The New Jersey Devils returned to action on Thursday evening (Nov. 28) in hopes of gaining some much-needed momentum in a bunched-up Metropolitan Division. Fortunately for them, they pulled off a gutsy two-goal comeback to grab an important 5-4 victory and put an end to the New York Islanders’ six-game point streak.
Goaltending Struggles Mightily
Head coach Lindy Ruff decided to give Vitek Vanecek the nod in goal following his win on Sunday (Nov. 26), albeit it was a win where the Devils allowed their lowest total of shots in over a decade (12) and Vanecek stopped just 10 of them (.833 save percentage – SV%).
This was Vanecek’s 14th start, meaning he’s been leading the charge in 70 percent of the team’s games. He went on to give up four goals on 18 shots, good for an abysmal .777 SV%. It seems those sevens aren’t so lucky, as he got yanked in favor of Akira Schmid with a little under seven minutes to go in the second.
Thus, his season total was lowered to a .879 SV% (335 saves/381 shots), which is a long stretch away from his respectable .911 SV% last season.
Sure, the defense hasn’t helped him at times; Colin Miller got benched for missing his assignment on Mathew Barzal’s breakaway goal. But Vanecek currently has approximately a minus-7.5 goals saved above expected (GSAx), which would put him at second-worst in the league, trailing only Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (minus-8.6 GSAx). (via MoneyPuck)
He’s looked extremely shaky, often sliding out of position and giving up soft goals.
This time last season, it could be argued that Vanecek was the team’s best player. Now, it could be argued that he’s been their worst. Even the best of teams need the occasional game where their goaltender steals a victory. We’re now essentially at the quarter-mark of the season, and the Devils haven’t had one of those.
Head coach Lindy Ruff showed some worry about Vanecek’s overall numbers for the first time: “We’re always concerned when (Vitek’s) numbers are where they’re at…I’d like to first clean up some of those (Grade A) opportunities.”
Thankfully, Schmid stopped all eight shots he faced in relief and his numbers have overall been better than Vanecek’s, but still well below average. Despite this, Ruff has continually opted for Vanecek in the starter’s crease. We’ll see if that begins to change after last night.
One would have to wonder if waivers is a possibility for Vanecek, similar to what the Oilers did with the struggling Jack Campbell. Some time in the American Hockey League (AHL) could certainly help get Vanecek’s head right and get him back in his groove. If he does get claimed, which is doubtful, that would free up cap space for the Devils to be able to make an external move.
The Comeback Kids
Part of the reason the Devils won a franchise-record 52 games last season was their ability to come back from multi-goal deficits. Granted, in an ideal world they wouldn’t be down by multiple goals at all, but the bottom line is that they got it done.
Jack Hughes was phenomenal, as he scored a big goal to pull the Devils within one in the third. He had three points (one goal and two assists) in this contest, which brings him to seven points in just two games against the Islanders this season. Despite missing five games to injury, he still sits ninth in the league in points (26) and leads the league with 1.73 points-per-game (P/G).
Nico Hischier has played a valuable role in his return from injury, as his 21:17 of ice time led all forwards. His powerplay marker tied it up at four – his second goal in as many games. Many players on the team have been vocal about what Hischier brings as captain, and his presence has certainly helped the Devils in their ability to roll four lines.
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Hughes seemed to agree with that sentiment:
“When Nico’s back everything just falls in line…we have a pretty good one-two punch and matchups are a little different and more spread out. That’s a credit to Nico.”
Curtis Lazar has been the gift that keeps on giving, as he notched an assist and scored the clutch game-winning goal with 21 seconds to go. It was his fourth goal and seventh point of the season, both of which surpassed his totals from all of last season.
What happened a couple minutes before that goal set the stage, as Brendan Smith, in his newly-cherished forward role, dropped the gloves with Anders Lee and left him bloodied. Hughes was quick to praise Smith, who now has points in back-to-back games, for the component he’s brought to the team since transitioning from the back end to forward:
“We moved him up the other game and he was a beast. He was really heavy tonight…that’s team toughness. That’s him stepping up to the plate and bringing an element that we lack.”
Alexander Holtz is Finding His Own
While Alexander Holtz did not record a point in this one, he was arguably the most noticeable Devils forward. He seems to be playing with otherworldly confidence and for the first time, settling into a full-time NHL role.
Holtz’s 22 chances-for led all forwards on the team, as he generated 11 more chances than he gave up (66.67 Corsi for – CF%). (via Natural Stat Trick)
In the third period, it was his hard work along the boards that helped free the puck to Hughes, who immediately got tripped to create the powerplay that sparked the comeback. Stuff like that doesn’t show up on the scoresheet, but if that doesn’t happen, there could be an entirely different narrative around the game and the team as a whole.
Lazar was beaming when asked about Holtz’s recent play:
“Confidence. He’s gripping the stick a little lighter, he’s having some fun. He’s so skilled…he’s a great kid. He’s working hard and he’s really getting up to speed in this league.”
Ruff, who has typically been relatively tough on Holtz, gave a great assessment of his own:
“The last two nights I’ve seen a lot of really good hockey (from Holtz). Alex and I have had a lot of great conversations about his play and where his game is at and where we want to get it…The fact that he’s playing so well is the reason he was out there in the last 30 seconds. Part of your development is to do the right things and you’ll play a lot more. And I’ve seen a lot of good things.”
Last season, Holtz spent time as a healthy scratch pretty often, as well as some stints in the AHL. When he was on the Devils, he was typically getting sheltered minutes on the fourth line. The fact that he’s now being trusted in key situations shows the strides he’s made in his game.
Looking Ahead
This was a huge win for the Devils, as they leapfrogged the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Metropolitan Division and now sit in sixth place with 21 points. However, they’re just two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently occupy the third playoff spot in the Metro. And the Devils have two games in hand.
That’s how wacky the Metro has been so far, as second and seventh place are only separated by five points. Hence, every single point is crucial, and the fact that the Devils were able to overcome a two-goal deficit and win in regulation is monumental.
Unfortunately, Dougie Hamilton did not play in the third period due to an “upper-body injury”. He’ll be evaluated on Wednesday (Nov. 29) as the Devils hope it’s nothing too serious. If it’s anything that requires time off, one would have to wonder if Simon Nemec is a possibility to get recalled from Utica. The 19-year-old former No. 2 overall pick has eight points in 12 games for the Comets, along with a plus-2 rating. Or maybe someone who is more defense-first like Santeri Hatakka, who had a solid preseason and has a plus-5 rating on Utica’s top pairing. Doing this would allow Smith to stay in his fourth-line forward role where he’s been so effective.
The Devils will be at Wells Fargo Center to take on the Flyers on Thursday night, where they have a golden opportunity to leapfrog more teams in the standings.