For the most part, the New Jersey Devils played their best game of hockey in a long time last night. Entering the contest, the Devils were losers of six in a row and 10 of their last 11. Well, New Jersey responded by defeating the Buffalo Sabres in borderline dominating fashion for their first win in weeks. This by the score of 4 to 3.
Game Summary
Like most of the game, the Devils came out flying in the first period. They were able to score just under five minutes in on the power play. Dougie Hamilton put home a shot from the point to put New Jersey up 1-0. The Devils would tally one more in the period, a Jesper Bratt rebound goal which he had to put home from a tough angle. Jack Hughes, who ended the night with three points, picked up his second assist of the period on the Bratt goal.
The second period went how many have gone so far this season. It resulted in a blown Devils’ lead. Tage Thompson scored a tip-in goal just 33-seconds in to the second. The goal beat MacKenzie Blackwood five-hole at the center of the net. Thompson scored again just three minutes later, this time on a breakaway. Rasmus Dahlin flipped the puck over the Devils’ defensive pairing of Hamilton and Ryan Graves at his own blue line, and Thompson made a move on Blackwood and erased the Devils’ two goal lead.
Despite the two goals, New Jersey once again outplayed the Sabres in the period. At five-on-five they out-shot attempted the Sabres 23-15 and held, albeit very slimly, over 50% of the expected goal share. Now, it was not as good as the first period, where New Jersey held 80% of the goal share, but New Jersey was the better team.
New Jersey scored two goals within the first seven minutes of the third period. Jack Hughes was rewarded with a goal after his two assist first courtesy of a very nice back-handed rebound shot. Yegor Sharangovich re-directed home a Ty Smith point shot restoring New Jersey’s two-goal lead.
However, nothing is ever easy for the Devils. Ethan Prow scored his first NHL goal with around five minutes left in the game. He put home a rebound that Blackwood was unable to control. The puck went under MacKenzie’s pad to get Buffalo within one. Luckily, New Jersey held on for a very much needed and well-deserved victory.
As mentioned, Hughes had a three-point night and also led the team with six shots. He wasn’t the only Devil to have a three-point night, as Bratt tallied a goal and two assists as well. The third member of that line, Sharangovich, had a goal and an assist. Blackwood, who struggled at points, got the victory stopping 19 of 22 Buffalo shots. In total, the Devils outshot buffalo 42 to 22. New Jersey moves to 11-15-5 with the victory.
Games Notes
- This is the Hughes that the Devils envisioned when rewarding him with a large extension. Hughes was on the ice for 24 Devils’ shot attempts and only 10 by Buffalo. His expected goals-for % (xGF%) of 81.85 was third on the team. The most important aspect may have been his effect on Sharangovich who arguably had his best game of the season. Sharangovich had the second-highest Corsi-for % (CF%) and second-highest xGF%, plus the fourth goal of the game. Keeping those two united should be a point moving forward.
- P.K. Subban returned to the lineup for the first time in a bit after being removed from NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. In doing so, he arguably turned in his best game of the season. Subban was on the ice for five Devils’ high-danger chances, Buffalo didn’t have single one while he was on the ice. Furthermore, he led New Jersey with an xGF% of 85.25. At the end of the night, Subban had five shots on goal (second-most on the team) and an assist. Terrific night for the 32-year old.
- Another game goes past, and another game where the New Jersey goaltender does not save more goals than expected. Blackwood’s struggles this season are starting to become well-documented and even though he was not terrible in this game, he once again left more to be desired. Buffalo had an expected goals-for at all strengths of 1.57, but Blackwood gave up three. That is 1.43 more than expected which drags his season goals saved above expected figure to -6.23 which ranks 74th among 84 qualified goaltenders.
The Devils will be back in action, at the Prudential Center, on Friday night. This against the Edmonton Oilers (18-11-0).