Hey, Devils Fans.
I just want to open this article by giving lots of credit to Fitzy for talking to the local media today, especially in the setting that he did. He took accountability, answered all of the tough questions around rumors we’ve been seeing on social media, and did it all in an intimate, sit-down environment. That’s not an easy thing to do at this point in time, but he didn’t shy away from any of it.
Now, from a hockey standpoint, the players have to go out and do their job by building upon Monday’s win in Minnesota.
CAPTAIN WORKHORSE
You wanna talk about a captain who’s willing to go to the hard areas with his lunchbox and get the job done? It’s not pretty what Nico does, but the end result is a Picasso. Absolute beast. He’s been in the corners, below the goal line, winning puck battle after puck battle at elite rates all season.
It was no surprise to me that he got rewarded last game in MIN with not one, but two primary assists in MIN off of wall battles below the goal line, as he led all skaters with five 50/50 puck battles won in the game. Pure willingness to create separation off the wall, get open eyes, and find Mercer and Pally in the slot are those Picassos I'm talking about! 🔥
DOUGIE'S RESPONSE GAME
It was great to see Dougie have such a strong, veteran response game following his healthy scratch. You could see everyone on the bench was so happy to see him connect with Bratter twice in 21 seconds to pick up those two primary assists... It was just a great human moment for Dougie. And, on top of that, he can now feel good about the fact he's contributing offensively, as he has 1-3–4 PTS in his last 5 GP, including 3 primary assists in his last 2 GP.
I love that Dougie is starting to make a statement that, as long as he remains a Devil, he’s going to block out all the trade noise and do his best to help the team win games.
PAUL THE PUCK MAGNET
I know Cotts didn't show up on the score sheet, but that was by far his most impactful game in a very long time. Against one of the heaviest teams in the league, he had season-high rates in both overall puck possession time and OZ possession time. Shift after shift, we saw him hold onto pucks, fight off hits, spin off checks, and create scoring chances at the net for his line with Glenny and Daddy. Sheldon liked his game and line so much that he gave them shifts on OZ FOs, such as the one in the final two minutes of the first period, a critical point in the game with the Devils looking to protect their 1-0 lead going into the first intermission.
When Paul’s playing this way, Sheldon rewards him with important minutes, and that’s exactly what we saw in MIN. Next, I hope he finds the back of the net and snaps this 11-game goal (and point) drought he’s in right now.
KOVY REST DAY, NEMO BACK IN
I don’t think it was on anyone’s bingo card in the first place to have Kovy come back from surgery and immediately play 3 games in 4 days to start his season. So, this is where the luxury of having 7-8 quality D that can compete with one another pays dividends, as Kovy can now get a nice 4-day break between games before facing CAR on Saturday.
Hopefully, tonight is another good night for Dougie, and Nemo’s best game back since returning from injury. In the end, healthy competition brings the best out of everyone.
MARKY
This will be the first time Marky is making consecutive starts since mid-December, when he won in OTT, then had a tough start at home vs. TBL (pulled after 3 goals on just 7 shots). So, this is another big opportunity for Marky to show Sheldon he can run with the crease again as the #1.
SHUTDOWN THE RUSH
Over their last 12 GP (9-1-2 Record), Seattle has completely transformed the identity of how they’re playing and creating offense, and it has been an extremely effective adjustment. They've gone from a heavy forechecking team — generating league-average rates in both OZ Possession Time & Chances off the Cycle — to a team that’s playing fast, up-tempo transition hockey and relentlessly driving blue paint. The Devils have to be ready to defend, starting in the neutral zone, and have numbers back. You can’t allow Seattle to find their game of the rush and turn this into a track meet, because it’s lightning-fast, quick-attacking hockey that’s creating a high rate of goals in front of some elite goaltending right now.
Tune into tonight's pregame show at 6:30 p.m. as we break down the response games of Pally, Dougie, Marky, the team as a whole, and how to build upon it tonight at home. LGD!
-Sal
