Dec 23, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) skates with the puck towards the New York Rangers throughout the second interval at Prudential Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Pictures The New Jersey Devils hope the momentum they constructed main as much as the NHL’s vacation break will carry over after the three days off, because the Metropolitan Division leaders begin a two-day, home-and-home collection with the third-place Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in Newark, N.J.
Coach Sheldon Keefe’s workforce has gained 5 of its final six video games, together with the earlier two by shutouts. Jacob Markstrom stopped a dozen pictures within the Devils’ 5-0 win over the visiting New York Rangers on Monday. That got here simply two days after he made 12 saves in a 3-0 residence victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In response to the league’s file guide, the Devils have posted three straight shutouts as soon as, April 1-6, 1997.
Jack Hughes scored two objectives and added an help in Monday’s win. Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer every notched a aim and an help, and Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes each recorded a pair of assists.
The Devils’ offense has been on show over the last six video games, with the workforce scoring 19 occasions within the 5 wins. Nonetheless, the workforce’s protection has been enjoying equally as sturdy. New Jersey has not allowed an opponent to place greater than 20 pictures on aim in seven video games. That is the longest such streak because the NHL began monitoring the stat starting within the 1955-56 season.
It is a streak Keefe did not even know the league tracked when he talked to reporters after the win over the Rangers, however he mentioned it’s the results of a workforce exhibiting the willingness to defend the center of the rink and conserving the opposition from getting a number of makes an attempt on scoring possibilities.
“Whether or not it is having the puck properly and managing it properly or closing house when we do not have it, it is only a actually super buy-in and dedication from our guys,” Keefe mentioned. “Could not ask for extra in that regard.”
That shot-on-goal streak could also be in jeopardy Friday because the Devils face a Hurricanes workforce that averages 31.6 pictures per recreation.
Carolina wraps up a four-game street journey Friday. On Monday, it misplaced for the second time in three contests, falling 5-2 towards the Nashville Predators. The Hurricanes trailed 4-0 lower than three minutes into the third interval earlier than Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho scored 40 seconds aside, however that was as shut because the workforce would get.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour instructed reporters afterward the Hurricanes’ struggles of late are usually not because of an absence of effort.
“We obtained to maintain working it, looking for the best mixtures to spice issues,” he mentioned. “We all know a pair issues that we all know work, after which it is simply discovering the remaining. However (Monday), we simply as a gaggle weren’t exhausting sufficient to play towards for almost all of the sport, and we obtained what we deserved.”
The vacation break might have come at an opportune time for Martin Necas. The middle continues to guide Carolina in scoring, with 44 factors (14 objectives, 30 assists) in 34 video games. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old Czech is mired in a season-long eight-game aim drought. He is gone the final 4 video games with out an help, which is one other season-long streak, and has posted just one in his final six.
–Discipline Stage Media
