Though they used everything in the tank, the New Jersey Devils (30-26-4) fell to the Anaheim Ducks (23-35-3) 4-3 in a dramatic loss. The Devils had the game in their hands all night but couldn’t overcome their lack of finishing ability.
First Period
The Devils got off to a fast start, applying solid offensive pressure and getting the first five shots on goal, including a breakaway from Chris Tierney. Despite this, they couldn’t escape their curse of allowing the first goal as Frank Vatrano drew first blood for Anaheim at the 3:37 mark, burying Mason McTavish’s pass after Kevin Bahl tumbled to the ice below the goal line. The Ducks stole the momentum after their goal, getting the next five shots.
Jesper Bratt made a nice play to draw a slashing penalty midway through the period, giving the Devils a chance to tie the game. They had a great power play with four shots but they couldn’t put one past Lukas Dostal, including a dangerous rebound. Minutes later, Jack Hughes took a huge hit from Radko Gudas and Curtis Lazar went to bat for him, earning a two-minute instigator penalty and giving Anaheim a two-minute power play. New Jersey killed off the penalty and snapped the momentum right back.
Timo Meier got the Devils on the board at the 17:24 mark, burying it from in tight after a nasty play by Jack Hughes to corral the puck. It was Meier’s 14th career goal against the Ducks. The tie game didn’t last long as former Devil Adam Henrique killed the Devils’ energy a minute later, taking advantage of a friendly bounce and tucking it just inside the unprotected near post.
Despite going into the first intermission down 2-1, the Devils controlled much of the play in the frame, outshooting Anaheim 19-7. They posted a Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 70.97 and an expected goal percentage (xG%) of 82.01. They also had seven high-danger chances.
Second Period
The Devils came out flying to start the second period, buzzing in Anaheim’s zone. They peppered Dostal with shots, including a high-danger chance from Erik Haula on the back door but he and the rest of the team couldn’t finish. Brendan Smith slipped and slid into Frank Vatrano a few minutes into the period, handing the Ducks a power play. New Jersey managed a fantastic kill, even getting some time in the offensive zone. They took that momentum and went right back to work in the offensive zone.
Despite all of New Jersey’s good play, the Ducks were opportunistic. Max Jones scored the second goal of the Henrique line at the 13:47 mark, redirecting Jackson LaCombe’s shot in front of the net past Nico Daws.
In desperate need of some luck, Jack Hughes used his speed to draw a holding call soon after Jones’ goal. Hughes finished the job on the power play, waiting patiently as the Ducks’ defense misread the cycle before sniping one top-shelf with a minuscule amount of space.
Down 3-2 but firmly in control of the game, the Devils looked poised to jump back into the game. Frank Vatrano dashed those hopes with another late-period goal at the 17:08 mark, bursting behind a confused New Jersey defense and beating Daws one-on-one.
Once again, the Devils outworked Anaheim but that wasn’t reflected on the scoresheet. They notched a 64.86 CF% and a 66.65 xG%. Through two periods, the Devils outshot the Ducks 33-14.
Third Period
Akira Schmid replaced Nico Daws to start the third after he allowed four goals on 14 shots over the first two periods. After a strong first two periods that unjustly saw them go down 4-2, the Devils’ attack fell silent to start the third frame. They kept the edge in possession time and offensive chances, but nothing of high quality. New Jersey got a much-needed power play on a Gustav Lindstrom slashing but it turned out to be one of their worst of the year. They got nothing going and couldn’t even cycle well.
The team snapped out of their funk late in the period with everything, perhaps the season on the line but it was too little too late. Lindstrom got called for a penalty again, this time for cross-checking, sending the Devils back to the power play. They got multiple net-front sequences but, try as they might, they couldn’t move the puck past the goal line.
Lindy Ruff pulled the goalie in the midst of the power play to excellent results. Tyler Toffoli gave the Devils a glimmer of hope at the 17:03 mark, tapping home a rebound off Nico Hischier’s shot that hit the post.
What followed was pure six-on-five chaos. New Jersey held the puck in the offensive zone for shifts on end, getting great looks on Dostal in the process. With just seconds to play, the Devils unleashed a furious last-breath net-front scramble with Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes furiously jamming at the puck. Vatrano blatantly dislodged the net with 2.1 seconds to play, leading to a penalty shot.
Lindy Ruff called Jack Hughes’ number for the nail-biting moment. He circled the puck, skated in toward Dostal, tried a dangle, and fumbled the puck just as he prepared to shoot. With less than three seconds to play, that was all she wrote.
On paper, the Devils played a strong third period, earning a 58.06 CF% and a 59.04 xG%, but they failed to generate high-quality chances until it was too late.
Results
Last night was hands down the most gut-wrenching loss of the season. The Devils gave it literally everything they had, but the Ducks pounced on every mistake they made. Now, the playoffs seem farther than ever from the Devils’ grasp and difficult decisions must be made ahead of the trade deadline.
The Devils now own a record of 30-26-4 and sit in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, five points behind the third-place Flyers and six behind the Lightning for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Ducks are now 22-35-3 and sit seventh in the Pacific.
Game Notes
Jack Hughes Shines, Then Fails
Devils fans shouldn’t feel hatred toward Jack Hughes right now, they should feel pity and gratitude. He had a great night overall, scoring a goal and an assist. His goal came at a crucial time on the power play in the second period. He led the team with a Game Score of 3.03, with 2.39 of that coming from his individual offensive impacts alone. After a few games plagued by poor play possibly caused by a lingering injury, Hughes was the heartbeat of the offense last night. Unfortunately, the only moment he’ll remember is his missed penalty shot.
Great Game, Bizarre Outcome
Normally, when the Devils control the overall gameflow but lose the game, you can point to a specific collapse or bottoming-out point but you can’t do that with last night’s loss. They played solid hockey throughout, save for a brief period in the third period. New Jersey earned a 64.65 CF% and outshot the Ducks 55-23. They posted 3.18 xG to Anaheim’s 1.32, a 70.59 xG%. The difference?
The Ducks were the more opportunistic team. If the Devils had a two-minute shift in the offensive zone but didn’t score, the Ducks would come right back the other way and net their first shot of the shift. Of all the ways to lose, that kind of game has to be the most infuriating.
Up Next
The Devils will finish their California trip against the Kings on Sunday at 3:30 pm ET.