Another marquee matchup coming up at the Rock today... Gotta love it!!! 🏒
WINNING WAYS AT HOME CONTINUE
What a thriller it was at the Rock on Thursday night! As I said in the postgame show, this is a game that the Devils lose last season, and for them to get both points out of it was outstanding. Having a team like MTL, that was entering the game with 14 different lead changes and 10 one-goal games already this season (both the most of any team), it was expected that this game might be a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but the Devils stuck with it and got the CBW to remain undefeated at the Rock. 🔥
MUCH NEEDED GOALS
It was great to see four different Devils get big goals for themselves, individually, in this game. Glasser immediately opened the scoring in his first game back from injury, Pally snapped his 13-game goal drought (the longest goal drought to start a season in his career), Timo snapped his 9-game goal drought with the huge, late GTG, and Bratter snapped his 6-game goal drought with his OT winner. This was nothing new for Bratter, though, as this was his 3rd GWG in his last 5 GP against MTL. 👀
NEMEC STAND UP
Colton White is expected to play in his first NHL game since 4/13/23 this afternoon as a result of Dougie’s injury vs. MTL.
If this is the case, Nemec will be the only RHD in the lineup today and will likely get PP2 time as well. For me, Thursday night’s game was another example of the consistent theme of Nemo elevating his game when he knows he’s being relied on as a next man up on the backend, and I am expecting another solid game from him today as a result.
As far as I can remember, Thursday night was the third time that the Devils lost a defenseman early in the game with Nemec in the lineup, and in each one of those games, Nemo took full advantage (this might be an understatement) of the increased minutes that he had in each situation.
PALAT • GLASS • GRITSYUK
This line was the Devils’ best line vs. MTL - controlling 69.2% of the SAT share, 62.5% of the Shot share, and 62.5% of the Scoring Chances share in their 8:25 5v5 TOI. (…Goals For were 1-1, but Dach’s Goal AG them was one in a million!) One game is a very small sample set, but this could be a dominant 3rd line in the making for the Devils.
NOESEN • HUGHES • BRATT
So far, this line has been good, but has had no finish... Another small sample set, but in the 3 GP as a line, they’ve generated a 52.8% SAT share, 57.1% Scoring Chances share, and 58.3% HD Chances share in their 32:07 TOI together at 5v5. Again, they haven’t gotten rewarded for it yet (Goals For are 0-3), but it may be only a matter of time until Noesen becomes the bread for the PB&J. 🥪
THE BREAKAWAY BREAKDOWN ANOMALY
The Devils have already conceded 12 uncontested breakaways, the most of any team… and almost half of their entire total (30) from last season! (Per Clear Sight Analytics).
Seeing that 8 of the 12 uncontested breakaways occurred on the West Coast road trip & MTL, I will chalk it up to being without Pesce (D-pairings have been in a blender), then, without Brown (FW lines in a blender), and fatigue.
Again, having conceded already almost half of the total from all of last season, just 14 games in, this has to be an anomaly - I HOPE! 😬🙏🏼
ANOTHER AWESOME MATCHUP
MTLvsNJD certainly lived up to the hype on Thursday night, and this matchup with PIT sets up to be another exciting, fun game to watch at the Rock.
Hopefully, the Devils can quickly get to their identity by exploiting the fact that the Penguins have done a terrible job defending the rush this season, as they are conceding 7.5 Rush Chances/GP, the highest rate of any team. 
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Now, I for one can’t say I expected Crosby (11-8–19 PTS; tied for the league lead in goals) and Malkin (3-17–20 PTS; tied for 6th in PTS) at 38 and 39 years old, respectively, to be dominating the way they have been to start this season. It has been impressive, to say the least, and I am looking forward to deep diving into this more with Rupper and Rachel in our pregame show this afternoon.
STAY OUT OF THE BOX.... AGAIN!
The Devils survived the scorching hot MTL PP, which was entering Thursday night 7/12 in its last 4 GP, by holding them to less than 2:30 of PP time and getting the job done on the kill. Well, now you have a PIT PP that is ranked #1 (35.9%) entering this afternoon and is coming off a 3-PPG game vs. WSH on Thursday. To put this in perspective, it is the best PP% the Penguins have had through 15 GP in the “Crosby era.” And, for Sid specifically, who had 2 of the 3 PPGs vs. WSH, his 6 PPGs on the season are the most through 15 GP in his career.
The bottom line? Stay out of the box again!!!
Be sure to tune in at 12 p.m. today for our pregame show, as Rachel and I will be joined by Rupper to break down the Devils' success at home, Nemec's opportunity, and Sid & Geno's dominance. I will also be chatting with former Pen, Cody Glass, during pregame skate!!!
Here are some additional graphics from Thursday's broadcast!
