Match Summary
With MacKenzie Blackwood out, the New Jersey Devils would have to beat the odds to win against the New York Islanders, which is exactly what they did. Scott Wedgewood shined and the youngsters did their part in the victory. There were some bumps, however, that the Devils managed to persevere. Overall, the Devils’ 2-0 shutout was a great bounceback from Thursday’s loss.
Jersey’s only scoring came in the first period, but it was also their most tumultuous. New York went on the powerplay early and the defense forced Wedgewood to make stop after stop. He got into his groove and didn’t let up for the rest of the game. Towards the end of the period, Jack Hughes notched his third goal while Pavel Zacha got his much needed first.
Coming out of the tunnel in the second, the Devils’ got a few good chances but couldn’t seem to finish anything off. Not to worry, a combined effort between the defense and Wedgewood stymied the Islander attack.
The defense deteriorated a bit in the third but Scott Wedgewood picked up the slack once again to earn the win. It was a nice bounceback after a routing on Thursday.
Keys to the Game
Scott Wedgewood
As mentioned above, Scott Wedgewood was a wall in this outing. He made some valiant saves and picked up after a sometimes sluggish Devils’ offense. This was his second start since 2018 and his first shutout since 2017. Tonight was a much-needed win for the goalie.
After the game, he may have implied that star goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood has COVID-19. Further developments to come.
Jack Hughes
The Devils’ newfound star continued to overpower in last night’s matchup. His goal in the first opened the scoring and gave New Jersey some momentum. He also controlled the ice with an amazing Corsi For % (CF%) of 75.00 and an Expected Goals For % (xGF%) of 86.27. If he continues this pace, Hughes may become the Devils’ top center even when Nico Hischier returns.
Ty Smith
The rookie Ty Smith is continuing to light up the scoreboard. He had two assists — one of which was on the powerplay — to extend his point streak to five games. Likewise, he had his best defensive game of the season. He had a CF% of 60.71 and a Shots For % (SF%) of 66.67. The young Smith has been a force to be reckoned with this season.
Up Next
On Tuesday, the Devils take on the Philadelphia Flyers at home at 7:00 pm.