Ball Drop in Columbus: Massive 3-2 Win Over the Jackets

First and foremost, Happy New Year to you all, we truly appreciate all of you maniacs that choose to spend your time here, day in and day out, through good times and bad, in our corner of the Devils universe. I truly wish all of you a healthy and happy 2026.

Since it is It’s New Years Eve, so I am going to keep this somewhat brief.

I had an entire obituary written after the 2nd period. In my head I traded the entire team, sent management to the gulag, relocated them to Houston. Debated McKenna or Stenberg, or does Lawrence make sense? Debated why I made the Devils like 60-65% of my personality. Cursed my dad who let me stay up late in 1988 to watch Johnny Mac send me on this journey.

Just more of the same listless nonsense that has plagued this team. It is difficult to write these recaps focusing on the micro when we still have several looming issues on the macro level.

But you know what?? None of that matters, we got the W in Columbus, 3-2 of the strength of a 2 point night from Luke (including the game winner) and another strong night from Jake Allen.

1st period

This was quite possibly the most period that ever perioded. Practically nothing good happened, and spoiler alert we went to the room down 1-0. The best opportunity was Jack missing an early breakaway after our old buddy Severson had an unforutante fumble. Just kidding on the unfortunate part, how’s Columbus, Damon?

Obviously right after that happened they were going to score, and sure enough they did. Marchment cleaned up a loose rebound after – get this – a failed clear. Luke throws it up the boards to no one, point shot, rebound and here we are. The Devils have now given up the first goal in 24 of 41 games which is almost 60% if you don’t feel like doing the math. This one all started in the offensive zone, after Jack’s breakaway, Luke half halfheartedly tried to feather a pass to Jack up top and it wound up coming back the other way. Between the failed clear and soft pass in dangerous area, Luke really has to clean it up.

“It’s playing hard, winning puck battles, board battles. Being intentional with the puck. Making hard plays. All these little details that will lead to goals because you’re playing the right way” – Sal

While an outrageous string of cliches, they are cliches for a reason. Luke has to be stronger on that at both ends, and frankly it’s something that plagues this entire team. The wing/forward also needs to pop out and present himself as an outlet for Luke, but there was Dawson just… staring at him. They just aren’t hard on the puck, they don’t take that extra step, they don’t play through the body. They puck watch. We got to the room down 1-0 after a good kill, but nothing felt good about it: generated less than half an expected goal, shots and chances were dead even, and aside from Jack’s breakaway nothing felt like it could’ve come close to going in.

2nd period

Pretty much what I said above but worse. Just no life from this group, Coyle gets on the board to make it 2-0 on broken play, Jack this time showing no fight as he gets easily stripped. The most embarrassing part of this period was a full blown segment on Olivier, narrated by Sal and Dano. Gross.

5 periods, no goals.

3rd period

BUT THEN THEY COME ALL THE WAY BACK AND REDEEM THEMSELVES.

Maybe this is a turning point, and there is reason to be optimistic?

They FINALLY got on the board on a simple, effective power play set up: Face off win, Jack taps to Luke who walks the line and sends a cheeky shot pass that Nico redirects with Noesen in front. Not gonna lie if that was against us, I would be ready with a pitchfork for the goalie, but since it was ours: great goal, high skill, good job guys. Do we cheer? I don’t know what to do with my hands.

Those are the types of dumb goals that open the floodgates and oh boy did the floodgates open, less than a minute later Grits unleashed a snipe from the top of the circle after a nice zone exit from Timo. And yes Don, that was Gritsyuk, not Hughes. What a shooter this kid is, more please, maybe give him some time with the guys who are really good passers:

And a minute later, we get another one??? What is this??! Some good dirty board work from Palat (see above quote from Sal) and a seeing eye pass makes it way from Brown to Luke who snipes one short side.

WOW.

Glass got into a little skirmish later. Gotta say this kid looks like a bit of a soft boy, plays with baby rabbits and such, but he’s big and has a little edge to him. I was also impressed with the PK on Dillon’s cross check, Nico got a partial breakaway and just some really firm, solid clears.

Allen held it DOWN at the end.

Devils WIN! Devils WIN! put a pitchfork in this one!

Scattered Thoughts

I hope you appreciate the multiple meanings on my headline. Really gave myself a chuckle.

Nice to see some of the snakebitten and whipping boys get on the board in Nico and Luke.

I thought Jake Allen played a solid game, and really made some great saves at the end to lock it down. Don’t look now but goalies haven’t been a problem: Since 12/1 Marky has a .900 and Allen has a .912 and over the last 7 games Marky has a .930 and Allen has a .931. Maybe score some goals, eh?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

LGD