The New Jersey Devils hope the momentum they built leading into the NHL holiday break will continue after three days off, as the Metropolitan Division leaders begin a two-day, home-and-home series with the third-place Carolina Hurricanes open. Friday in Newark, NJ
Coach Sheldon Keefe’s team has won five of its last six games, including the last two shutouts. Jacob Markstrom stopped a number of shots in the Devils’ 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday. That came two days after he made 12 saves in a 3-0 home win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
According to the league record book, the Devils have posted three straight shutouts once, April 1-6, 1997.
Jack Hughes scored twice and added an assist in Monday’s win. Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer added a goal and an assist, while Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes each recorded two assists.
The Devils’ offense has been spot on in the past six games, with the team scoring 19 times in five games. However, the team’s defense was playing evenly. New Jersey has never allowed an opponent more than 20 shots on goal in seven games. That’s the longest streak since the NHL began keeping track of the stats since the 1955-56 season.
It’s a game that Keefe didn’t even know the league was following when he spoke to reporters after the victory over the Rangers, but he said it was the result of a team showing determination to defend in the middle of the field and keep the opponents from getting it. many attempts to find scoring opportunities.
“Whether it’s having the puck well and handling it well or filling the gap when we don’t have it, it’s a lot of buy-in and dedication from our guys,” Keefe said. “Couldn’t ask for more than that.”
That scoring streak could be in jeopardy on Friday as the Devils face a Hurricanes team that averages 31.6 shots per game.
Carolina wraps up a four-game road trip on Friday. On Monday, they lost for the second time in three contests, defeating the Nashville Predators 5-2. The Hurricanes trailed 4-0 less than three minutes into the third period before Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho scored 40 seconds apart, but that was as close as the team would get.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters afterward that the Hurricanes’ recent struggles were not due to a lack of effort.
“We have to keep working, trying to find the right combination of spices,” he said. “We know a few things that we know work, and then it’s about finding something else. But (on Monday), we as a team weren’t tough enough to play against a lot of games, and we got what we needed. .”
The holiday break may have come at a good time for Martin Necas. The center continues to lead Carolina in scoring, with 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 34 games. However, the Czech, 25, is suffering from an eight-game hitting drought. He has gone the last four games without a hit, which is another all-time high, and has pitched one in the last six.
–Field Level Media
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