Hey everyone,
I expect another high-intensity matchup tonight! The Kraken and Devils each come into tonight’s game 6 PTS out of a playoff spot in their respective conferences, mutually in “fight for your life” mode down the stretch. Based on how the first meeting played out between these two teams in December, there may be another added layer of hunger to SEA’s game against NJD, as I would imagine it was one of their more frustrating losses of the season. Here’s a reminder of just how dominant the Kraken's push was for the tying goal, with Akira shutting the door in the 3rd period to steal 2 PTS for the Devils.
For more on the Kraken, check out the Pre-Scout graphic at the bottom of this article. Tonight should be another battle between two hungry teams!
It’s not too often that your team gets shut out and you can still say that it was their best effort of the season! Despite not executing offensively, the Devils could not have done more to earn this OT point. Their attention to detail and unified effort throughout the full 60 minutes of regulation was remarkable. They got timely saves from Vitek, two strong PKs, forced 31 giveaways from CAR (most by one team in an NHL game since the 2021-22 season), blocked a season-high 24 shots, and, quite frankly, had far and away their best defensive performance of the season.
No, they didn’t win, but for me, this style of play is going to be the recipe going forward for the Devils if they're going to make the playoffs. No, it's not every day that you'll be going to go into OT scoreless, but, you have to have the discipline and wherewithal to get points out of these tight, low-scoring games as the postseason inches closer!
Hopefully, the Devils can have a repeat effort in both halves of their upcoming back-to-back set, starting from puck drop tonight, and eventually carrying over into Nashville tomorrow night. Be sure to tune in to MSGSN as Erika and I recap the CAR game and break down NJD’s recent lack of offensive execution. It all starts at 6:30 PM!
-Sal
