SAL’S QUICK HITS: BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL

November 30, 2024

Bryce Salvador



Here are my quick hits following the Devils’ 5-4 W in DET heading into tonight’s season-series finale vs. WSH:

Building a Brotherhood
The brotherhood building inside that locker room was on full display to start this game vs. DET, as the Devils clearly took exception to the Rasmussen incident with Jack back in the first game in October. To sit on that frustration and loss for a month, and then to settle it on the ice physically and also get the win at the end of the day, had to be very uplifting for this team. In my books, this moment goes a long way in showing me that this team truly cares about each other. To go down by two, fight back to tie the game in the first period, and then ultimately have Jack score the GWG for redemption was epic. Once again, these are moments that past teams, specifically last season’s team, simply did not have the maturity level yet to handle correctly on a consistent basis.


Power Play Dominance
As a whole, I loved the team’s response yet again to dig deep and find a way to win, and every player up and down the lineup contributed to that. They stayed calm, remained patient, didn’t force plays when they were down, and Marky made the timely saves to keep them afloat. Then, most importantly, they capitalized on what the game gave them. Yes, I’m referring to likely the next most significant moments of this game, which were the back-to-back PP opportunities that each unit converted on in the final 6 minutes of the first period to get the Devils back in the game after the rough start. 

After finishing 75% (3/4) on the night (and now 6/9 in DET on the season), the Devils’ PP now holds the #1 (!) rank in the NHL at 32.5%, and I think it’s time once again to give a hat tip to AC Jeremy Colliton for the tremendous job he has done in his first season overseeing the NJD PP. 26 games in, it’s still very evident that opposing teams (other than maybe STL) have had no answers for Colliton’s motion-based, attack/shot-first PP, which subsequently forces PKs to have to make new reads and decisions on the fly. The execution of that emphasis to create confusion, take advantage of the looks the PK gives you, and also retrieve pucks relentlessly, has been extremely impressive. Combine that with the ample talent of personnel the Devils are able to deploy, and it is no surprise to me that they are the #1 ranked PP at the tail end of November. 

Season-Series Finale
Back at the Rock tonight, the Devils have one last crack at the Caps in the regular season as they look to finish the season series 3-0-1 vs. WSH. Yes, this was a very unorthodox season series from a scheduling standpoint, considering both sets of games were on consecutive Saturday nights, and all four games were scheduled before Dec. 1, but it’s been three fun hockey games to watch, nonetheless.

START ON TIME!
The main message and focus for tonight’s game, which has been reiterated directly by HC Keefe, is that the Devils need to start on time, score the first goal, and find themselves playing with the lead tonight. You can’t afford to continue chasing games, especially at home against a divisional opponent that’s won three straight and feeling good about their game right now. In the four situations where the Devils scored the first goal in front of Allen, he’s won 3 of those games with 2 shutouts — Get him some house money to play with tonight!

Tune in to our pregame show tonight as Rachel and I recap the win in Detroit, break down the season series so far vs. WSH, and discuss the Devils’ ability to bounce back following a loss. It all starts at 6:30 p.m. on MSG & MSG2!

Let's Go Devils!
-Sal



Here are some graphics from yesterday's broadcast!



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