hits and blocked shots, with only six fewer shots on goal for the night. Also, the new-look Devils have Jacob Markstrom to thank for keeping the game as close as it was. He was absolutely terrific, with the kind of performance in net New Jersey has been lacking for quite some time. He and he alone kept New Jersey in the hockey game.
After dropping their home opener, the Hurricanes made it a point to attack New Jersey in all three zones, doing precisely what the Devils did to Utah in their previous matchup. Carolina propositioned New Jersey to try and beat them at their own game. New Jersey tried, and the results speak for themselves. Their style of play ultimately dictated the direction of the game. Similar to the pressure New Jersey used to strangle the Utah Hockey Club, Carolina established pressure early on and throughout the game in both the offensive and neutral zones. They were busy clogging lanes and had excellent gap control, with strong sticks and stronger stick positioning.
Although the Devils netted the game's opening goal off a skilled play by Jack Hughes, whose line excelled, Carolina did not take their foot off the pedal. Their offensive zone pressure and board play led them to a multitude of opportunities. Their persistence in all three zones caused problems for the Devils all night. The Devils, however, did a fine job not committing penalties when their backs were against the wall and remained physical throughout the game.
Still, it was puck play, an inability to clear the zone and effectively break out, that doomed New Jersey. It is something General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has seen for years now in his Devils metropolitan division foe, and he’s worked towards building the Devils into a team with a similar style and approach. It is the Hurricanes style of play, tenacious pressure in all three zones, which the Devils are learning to leverage as their own.
The Devils are building a foundation and learning to play the style of hockey that has helped Carolina and similar teams remain in contention for years. New Jersey must remain composed and will because that is their job. This loss was a litmus test for the New Jersey Devils, and although Carolina controlled a majority of the contest, the Devils still found themselves in a position to get something out of this game. It was very close at the end, and although they didn’t receive any points, the Devils got a clear demonstration of how a 200x85 foot game should be played.
It’s a lesson that should bode well for their development moving forward. Sixty minutes of hockey can be the greatest teacher of all for a team looking to contend. Let’s hope the Devils were the perfect students in Raleigh, paying attention and taking good notes.