The New Year’s Eve matinee contest featuring the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers did not disappoint. It featured 11 goals, overtime, and a highly controversial blown call by officials. However, when it was all said and done, the Devils emerged victorious, 6-5. With their second consecutive victory, New Jersey moves to 12-15-5 and, as writing, four points out of the second wild card position.
Game Summary
Period One
The first period, along with some of the third, was the most chaotic of the game. There were five goals, each alternating by both teams. The first three goals of the contest occurred in a two-minute span. Just a minute and a half into the game, Jack Hughes scored a power play goal. It was a rocket, one-timer off passes from Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton. Connor McDavid scored his first of two on a back door tap-in to notch the game back up.
The second Devils’ goal of the period was scored by the captain, Nico Hischier. He smartly banked the punk in off the skate of Oilers’ goaltender Mike Smith who was still facing the other way. The very crafty Hischier goal was assisted by Jesper Boqvist and Ryan Graves. Kailer Yamamoto tied the game at two for Edmonton on another re-directed goal between the legs of MacKenzie Blackwood. The second of its likeness in two straight games against Blackwood.
The final goal of the first period belonged to Dawson Mercer. It was his ninth of the year and only third point in his last 13 games. It was a much needed tally for the 20-year old rookie. It was assisted by Damon Severson and Andreas Johnsson, both of which made beautiful passes to set the play up. Overall, the first period only saw 1.95 expected goals combined, but there were five scored. Speaks a lot to the goaltending in the period.
Period Two
The second period was by far the calmest of the three. There was only one goal and it was the second tally of the game for the best player in the world, McDavid. After a long offensive shift by Edmonton, the Devils were finally able to make a change. However, McDavid, the intelligent skater he is, came onto the ice at just the right time and caught New Jersey in a change. He made a nice move on Blackwood and tied the game at three. Overall, New Jersey had the upper-hand in the period, out-shot attempting Edmonton 26-17 and held nearly 72% of the goal-share.
Period Three
Like the first period, the third was something out of a video game. New Jersey got a tally five minutes in thanks to a Janne Kuokkanen wrist shot. It was a very nice shot, however, it did get helped out by a deflection by Colton Sceviour. Nonetheless, New Jersey was once again in the lead. However, it was short-lived as Devin Shore scored point blank just two minutes later. Ty Smith misplayed the puck at the Devils’ blue line, and Ryan McLeod chased it into the corner. He made a beautiful pass to Shore who was unmarked even though two Devils’ forward were in the area. The typical mental mistake we have seen the Devils make so much this year.
The third goal of the period is when all hell broke loose. Ryan Graves took a hooking penalty and during the delay two different New Jersey Devils touched the puck. First, Dougie Hamilton, who swept it to the corner, then, Jack Hughes, who made contact with it in the middle of the zone. Nonetheless, the Oilers kept playing and the puck ended up in the back of the net. The play was then reviewed for close to 10-minutes but officials announced the goal will still count because the player was not challengeable to begin with. Was indeed just as expected from the silliness that is the NHL and its officiating.
As the saying goes, “the puck did not lie.” The Devils, as they have done numerous times this year, scored a six-on-five goal late in the contest. The re-directed goal by Yegor Sharangovich came with 32-seconds left and sent the game to overtime. It was largely possible due to a terrific faceoff win by Hischier against McDavid just seconds earlier.
Overtime
The overtime period started with New Jersey having to defend McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Darnell Nurse. After successfully doing so, both Bratt and Hughes had breakaways but were unable to beat Smith. Finally, with about two minutes left, Jack Hughes was able to wrist one into the body of Smith that trickled its way into the net. It was Hughes’ third point and second goal of the game resulting in the 6-5 victory.
Games Notes
- The Devils once again received lackluster goaltending. Blackwood saved 32 of 37 which was good for a .865 save percentage. His save percentage on the season now sits at a far below-average figure of .897. Edmonton only had an expected goal total of 2.83 which means Blackwood let in 2.17 goals more than expected. This figure moves outside the top-80 in the NHL among 88 qualified goaltenders.
- As alluded to in our pregame, it made sense for the Devils to match their best defensive pairing – Jonas Siegenthaler and Severson – against the McDavid line. Interim head coach Alain Nasreddine did exactly this and it worked. Siegenthaler and Severson played 20:10 of five-on-five ice time together and held the shot attempt advantage 21-16 when on the ice at even strength, almost all of which was against the McDavid line. McDavid did get on the score sheet twice, but one of those goals came with a different pairing on the ice.
- For the second game in a row, the Devils had a line consisting of Sharangovich, Hughes, and Bratt. For a second contest in a row, that line dominated. It lead New Jersey with a Corsi-For % (CF%) of 59.09 and also had a solid expected goals-for % (xGF%) rating of 59.74. Hughes was on the board with three points, Bratt with two, and Sharangovich with a goal. The Devils must keep these three together.
- Outside the costly misplay by Ty Smith, the Smith and Subban pairing was effective once again. The duo was the team’s best pairing in terms of xGF% with a rating of 70.32. Although not relied on a ton (just a shade over 15-minutes of ice time), it is nice seeing the Devils having three different defensive pairings they can rely on.
The Devils will be back in action, at Capital One Arena, Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM ET. This against the Washington Capitals (19-6-7).