So far, two teams have been eliminated from playoff contention this season: the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers. Unfortunately, it looks like the New Jersey Devils may very well be the third team to join this group. With their postseason odds down to just 0.1%, the team’s best bet will be to close out their final 10 games strong and regroup during the offseason.
However, fans have been rallying for one last push, cheering the Devils on during the final stretch of the season. In their last 10 games, they’ve gone 6-4-0, and had a fairly successful five-game road trip.
There are a few factors behind their red-hot streak of games at the end of the season. Here are three important contributions to their recent success.
Top Players Leading the Way
The Devils’ offensive output has skyrocketed since returning from the Olympic break. So far in March, the team has scored an average of 4.0 goals per game — marking a 90.5% increase from 2.1 goals across January and February. In fact, all eight of their victories this month were a product of scoring four or more goals.
Unsurprisingly, most of the heavy lifting has been done by the Devils’ top players, with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt leading the way. In their last 12 games, Hughes has contributed 20 points, while Bratt has been his right-hand man with 11 assists, paired with a recent five-game goal streak.
The “PB&J” duo has been unstoppable as of late, combining for 11 goals in the Devils’ last six games. This season, they’ve been on the ice for 55 goals, and have an expected goals for percentage of 62.52%. Their elite point production has been crucial as the Devils attempt to climb the standings one last time.
Another player whose increased offensive contributions have made a difference is Nico Hischier. Leading the team with 26 goals this season, he has 13 points throughout March, including four power-play goals and two game-winning goals. He even had a four-point game against the Los Angeles Kings, scoring two goals and adding two assists in the Devils’ 6-4 victory. Hischier continues to be an ideal captain, leading by example while the team gains momentum.
Newfound Confidence
One thing the Devils haven’t been shying away from is a hard-fought battle. Whether it be bouncing back from a deficit, extending a lead, or playing a more physical game, they have answered challenge after challenge toward the end of the season.
A perfect example of this was Thursday night’s 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators. The Devils set the tone at the end of the first period, after Bratt deflected Hughes’ initial one-timer past Justus Annunen and into the net. Even though they allowed the Predators to tie the game at two in the second, it didn’t take long for the Devils to regroup, scoring two unanswered goals in the third period.
This performance showcased their determination and resilience, as stated in the captain’s postgame interview. “Simple things get the momentum back. It could be anything, it could be a hit, good pass, good play, good battle, even. It’s the little things that sometimes matter,” said Hischier.
Even though they’ll miss out on the playoffs, it’s great that the Devils have found confidence within their current group. At long last, they’re back to playing with the kind of fast-paced, unfaltering swagger that hasn’t been seen since the start of the season.
Special Teams
The unsung hero of the Devils’ recent stretch of games has been their penalty kill. Since the start of March, they’ve had a kill rate of 80%, surrendering only six goals. The Devils have also been aggressive with forcing turnovers, preventing zone entries with tenacious discipline.
Their first test came with two sets of back-to-back games, where they blanked the Florida Panthers’ and New York Rangers’ power plays, allowing an average of just four shots against in 4-on-5 scenarios.
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Likewise, they’ve also shown significant improvement on the man advantage, with 10 power-play goals in 12 games — half of which came against the Rangers. Earlier this month, they went 3-for-3 against their Hudson River rivals at Prudential Center. Then, in their following matchup, the Devils scored another two power-play goals at Madison Square Garden, courtesy of Hischier and Connor Brown.
Currently, their 22% success rate ranks 13th in the NHL, and their power play has been a deciding factor in three of their last five wins. The Devils scored twice on the man advantage against the Kings, and their power-play goal against the Predators allowed them to regain the lead.
Moving forward, the Devils’ special teams will play an important role, along with their newfound confidence and contributions from top scorers. For the remainder of the season, the team should keep working toward consistency, then focus on a retool during the offseason.
