Game Summary
The New Jersey Devils have won their third straight game. This thanks to a 3-2 win in regulation against the Boston Bruins last night. This improves their record to 6-3-2, good for 14 points. They are currently fifth in points behind the Islanders in the East Division. So, how did the game that got them their most recent win go?
First Period:
The first period was fairly uneventful for both teams. The Bruins controlled play early on leading in shots 4-0 just five minutes in. However, after the not so great start, the Devils started to take over. As they outshot Boston 7-3 the rest of the period. This even included keeping the infamous Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron line in their zone for over a minute and a half.
Second Period:
The second period is where all the action happened. It all started just a minute and a half in, when Jack Hughes carried the puck into the offensive zone and made a fantastic no-look drop pass to Kyle Palmieri who buried it. This was Palmieri’s first of the season. Then, about halfway into the second period, Damon Severson chipped the puck off the boards shorthanded to Palmieri who scored his second of the game to double the Devils’ lead.
Following this, just two minutes later Palmieri was the one to give it away right to Jake DeBrusk who sniped it over the blocker of Mackenzie Blackwood to make it 2-1. However, it only took another three minutes for the Devils answer. This time it was Pavel Zacha dancing by the Bruins’ defense on a give-and-go with Johnsson for his fourth of the season. All of a sudden, the Devils lead 3-1 after two.
Third Period:
The first 10 minutes of the third were similar to the first. Some chances on both sides, but nothing game-changing. That was until the Devils got a five-on-three with about 10-minutes to play. This could be a chance to end it, but instead, they don’t score and give Boston the momentum. The Bruins had control in the Devils’ zone for a while after the five on three, but Blackwood stuffed out everything that came his way.
That was until Ty Smith took a delay of game penalty with 2:11 to go in the game to put the Bruins on the power play. And, of course, the Bruins scored on a fluky goal that went off of Dimitry Kulikov’s stick. However, Blackwood was able to save everything Boston threw his way for the final minute after this. Including a great last-second save on Pastrnak to secure the Devils 3-2 win.
Game Notes
Jack Hughes
- After a shaky first game back from the Devils’ COVID break, Jack Hughes seemed to get his groove back in Beantown. Traditional statistics-wise, he had an assist and two shots over 18:14 of ice time. Advanced statistics-wise he was great, with a five-on-five Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 63.16 and an expected goals for percentage (xGF%) of 66.58.
Kyle Palmieri
- In our preview of this game, I said that Kyle Palmieri has been very unlucky and was bound to get a goal soon. And, it turns out, I was right. Palmieri scored two goals in the Devils winning effort yesterday. He has been a key piece to any success the Devils have had over the past half-decade. In 373 games with the Devils, Kyle has 134 goals and 121 assists totaling 255 points. He has also scored at least 24 goals and 44 points in every season with the Devils. He currently has six points in his first 10 games this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood
- Mackenzie Blackwood has become just the fifth goalie in Devils history to start the season with five straight games having not lost in regulation. He joins the ranks of goalies such as Chris Terreri, Glenn ‘Chico’ Resch, and Martin Brodeur. Blackwood has been lights out in those five games with a very impressive .945 save percentage (SV%). His SV% is the highest among goaltenders who have played at least five games.
All statistics courtesy of NaturalStatTrick.com