Late-Game Magic Another Sign NHL Shouldn’t Sleep On Devils
The ability to pull games out of their behind late is a trait of an NHL Team of Destiny.
It’s too soon to give the Devils that vaunted label, but they are starting to show signs that they have what it takes to take their game to the next level.
New Jersey’s 7-0-1 spurt since January 7 has been vastly different from how they ran out to a torrid 21-4-1 start. There have been fewer games where they’ve dominated possession with their speed, and they have instead been forced to play through more tighter-checking scrums. Yet they keep banking points.
The Devils’ 3-2 overtime victory over visiting Vegas on Tuesday night was the latest example. It was their fourth consecutive contest that required extra time, three of which they tied when Head Coach Lindy Ruff pulled his goalie for a sixth skater in the final minutes. Though Seattle tallied the overtime goal to end the Devils’ successful five-game road trip after captain Nico Hischier knotted it up at 3-3 with 1:14 remaining last Thursday, New Jersey took the extra point in the other three dogfights, including the last two on power play goals by defenseman Dougie Hamilton that were assisted by All-Star center (and Hart Trophy contender, if you listened to former Devil P.K. Subban’s analysis on the ESPN-plus postgame show that echoed my case in last week’s column at By Rejuvenating Once Dormant Devils, Hughes Has Entered The Hart Conversation (substack.com)) Jack Hughes.
Hamilton also scored Tuesday’s game-tying six-on-five goal with 1:10 remaining when his wrist shot from above the circle along the right wing boards ricocheted off Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb and past tough-luck goalie Logan Thompson. New Jersey’s first goal also took a fortuitous bounce that originated from the stick of wing Ondrej Palat and was deflected by defenseman Kaedan Korczak. The puck then fluttered over Thompson’s shoulder and into the net just 3:58 into the contest.
In overtime, Hamilton converted a marvelous zone entry and backhand pass from a prone Hughes along the right wing boards, sending a missile from the middle of the ice that Thompson had no chance to stop. It was similar to Hamilton’s 4-on-3 blast on Sunday that beat Pittsburgh, 2-1.
Only Tampa Bay has scored more goals at six-on-five than New Jersey (31-12-4), who moved into a first -place tie with Carolina in the Metropolitan Division, though the Hurricanes have a game in hand. Over their last eight games, the Devils are outscoring their opponents, 12-3, in third periods, the league’s best differential. They now have five wins when trailing after two periods this season, tied for the most with two other teams. They had four such victories last season.
You can’t have two Teams of Destiny in any one season, and the way Boston rarely loses gives them the nod for now. However, teams are finding out that you can’t sleep on the Devils, even when you think you have them beat.
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In addition to defying expectations with their winning ways this season, the Devils also have been defying NHL norms with their discrepancy between home and road performances. The last two OT victories inched New Jersey over real .500 at the Rock to 13-10-2, while they sport a league-best 18-2-2 road mark.
In my view, it seems the Devils tend to play simpler games on the road, throwing more pucks at the net, whereas at home, they are more likely to look to make plays that will impress their fans, often to their detriment.
Both Vegas goals came shortly after the Devils got too cute in the offensive zone in the second period. With a little more than eight minutes left in the frame, Hughes found Erik Haula alone in the slot. A quick move by Haula to his left seemed to fool Thompson, but instead of shooting into a partially open net, Haula sent the puck across the crease looking for Tomas Tatar.
It didn’t work. Vegas went the other way, set up shop in the Devils’ zone, and defenseman Ben Hutton tied the game at 1-1 with a nasty wrist shot that beat New Jersey goalie Vitek Vanecek up high.
Nearly three minutes later, it was Devils defenseman Damon Severson’s turn to mismanage the puck when he appeared to have a good shooting lane from the top of the left circle following a Hischier pass. Again, Severson demurred, gliding towards the wall before trying a hoper pass to Hischier on the back door. It took the Golden Knights about 28 seconds to convert off their ensuing rush, with William Karlsson stuffing in a rebound with the puck laying in the crease.
As the season progresses, the competition gets tougher and the games get tighter, with the middle of the ice more protected. You just don’t see as many pretty tic-tac-toe goals at five-on-five.
The Devils travel to Nashville and Dallas for a tough back-to-back starting on Thursday before they hit the All-Star break. Their next Prudential Center date isn’t until February 6 against Vancouver. Hopefully they’ll have figured out how they have to play at home by then.