Here are some quick hitters from the 6-2 W over ANA, heading into VAN for the start of the Western Canada road trip:
Stuck With the Process
As HC Keefe talked about, the main theme and greatest takeaway from Sunday’s W is the way the Devils believed in their process and structure and got rewarded for it at the end of the night. Despite trailing 1-0 going into the room after the first 20 minutes, they understood that if they were to sustain the pressure they were putting on ANA, controlling play in the OZ and playing below ANA’s goal line, this would eventually wear out their opposition, who were in the second half of a back to back and coming off a loss against NYR in which they were leading 1-0 until 44:13 into the game. So the Devils stayed patient, replicated their first period’s process in the middle frame, and got rewarded for it by not only tying the game but also building off that momentum and taking a 3-goal advantage into the third. For more, here are some of my remarks from the 2nd Intermission Report!
Captain Nico Stays Hot
As Captain Nico continues to explode offensively early on this season, I've gone back and re-watched all of his nine goals (T-#1 NHL) from the first 12 GP, as it became evident that Nico was consistently picking corners in the top part of the net and beating goalies up high for a majority of his goals. Turns out, eight of the captain’s nine goals have gone top shelf, and six of those eight have been on the right side of the net. Here is an overview of Nico’s shot placements this season, as well as some of my comments on that from Sunday’s broadcast!
Side note, just one more goal tonight in the final October game would make Nico the first Devil since 1986 (Pat Verbeek) to score 10+ Goals in October!
Bratt’s October
Speaking of October, Bratter is currently riding his second five-game point streak of the month entering tonight, and I can confidently say that he has lived up to the title I gave him in my first article of the season, "Mr. October," as he is once again starting on time and producing right from the start of the season for the third straight year.
This is not to mention that Bratter is separately on a 7-game point streak against the Canucks, scoring 5-4—9PTS and 3 GWGs on a streak that dates all the way back to 5 years and 11 days ago today (Oct. 19, 2019) the game Jack scored his first career goal in a 1-0 W at the Rock in his first game against his brother Quinn. Pretty incredible stuff, and hopefully, it means we are in for a big game tonight from NJD#63!
Now, I do want to reiterate, though, that as fun as it is to look at these kinds of stats and streaks to get ourselves amped for the game, as a player, you are generally pretty unaware of streaks like this and are just focused on getting the W. Jesper would be the first to tell you that the only thing that matters at the end of the night is that the Devils have 2 PTS packed away in their bags when they head to Alberta!
Marky for NJD
Based on the morning skate today, HC Keefe will be going back to Jacob Markstrom against his former team. Marky spent seven seasons with VAN after being traded for the great Roberto Luongo back in 2014. With another W tonight, Marky can win back-to-back games for the first time as a Devil and for the first time since his four-game winning streak with CGY from Feb. 19 to March 2 last season!
Silovs for VAN
For the Canucks, it will be young, 23-year-old Arturs Silovs’ first career start against the Devils. Silovs did a remarkable job stepping in for 10 starts as the third string during VAN’s playoff run last season, but he has had a rough start to the 2024-25 regular season. Silovs was pulled after conceding 6 goals on 26 shots vs. CGY and then allowed 3 goals on 26 shots in a 4-1 loss in his most recent start against Tampa Bay two weeks ago, so you know he’s going to be rested, and hungry for his first W of the season tonight.
Grab your coffee on the East Coast and join us for our late start tonight as Rachel and I discuss the impact of Lazar's injury, Dowling's callup, the Hughes Bowl, Stefan Noesen, and the Hughes/Pesce pairing. It all starts live from Rogers Arena at 10 p.m. on MSGSN!
Let's Go Devils!
-Sal
Here are some graphics from Sunday's broadcast vs. ANA!
