PREVIEW

In the first four games to open the 2022 season, the Devils are 2-2, winning their last two games, quacking the Ducks 4-2, and reeling in the Islanders 4-1. The Devils hosted the San Jose Sharks with a record of 1-5 on an East coast road trip and previously played the Rangers winning 3-2 and losing to the Islanders 5-2. The Devils are on a two-game winning streak and are looking to make it three.

Jack Hughes is now on the board after his first goal of the season in their win versus the Islanders. Newly acquired Stanley Cup Champ Palat had himself a two-goal night against the Islanders, joining the goal parade.

One keynote about today’s afternoon game is in 23 games against San Jose, Dougie Hamilton has 10 points (three goals, seven assists). Lindy Ruff and the Devils look to keep this momentum and fast tempo.

SILENT NIGHT

The first period for the Devils and San Jose was a quiet one. However, on the defensive zone, the Devils were composed and kept everything tight, preventing San Jose from taking any shots on goals. San Jose only finished that period with 6 shots on goal. Both teams played very aggressively on defense. Some big hits occurred on the glass as well. McLeod had his own highlight hit in this first period with a big hit along the glass.

Despite the Devils’ quiet start to the game, they had two Power Play opportunities but failed to convert on any, going 0/2 in the period. Both minor penalties by San Jose were hooking and holding. At this point, San Jose was 22 for 22 on their Power Play Kill unit for the season.

The Devils turned up the heat a little bit on the offensive zone later in the period by applying more pressure in Sharks territory with a series of wristers and slap shots against Kaapo. The period ended with New Jersey 0 and San Jose 0 with low shots on goals from both.

TURN UP THE HEAT

The celly’s finally made an appearance in the second period of the game. The Devils outshot the Sharks 20-8 this period and scored two goals. The Sharks were on the Power Play early in the second quarter after a cross-checking call against Devils’ Brendan Smith.

Jack Hughes had a chance on a nice breakaway but was denied by Kaapo. Hughes used the same move he did against Islanders goalie Sorokin by trying to go in the slot, but Kaapo was having none of it. On a two on situation, Palat squeezed a pass to Captain Nico Hischier. The goal had to be reviewed, and officials said the puck was redirected and kicked by Nico’s skate which overturned the goal.

At the 13:21 mark, Yegor Sharangovich put the Devils on the board with a 1-0 lead, scoring his first goal of the season. Later, the Devils went on the PP for the third time, and it did not disappoint. Dawson Mercer put the puck behind the net after it ricocheted off Kaapo and landed in front of Mercer. Just 32 seconds after the face-off of Mercer’s goal to put the Devils up 2-0, Sharks Kevin Labanc scored one, putting the Sharks within one.

The Devils looked aggressive and took a lot of opportunities this period. Blackwood was also busy this period, saving shots coming from San Jose. The Sharks did not allow a PP goal this season until Mercer’s goal. San Jose was 23 for 23 on the PP Kill.

CLOSING HELLS GATES

There was some action to start the third period, both teams went right on the attack. Blackwood and Kahkonen worked a lot in front of the net in the second period and continued to do so as the game went on. Then, a switch was flipped between both offenses. Miles Wood had a chance to lengthen the lead with a shot right in front of Kaapo but whiffed. For the first time in franchise history, the Devils recorded 37 shots on goal for five straight games.

With 4:19 left in the third period, Dougie Hamilton headed into the box for cross-checking to give the Sharks a PP. The Sharks called a timeout with 32 seconds left on their PP and hooked Kaapo to create the 6-on-4-man advantage. The Devils’ PP Kill did an excellent job holding their own to force it back to 6 on 5. The Devils almost extended the lead on the empty netter, but it came up just short, and the Sharks got to it in time to clear it. For a whole 2 minutes, the Sharks played with a 6-on-5 advantage to try and tie the game. But in the end, the Devils’ defense held up the fort and sealed the Sharks’ fate.

The final score from the Rock was New Jersey Devils 2 and the San Jose Sharks 1. The Devils now have a three-game winning streak and sit at 3-2. Their next contest is against Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Monday, October 24h, at the Prudential Center puck drop at 7 pm ET.