SAL’S QUICK HITS: GAME #21 vs. PHI

Hey, everyone!

Tonight is one of those games you just can't lose if you're the Devils. Nobody, including Rachel and I, want to find themselves talking about the first 3-game losing streak of the season in tonight’s postgame!

GOT GOALIE’D AGAIN 🤷‍♂️
Unfortunately, the Devils ran into future HOF goalies in back-to-back games, who each were extremely dialed in. Looking into the Goals Saved Above Expected numbers after the game (3.50 for Bobrovsky & 3.00 for Vasy), it was no surprise to see that these were the two best GSAE performances of any goalies the Devils have faced this season. In terms of the HD Chances, NJD outchanced FLA 14-7 and were dead even with TBL at 19-19. Stick with the same process tonight in Philly, where you will NOT be facing another future HOF goaltender! (Vladar).

6v5 PROCESS & URGENCY 🔥
I love the process and urgency we’ve seen from the Devils in 6v5 situations this season to prioritize getting pucks and bodies to the NF, and this shooting mentality process has paid off so far. The Devils’ underlying metrics — per 2 minutes of 6v5 — as seen below, are all ranked in the top 2, and they have two late GTGs to show for it. (Deserved a 3rd one last night!)

GREAT STORYLINES THROUGH THE FIRST 20 GAMES 📈

Injuries have decimated the lineup, but the Devils still found a way to come out of the first 20 GP with plenty of currency. Jack (17 GP), Brownie (13 GP), Dadonov (3 GP), Glass (10 GP), Pesce (9 GP), Dougie (16 GP), Kovacevic (0 GP), and Marky (missed approx. 2 weeks) have all missed time in this first 20-game segment, and the Devils still enter Game #21 with a 13-6-1 record. It has been impressive, to say the least!

Jake Allen (11 GS; 7-3-0; .920 Sv%; 2.13 GAA) has been outstanding. He continues to buy time for Marky to recover physically and find his game again.

Simon Nemec (4-8–12 in 20 GP) has risen to the occasion... and then some... with all of the injuries to the right side on the backend.

Dawson Mercer (9-7–16 PTS in 20 GP) is off to the fastest offensive start of his career.

Arseny Gritsyuk (4-6–10 PTS in 20 GP) is the real deal.

Five extra points have been earned already from OT/SO games. Last year, only 6 total points were earned from the Devils' 13 OT/SO games.

STORYLINES I’M WATCHING IN THE NEXT 20 👀

Special Teams need to rediscover at least some of its mojo, regardless of the personnel, as the PP and PK are both slipping over the last 12 GP, and the Devils’ 5v5 offense is not getting the job done right now. For more context, when comparing their first 8 games to the their last 12 games, the Devils’ PP has gone from #3 (32.0%) to #25 (14.3%), and the PK #3 (93.1%) to #30 (71.4%). 😬
Jacob Markstrom's performance. I’m intrigued to see the response from him whenever he fully recovers physically. As I mentioned, Jake Allen is doing a tremendous job holding down the fort and buying time for Marky to heal and reset without feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Cotter, Noesen, and Pally are on pace for 4 goals each, and as I talked about in this section of my last article, the Devils need at least 1-2 of these 3 guys to find their "streaky" part of the season in this upcoming segment.

BREATHING DOWN OUR NECKS
If you would’ve told me a few weeks ago, when the Devils were 8-1-0, that come Game #20, the Flyers would be 4 PTS behind the Devils with a game in hand, I would’ve been betting my house that you’re wrong!

That’s just the unbelievable parity in the league doing its thing right now, though. The Flyers — just like 26 (!!) other teams — have remained .500 or better to keep themselves in the race. I’ve been attributing a lot of this parity to the Olympic bump, but I think in the case of the Flyers, they’re benefiting from the good ol’ coaching bump under 13-year veteran HC Rick Tocchet.

But, look, regardless of why they’re getting a bump, this is a very important 4-point divisional game. The Flyers come into this game well rested, with it being only their second game in seven nights (whereas this is the Devils’ 3rd in 5). BEWARE OF THE COMEBACK KIDS
Following their resilient, 2-goal comeback OTW vs. STL on Thursday, the Flyers enter tonight’s games tied for the most CBWs with 8. Furthermore, what has been impressive has been the fact that they’ve conceded the first goal in each of their last six games, yet, they’ve gotten at least a point in five of them. The comeback kids are not quitting!

IS TK BACK?
Travis Konecny is not necessarily off to the start everyone expected him to have following a career-high 76 PTS last season, especially with that Olympic bump I have been speaking of. At face value, he only has 5-11–16 PTS — compared to 11-12–23 PTS through 19 GP last season — but 3 of his 5 goals this season have come in his active 7-game point streak at home. Don’t take him for granted!

Tune into tonight's pregame show at 6:30 p.m. as Rachel and I deep dive into our 20-game review, as well as some keys to getting back in the W column tonight in PHI!
-Sal