The New Jersey Devils got two points on the board as the bid for the playoffs continues. As of right now, the Devils sit only one point out of both of the Wild Card spots after beating the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime. The team did not make it easy. It started off by letting in the first goal yet again in what just feels like a running joke at this point. Hopefully, they will figure it out this season, but it just feels like it will not happen as the season nears the halfway mark. Luckily, they have found a way to fight back, which bodes extremely well if they ever sort this all out.
The Good
Vitek Vanecek was solid on the night again, and fans who did not watch shouldn't let the save percentage fool them. He continued his strong play and gave this team a shot to win when the offense was not there for most of the night.
Timo Meier is back. The last three games have been a massive boost for his confidence. That being said, the number one thing by far that has changed is the fact that he no longer skates like Milan Lucic, so it is very clear he is no longer playing injured. His overtime goal was incredibly clutch, and the smile on his face proved that. On top of that, his line with Dawson Mercer and Michael McLeod has started to show good chemistry as a depth line. Hopefully, they can be given a shot to keep it together and see where it goes for the next few weeks.
Luke Hughes looked like Scott Niedermayer going end to end to tie this game up when it looked over. Hughes and Nemec were second and third for ice time on the back end as they continued to earn the staff's trust and grow into legit NHL stars.
The Bad
Jonas Siegenthaler was terrible again, and his giveaway should have cost this team the game. You can be cute with the puck or bobble it, but when being pressured in the neutral zone like that, just get it to the wall or in deep. A bottom-half defender can't afford to make these mistakes, and he has regressed to an insane degree, and it just isn't working out for him anywhere right now.
Jack Hughes got his point and had a lot of shots on the net, but he is still trying to force the play way too much. The points will come for him in a big way again, but it will happen when he slows things down and plays his game instead of trying to react to defenders shadowing him and going for something that is not there.