Here are my quick hits following the Devils’ 4-0 L in WPG, heading into tonight’s game in MIN:
Can’t Chase the Jets
Unfortunately, despite the Devils being just the second team to hold WPG to less than 20 shots in a game this season, their inability to protect the middle of the ice in the first few shifts cost them this game. Yes, the Devils hung in there and stabilized this game after the fact – They defended well and drew a few penalties, but they weren’t able to execute. Evidently, you simply cannot afford to give up two goals in the first two minutes against the best team in the league and expect to win, and that was the story at the end of the night.
Let’s not Jump to Conclusions…
With all that being said, I want to take a quick step back and touch on the bigger picture here. We are always harping on the importance of time management around the start and finish of each period, and after last night’s tough start, it can be easy to think that this Devils team struggles to manage the first and last five minutes of periods. However, the opposite happens to be true — the Devils are tied for 8th and 4th, respectively, when managing these two game segments. It might feel worse than it is because every moment is so important this time of year, but I’m happy to share that my findings showed the Devils have actually excelled in these critical time segments throughout the season.
Start on Time
For me, the biggest key tonight in MIN, if you're the Devils, is coming out and weathering the first 5 minutes of this game. And, in the case that you go down 1-0, you have to do a better job of not letting it turn into a multiple-goal hole.
This season, when the Devils concede the first goal, their .385 PTS% in those games is right around league average. It’s when they concede the second goal before tying it up — Like they did in WPG last night — that they’ve been the second-worst team (.053 PTS%) at recovering and finding a way to come back to steal points. Unfortunately, since the Christmas break, they’ve dug themselves this hole 12 times — tied for the third most of any team — and are 0-12-0 in these games.
In this case, especially where you’re potentially facing another elite goaltender in Filip Gustafsson, you have to know in that room that you cannot afford to find yourself chasing another game. You’re talking about a guy in Gustavsson who has won 6 straight games with a .960 Sv% and 2 shutouts when his team has scored first in front of him. I cannot stress enough how important the start will be tonight!
Critical Game for Marky
Lastly, I can’t end this article without quietly mentioning the fact that this is arguably the most important game of the season for Jacob Markstrom. Coming off the win in Chicago, Marky has an opportunity tonight to win consecutive starts for the first time in the calendar year 2025.
Seeing in my prep that Marky has had a lot of success playing in this barn is a promising sign that playing here could be a nice extra boost for his confidence. (At Xcel Energy Center, he has stopped 68 of his last 69 shots and is 5-1-1 overall with a .944 Sv%, 1.62 GAA, and one shutout). But look, that’s not to get away from the reality that Marky has struggled for a very long time now to find consistency. That’s why, for me, stringing together a couple of wins in a row now is such a critical first step in “Vintage Marky” rediscovering himself. Get him a lead to play with tonight!!
Tune in tonight to our pregame show as Rachel and I continue to break down last night’s loss in WPG, the playoff race in both conferences, and the keys to winning tonight’s game in MIN. It all starts at 5:30 p.m. EST on MSGSN!
Let’s Go Devils!
-Sal
Here are some graphics from last night’s broadcast!
