SAL'S QUICK HITS: REMATCH IN RALEIGH

December 28, 2024

Bryce Salvador


Here are my quick hits following the Devils’ 4-2 W vs. CAR heading into tonight’s rematch in Raleigh:

Another Impressive Win
It took 15 minutes for the Devils to find their legs following the holiday break, but they proved to everyone yet again that once they find their “A Game,” nobody, not even an elite team like the Hurricanes, can slow them down! I especially loved the response we saw after Burns’ GTG 22 seconds into the 2nd period, as the Devils once again did not let a potential “deflating moment" turn into a barrage of goals AG. Instead, they weathered CAR’s push, remained composed, and took over this game by staying mentally and physically engaged.

Equally impressive in this game was the Devils finding a way to win by scoring all four goals at even strength, let alone against one of the elite 5v5 teams in the league, as they did not draw a PP in this game. To speak to just how rare a win like this can be, this was the first time the Devils won a home game in regulation without a power play opportunity since March 13, 1991! Crazy.


Marky
I give lots of credit to Marky yet again for coming in and getting the job done, regardless of how many shots he's facing on any given night, as he extended his point streak to 10 games while facing over 20 shots for the first time since Dec. 2 @ NYR. Marky ended up stopping 14 of 16 shots from the slot – including 7 of 9 from the HD inner slot - and some HUGE, timely saves that allowed the Devils to get settled in and ultimately feel comfortable playing with the lead in the 3rd period. Most notably, I point back to that massive save he made moving laterally on Roslovic 9 minutes into the second period, which came after Mercer had extended the lead to 4-2. If Marky doesn’t make this save, we might be talking about a completely different game right now!


Luke
What an effort it was from Luke Hughes last night, pulling away with his first career GWG at Prudential Center and tallying his third multi-point game in his last 4 GP. Don’t look now, but all of a sudden, Luke has found himself with 2-6–8 PTS in his last 6 GP and has 3-12–15 PTS in his last 16 GP. We’ve talked so much about Brett Pesce's impact being paired with Luke this season from a mentorship standpoint and the strides Luke has taken defensively, which is why it's an even greater feeling to see him get rewarded with elite, consistent production at big moments. Hopefully, there's more to come tonight for Luke as he looks to extend his road point streak to 6 games!


Mercer
Similarly to Luke, the DAWG, Dawson Mercer, has really come alive offensively in the last 6 GP, as he now sits on 3-2–5 PTS in that span and has registered a goal in back-to-back games entering tonight. Here’s a quick preview of a graphic Rachel and I will break down during tonight’s pregame show, which shows that Mercer is now actually ahead of his goals pace from his career year back in 2022-23 (27 goals). Granted, Dawson went on to record a 12-game point streak (11-9–20 PTS) starting in February that season, which accounted for over 40% of his goals total, but I’m willing to bet on the Iron DAWG finishing with at least 20-25 goals and 45+ points this season!

Take all 8 Points!
Plenty of positives from last night, yes, but the reality is that it wasn’t a perfect game for the Devils, and they'll need to be better in a few areas tonight in order to "sweep" this mini-playoff series tonight and complete the 8-point swing in the Metro standings. With the Canes headed back to their building, where they’re 13-4-0 this season and 4-1-0 in their last 5 GP, the Devils are going to need to dig deep and elevate themselves to another level tonight. For me, it all starts with a better first 15 minutes, as you do not want to be chasing another game, let alone a Rod Brind'Amour-led Hurricanes team on home ice. Yes, CAR is 87-6-7 (.905 PTS%) when leading after the first period at home since HC Brind'Amour took over, which is the best in the league since 2018. Don't let them get comfortable tonight!

Allen
Simply put, tonight is arguably the most important start of the season thus far for Jake Allen. The stakes of tonight’s game, combined with the fact Allen has not been in the W column since Nov. 23 (3-2 W @ WSH), make this extremely important for his confidence, especially with the Devils having another back-to-back set coming up on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day. Yes, Jake would be the first to tell you he would’ve liked to be a little better in his last start (4-2 L @ CBJ), but when a true veteran like Allen has been as good as he’s been overall on the road this season, you know you can turn to him to bounce back and rise to the occasion tonight. So, no worries over here; I’m expecting to see the same dialed-in version of Jake Allen we saw in his first 3 starts on the road this season!

Tune in tonight to MSGSN2 for our pregame show as Rachel and I further break down last night’s win, the NJD goaltending, and Luke and Mercer’s individual performances. It all starts at 6:30 p.m.!

Let’s Go Devils!
-Sal


Subscribe to my newsletter

Subscribe for the latest highlights and content