At this point, does a healthy Jack Hughes and Brett Pesce fix the New Jersey Devils? They can’t stop the […]
At this point, does a healthy Jack Hughes and Brett Pesce fix the New Jersey Devils? They can’t stop the puck, and apparently, neither can Jacob Markstrom.
Typically, Sheldon Keefe is more reserved with his goaltenders, allowing them to finish games and get their feet under them. However, three goals on seven shots just under eight minutes into the first period saw the Devils’ newly-extended No.1 goaltender riding the pine for the remainder of the game.
In front of the goaltender, it doesn’t look much better. The Devils, perhaps deflated by the early goaltending fumble, played uninspired hockey against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It’s their fifth loss in as many games on home ice consecutively, and we’re inching closer to hitting the big red panic button.
Let’s dive into the Devils’ brutal 8-4 loss.
First Period
The Lightning took advantage of an injured and laboring Devils squad early on Thursday. A turnover at New Jersey’s blue line wound up in the back of the Devils’ net just under the three-minute mark. Angus Crookshank struggled to exit his own end, and Scott Sabourin fed Nick Paul in the slot to give Tampa a quick 1-0 lead.
51 seconds later, Darren Raddysh’s shot from the blueline beat Markstrom, and the Devils were chasing two goals early in the opening frame.
The Devils needed to settle things. However, they took control of the puck after falling behind two goals. They proceeded to pepper Jonas Johansson with 12 consecutive shots following Raddysh’s goal.
Near the seven-minute mark of the first, Luke Hughes gained the right circle in the Lightning end, and rifled a shot by Johansson to cut the Tampa lead in half, 2-1.
Yet, Pontus Holmberg regained the Lightning two-goal lead on a low-danger backhand on the rush, giving the Lightning a 3-1 lead.
As a result, Keefe pulled Markstrom after allowing three goals on seven shots, and Jake Allen entered the game. Markstrom lasted just 07:56 in the Devils’ crease.
After the Devils killed a penalty on Nico Hischier for hooking Anthony Cirelli, Simon Nemec stepped into the penalty box right after the Devils captain was released on the same call.
It took the Lightning just seven seconds on the man advantage to extend their lead to 4-1 after Jake Guentzel cleaned up a rebound chance created by Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Second Period
The second period was no better for the Devils than the first. Tampa Bay controlled the majority of play through the first 10 minutes of the period. In fact, they extended their lead by four goals, when Oliver Bjorkstrand beat Allen glove-side.
The Devils showed some fight for a short span, and were rewarded with a goal. Jesper Bratt split the Lightning defense, got behind the defenders, and beat Johansson on a semi-breakaway to bring the Devils within 5-2.
Bratt’s sixth goal of the season snapped a 16-game goalless drought.
It was a short-lived period of momentum, however.
On a delayed penalty, the Lightning maintained puck possession in the offensive zone. After Allen made a handful of saves to try to keep Tampa Bay off the board, he was forced out of position, and Brandon Hagel scored to widen the gap again at 6-2.
Third Period
The Devils had some jump in the third period, and cut the Lightning lead in half early.
After an impressive give and go between Nemec and Colton White at the Tampa Bay blueline, White gained the offensive zone with poise. He fed Crookshank on Johansson’s back door for an easy tap-in goal, making it a 6-3 game.
Yet, despite a 5-0 shot advantage, and a goal in their favor, New Jersey gave a goal back, when Brayden Point scored his first of the game on the Lightning’s first shot of the period.
Paul Cotter broke away from the Lightning defense in the offensive zone, and scored an impressive goal in on Johansson all alone.
Yet, Bjorkstrand quickly scored again for Tampa Bay, and the Lightning held an 8-4 lead.
The final buzzer blared, and the Devils suffered their sixth loss and their last seven games.
After relieving Markstrom in the first period, Allen made 23 saves on 28 shots.
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