Recap
After losing the last seven games, the New Jersey Devils returned to the win column last night. It was a big win and a high-scoring affair for the Devils defeating the Montreal Canadiens 7-1. A much-needed win and a much-deserved two points for New Jersey.
Game Summary
First Period
The Devils came out flying and responded well after last night’s defeat. Within the first ten minutes of the game, the Devils were outshooting the Montreal Canadiens 8-2. They got some much-needed offense from the bottom-six in the lineup. After cycling the puck from low-to-high, a slap shot by defensemen Ryan Graves generated a rebound that Michael McLeod pounced on for the early goal.
The Devils never let up, and they kept the pressure on Montreal. Moments later, the third line got to work. Jesper Boqvist sets up rookie centerman Dawson Mercer who placed a perfect shot for his tenth of the season.
Second Period
The second period had a faster pace than the first did. Between the two teams, a total of four goals were scored. Montreal outshot New Jersey 16-13, but the Devils were on the brighter side of things. Montreal scored first on a shot by Brett Kulak that found its way through a slew of bodies. Moments later on, a beautiful passing sequence, the captain Nico Hischier netted his second goal in two games.
Jesper Boqvist notched his second point of the game with a beautifully placed shot to put the Devils up 4-1. An incredible setup by Damon Severson gave Boqvist a perfect chance to score.
Michael McLeod capped the end to the period pouncing on another rebound to score 5-1.
Third Period
The Devils finished strong and added two more goals before the horn sounded. Pavel Zacha scored on the power play to make it 6-1. Tomas Tatar also scored, and that was his first point in 12 games. The Devils held on and secured the two points.
Key Takeaways
- The best line of the game was the line of Andreas Johansson, Dawson Mercer, and Jesper Boqvist. According to Natural Stat Trick, the line had a Corsi-for % (CF%) of 66.67. Mercer and Boqvist both had a goal and an assist each.
- The Devils’ offense caught fire. They exceeded expectations for themselves. Natural Stat Trick credited the Devils with 2.83 expected goals. However, the offense put up seven goals. This meant New Jersey was doing a good job finishing the chances they did get, even though the Montreal net minder struggled mightily.
The Devils return to action Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues at 8:00 PM ET.