After taking three of four possible points in their first two games, the New Jersey Devils returned to action Monday at the Prudential Center taking on the reigning Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers. The Panthers entered the game a desperate team having dropped their first two games of the season, both on the road, a 2-0 decision to the Minnesota Wild and a 6-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. These two teams played fierce, physical games last season and both entered the game feeling as if they had something to prove. While each team was missing key contributors from last season (Aaron Ekblad, Damon Severson, Brandon Montour, Radko Gudas, and Miles Wood, among others), the game was not lacking in intensity. Here are three takeaways from the game.
Slow Start Trend Continues
In each of the Devils’ first two games, they got off to very slow starts. Opening night it seemed the team took some time to calm down and find its game after the emotions of opening night festivities. It became an issue of concern once it happened the next night against the Arizona Coyotes. After practice on Sunday, Kevin Bahl reflected on the team’s first-period difficulties saying, “We’ve really shown that we’ve got heart. But there are a couple of things we’ve got to work on, like right off the puck drop, we’ve got to be ready to go. We know we can carry the play, so just showing up right from the puck drop.” The team’s main focus entering the game was to start quickly.
The Devils started their fourth line looking to capitalize on the energy the line usually provides. While the start was certainly more energetic than the first two games, the result was no different. The Panthers outshot the Devils 11-8 and ended the period with a 2-0 lead. After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff did not hide his disappointment with the team’s performance. “We need more desperation, more battle, something we talked about, something we didn’t get. We had too many passengers in the first period,” He also bemoaned the team’s effort, especially early on. “I thought they outskated us. I thought on the 50-50 compete, they won more battles than us.”
“Sometimes you won’t score, but the numbers we’re generating right now aren’t high enough in those first two periods. It’s one thing if a line goes out and generates five, six chances, but the goaltender makes unbelievable saves, it’s another thing to not generate anything. And were not generating anything. It’s like pounding a square peg into a round hole –– it’s not going to work.”
Lindy Ruff
The Devils have the firepower and fortitude to remain dangerous when facing most deficits, but against the Panthers, the deficit proved to be too much. Hischier felt his team was pressing, but he believes the best is still to come for New Jersey. “We see what team we can be if we play the right way, and I think everyone sees we have to start the right way. We need to be better.” Tyler Toffoli echoed those sentiments indicating that the team wasn’t ready or prepared at the start and that it falls on the players to be ready.
Lindy’s Blend Fails to Percolate
Ruff, known for his penchant for throwing his lines in a blender, still surprised many when he switched Dawson Mercer and Alexander Holtz prior to the opener against Detroit. After seeing Hischier, Timo Meier, and Mercer struggle in the first two games, he decided to mix up his lines again. On Monday he placed veteran winger Ondrej Palat alongside Hischier and Meier to start and moved Mercer to the third line alongside Erik Haula and Alexander Holtz.
As the game progressed Ruff kept tinkering, finding success with a line of Haula, Holtz, and McLeod leading to the second goal. He was unable to find success with either Hischier or Meier. He instead chose to bench Meier for the entire third period, save one shift due to the ill-advised penalties he took. Ruff also sat defenseman John Marino for the majority of the third calling it a “coach’s decision.” An exasperated Ruff would not rule out any further changes moving forward. “Right now, you can consider anything. Obviously, we’ve got a player that’s out. We’ve got two extra guys, but you saw the line changes going into the third period, you saw the line changes going into the second period. You’ve got to find more chemistry, you’ve got to find where we’re generating offense.” The Devils now have the luxury of three practice days before they head to face the New York Islanders on Friday.
Special Teams
In a reverse of last season, the Devils’ power play entered the game tied with the Edmonton Oilers for eighth in the NHL while the penalty kill was mired at 29th in the league. In last night’s game, the power play delivered twice in the third period. Ruff made an adjustment putting Haula on the ice for the advantage and it paid dividends. He was able to control the faceoff dot to start the power plays with possession then was a factor around the net leading to a tip-in goal to open the Devils’ scoring. Later, Jesper Bratt tallied a power play goal while the Devils played a unique 6v4 as Ruff had pulled Vitek Vanecek and deployed five forwards for the shift. The Devils have scored a power play goal in every game so far this season and have found a way to weaponize their talent with the man advantage.
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The penalty kill allowed one goal on four chances against. Ruff was upset after the game at the amount of penalties the team has been taking and called the team’s play, “undisciplined.” He has begun taking away ice time from players who commit penalties. Meier’s benching in the third was directly attributed to his taking multiple penalties. “Can’t take the penalties he took,” Ruff shared. “We talked about not taking penalties. Obviously, we need more. We need more out of a lot of guys.” Bratt saw his first ice time on the penalty kill, a tactic the team unveiled during the preseason but held off in the first two games. His speed added a different dimension to the kill and almost led to a short-handed opportunity.
Quick Takeaways
- The Devils tied a season-high with 32 hits. They had 32 on opening night against Detroit. Coincidentally 32 was the most they had in a game last season, reaching that number three times in 2022-23.
- Nico Hischier is still looking for his first point of the season.
- Jack Hughes is currently tied for first place in the NHL in points. For a brief moment, he was in first place with seven, but one of his assists was taken away. He also tied the franchise record for most points in the first three games, a feat he also accomplished in 2020-21.
- Hischier won 15 of 20 faceoffs (75%) to lead all players in the game.
- The Devils ran into a desperate team and a hot goaltender. Sergei Bobrovsky made several highlight-reel saves that ultimately kept the Devils off the board until the third period. Bobrovsky had some help as the Devils hit at least two posts and his teammates blocked 22 shots.