Here are my quick hits following the Devils’ 2-1 L to OTT, heading into Ring of Honor night vs. BOS:
Since Holiday Break
It's no secret that we’re starting to see the Devils be tested with some real adversity over this recent stretch of hockey, now winless in their last four games (0-2-2) and 3-6-3 since coming back from the Christmas break. For me, when you’re sitting well above .500 and have to work your way out of this rut like this, it’s never about the points or the standings; it’s all about getting your psyche and the mental aspect of your game reset inside that room. So, hopefully, these two days the Devils have had between games allowed everyone to rest, reset, and take a long, deep breath heading into a big game tonight vs. BOS!
Lack of Scoring Last 11 GP
After scoring only one goal in each of the games in the back-to-back set this weekend, it has now been 11 consecutive games in which the Devils have failed to score more than 3 goals. The tension and nervousness in the building this weekend, with each of those games tied going into the third period, were evident, and it all comes from the fact this team has been consistently unable to score goals and take control of games lately. (...I know... In those same tight, late-game situations, the vibe in the Rock was the complete opposite before the Christmas break!)
Overall, during this stretch (since the 4-2 W vs. CAR on Dec. 27), the Devils are scoring at a rate that has been dead last in the league. Yes, those are some ugly numbers, but it is at least encouraging to see that their rate of shots and slot shots are actually relatively similar to that of the first 38 GP. For me, it comes down to the overall execution — especially of the finish — that has not been nearly as sharp as it was. That 6.9 Shooting % can and will regress back toward that 11.2 Shooting % as they start to bury more chances. They’re still getting their fair amount of looks!
Power Play
Just like everyone else, I have no doubt this team will eventually find its groove offensively. But for me, it's probably going to have to start with the PP rediscovering its rhythm to get everyone feeling good about their game again. I’ve talked about the fact that when your star players are struggling to produce at the level they’re capable of, you can usually look at the PP production and find a significant correlation to the team's success offensively at 5v5. Over these last 11 games, it’s no coincidence that the PP is down 15.8 percentage points (31.2%; #2 vs. 15.4%; #27) and is not getting the job done like it was in the first half of the season.
The graphic below speaks for itself: the Devils, or any NHL team to be fair, need 3+ goals to win games consistently. Look no further than tonight's opponent, the Boston Bruins, who have scored 5.25 Goals/GP over their last 4 GP, as their PP has been clicking at 30.8% (4/13). Time for the NJD PP to find life again!
Get Back on Track vs. BOS
Looking ahead to a special night tonight at the Rock, I think everyone’s pumped to see if the Devils will come out with fire after the pregame ceremony and mentally move on from all these narratives we’ve talked about.
Two days off, a ceremony for the great Jacque Lemaire, and a tough test against a Bruins team that is 3-0-1 in their last 4 GP; that sounds like a recipe that would have me fired up for a strong 60 minutes!
Jacques Lemaire
Before closing out this article, I want to congratulate my former head coach, Jacque Lemaire, for such a well-deserved honor tonight. I had Lemaire as a coach in my ninth season back in 2009-10, and I instantly appreciated how intelligent of a hockey man he was. In terms of his understanding of the game, he was on a completely different level than any other coach I’ve had, and it was so eye-opening for me to understand how much I still had to learn about the game when I was around him. When you’ve spent 9+ seasons in the league, you get to a point where you think you know everything about the game, but then a guy like Jacque Lemaire comes in and shows you he’s a true hockey encyclopedia! He was certainly one of the most complete and outstanding hockey coaches I’ve ever had the privilege of learning from, and I hope the Devils get him one last W tonight!
Be sure to tune in to our pregame show tonight, as we have a very special lineup of guests coming your way! We’ll be joined by Stevens, Niedermayer, Larry Robinson, and Lemaire himself at the desk. It all starts at 6:30 p.m. on MSGSN!
Let’s Go Devils!
-Sal
Here are some graphics from Sunday’s broadcast!
