Match Summary
The reeling New Jersey Devils needed a win against the Washington Capitals, and they didn’t get it on Sunday. New Jersey has now lost five of six and needs to find some perseverance through this tough stretch. The game itself was an intense battle with the Caps holding off the surging Devils late in the game. These kinds of close losses are tough, especially for a team on a losing streak, but the effort was there, it just never came together.
First Period
The Devils struggled early in the first period, there was little movement and the team seemed sluggish. Things got moving with a goal from the young Mikhail Maltsev, but Washington struck back with a Jakub Vrana goal. The first period has been an area of concern for New Jersey recently, they need to come out of the gate stronger than they have.
Second Period
Nicklas Backstrom scored a quick goal for Washington early in the second period, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. Yegor Sharangovich took it right back to the other end and knotted up the game a minute later.
The rest of this period was a pure battle, each team controlling the puck and exchanging pressures. Later, Alex Ovechkin scored a trademark rocket of a goal and the period ended with Washington up 3-2.
Third Period
Needing a goal, the Devils played with energy in the third, controlling most of the action. Despite this, the Capitals’ defense came up big, holding the Devils to just one shot through most of the period despite their constant pressure.
Similarly, the Devils’ defense held the Capitals to a whopping zero shots in the third, not bad! Sadly, Jersey’s last-minute surge failed as Kyle Palmeri’s game-winning shot into an open net bounced off of John Carlson.
Result
The Devils are now 7-8-2, good for seventh in the East division. The Capitals are 12-5-4 and sit in first place.
Keys to the Game
The Penalty Kill is Improved?
You read that right, the Devils shut down the Capitals’ power play, killing off each Washington chance. This area has been Jersey’s biggest weakness thus far, it’s good to see some improvement despite the loss.
They were aggressive towards the puck and carried it out of the zone well. This could indicate that the young Devils are finally adapting to Alain Nasredine’s system. This being said, I’m not convinced yet, I need to see more games like this to be swayed.
Pavel Zacha
Though he didn’t exactly have an explosive game today, Pavel Zacha extended his point streak to 10-games with an assist on the Maltsev goal. This has been a remarkable season for Zacha, he has six goals and 13 points in 16 games this season.
He’s often been described as a “bust,” but don’t give up on him just yet. Hopefully, he can slot in as a key cog in the offense as the season progresses.
Blackwood Needs to be Better
Take a screenshot, because it’s rare that you’ll hear me say that. MacKenzie Blackwood is coming off two lackluster outings against the Capitals, two games the Devils lost.
He had a terrible .876 save percentage on Sunday, letting up some goals he shouldn’t have. It just goes to show how much the Devils rely on him, when Blackwood plays well, so do the Devils. He’ll need to regain his confidence sooner rather than later.
Up Next
The Devils and Islanders face off on Tuesday at 7:00 pm.