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Devils Dissected: One Step Forward, Two Back vs. Capitals
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- Devils Dissected: One Step Forward, Two Back vs. Capitals
Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
It's one step forward, two steps back with the New Jersey Devils this season.
Certainly, they're far removed from the team that won eight straight games at the beginning of the season. They're not skating with confidence. No one is handling the puck with authority. The defense, which we'll talk about a little bit later, is questionable shift after shift.
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Against the Washington Capitals on home ice after the holiday break, it was no better.
The Devils started well, then gave up the late first period goal which sucked the air out of the Prudential Center.
Then they came back in the second period with a vengeance.
And in the third, things seemed to finally be going their way. Until it wasn't and they went to overtime. Despite owning the puck in the extra frame, the Devils still found a way to leave points on the table.
Even when it seems like they finally have the momentum, they can't take advantage.
They can get as healthy as they need to be. Right now, it's between the ears for the Devils. If they're going to skate with the best of them, they need to find that confidence for a full 60 minutes night in and night out.
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10 Observations
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The Devils outshot the Capitals 39-33, and at one point, had a double-digit lead in Washington in the shot department. At even strength, they owned the scoring chance differential 32-27. Add the two power play scoring chances, one that they cashed in on, and it was a 34-27 differential. You want to believe, on most nights, the Devils win a game like this. Sheldon Keefe said after the game there are some positives to build on here. They lost on the scoreboard, but perhaps winning the puck possession battle is at least a starting point.
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One of the more frustrating things about watching the Devils play this season is how many passes are broken up in the neutral zone or on scoring chances. In the first period, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier broke through the offensive zone for an odd-man rush. However, Hischier tried to dump a blind, backhand pass to Meier to create a scoring opportunity. The attempt was promptly negated by the Capitals defender, I believe it was Jakob Chychrun , and instead of at least getting a puck on net, there was no scoring chance created at all. Simplifying that sequence could make the difference in a game like tonight. Shoot for the far pad, create a rebound. Perhaps, you win a one-goal game instead.
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Credit where it is due, and I can already see the angry mob on social media up in arms about this, but Logan Thompson played a helluva game. There's a reason why he's being considered as Team Canada's starter. In the first, Cody Glass redirected a pass on goal that was only stopped by Thompson's aggressiveness by playing above his crease. According to HockeyStats , Thompson made 0.50 saves above expected. That very well could be the 50/50 decider.
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The Devils started well defending in their own end. One of the more noticeable things about their game in the first period was their ability to limit the Capitals' secondary scoring opportunities. When the Devils held an 8-0n shot advantage, Washington pushed back with an 8-4 shot advantage in the second half of the first. Until the literal last second, the Devils did well clearing rebounds left by Jake Allen , negating second chances. Then Aliaksei Protas scored that last-second marker to give Washington a 1-0 lead. Things got sloppy from there. Again, they're showing they're capable. They're proving to be inconsistent.
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Speaking of that late-goal in the first period, it was a completely disastrous breakdown that shouldn't have happened through multiple facets of the sequence. First, Jonas Siegenthaler needs to be much more aware of the game situation. With seconds left on the clock, clamp the puck down and kill the clock. Instead, he threw it around the boards to Alexander Ovechkin of all players. Second, Dougie Hamilton was caught puck watching, floating toward Ovechkin with puck possession, when he should have collapsed toward the net with the Capitals captain in a very low-danger area. Third, no one covered Protas on the doorstep. I mean, c'mon now. And lastly, the puck was FLOATED through the crease. Jake Allen had plenty of time to react with a poke-check, or could have even gloved it down if he really wanted to. Suffice to say, that goal cannot happen.
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It was good to see Jesper Bratt get the monkey off his back. He scored for the first time in six games, and had one goal in his last 23. Even worse, he's had no multi-goal games yet this season. That was until Saturday, when he scored on the power play and at even strength. The hope is he can now bottle that momentum and ride it.
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After what Glass described was a "kick in the ass" from Jack Hughes in the first intermission, the Devils came out in the second period with a purpose. For a second there, it looked like the confident Devils we all know. They were making quick decisions with the puck, were heavy on the possession, fast on their feet, and finally drew some penalties. That second period team we saw tonight is their potential. Perhaps, they need a few more verbal lashings from their franchise face.
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Speaking of Jack, he can kick and scream all he wants, but when you're turning the puck over by skating it through your own neutral zone which led to a 3-on-0 chance that Anthony Beauvillier buried, perhaps you need someone to scream back at you. And look, Jack wasn't the only one doing that tonight. Dawson Mercer tried to move the puck from below the goal line through the Devils' slot, Luke Hughes tried it as well. Keep it simple, boys. Don't skate the puck up the middle. One wound up in the back of your own net. They're lucky it wasn't more.
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It was a tale of two power plays on Saturday. The first was great. Quick passes, everyone was moving their feet, shooting lanes opened up. And Voilà! A power play goal by Bratt, after Luke's shot from the point created a rebound for Hischier to dump to the Swedish winger. Yet, the second power play stunk. As opposed to the first advantage, no one moved their feet during the second, and the stagnant power play couldn't open up passing or shooting lanes as a result. 1/2 on the power play is fine, but it would certainly feel better if the Devils' second power play at least looked like they were trying.
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And last, but certainly not least, Hamilton has done absolutely nothing to improve his trade value. Perhaps, that's what he wants, but I'm not suggesting he wants to play poorly. We spoke about the first goal earlier, but on the third goal he lost every puck battle he faced leading up to the goal. Protas handled Hamilton from the left to the right circle ensuring puck possession, and when he pulled Hamilton out of position, it left Ovechkin—the man Hamilton was supposed to be covering—wide open to score the tying goal in the third. There's a difference between the $9 million Hamilton is making as opposed to Hughes. Hamilton is a veteran. Hughes is a third-year player at 22 years old. Hamilton needs to be better.
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