The New Jersey Devils are heading into Thursday's game previously losing the Philadelphia Flyers, 6-1, which felt like when they played Buffalo last season losing 7-1 that deeply destroyed the team. For the Las Vegas Knights, they were looking to start a three-game winning streak after beating a good Boston Bruins team 4-1.
One of the key impacts the Devils needed to focus on was scoring the power play goals. The Devils had the power play five times against the flyers but could not capitalize on any of them. The Devils set forth at the Rock as they hosted a hot Knights team from the West.
All Cylinders Go
The Devils fired right out the gates, Jack Hughes puts one behind the net with 1:41 into the game after a rebound that deflected off Vegas goalie Robert Lehner from Dougie Hamilton's slap shot. That goal made it number 5 of the season for Hughes and it put the Devils up early.
Goal. pic.twitter.com/oDeGGyksuS
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 17, 2021
At the 2:33 mark Devils were given another opportunity, Vegas was hit with a two-minute minor for too many men on the ice. The Devils were granted a huge early power play that they couldn't capitalize on. The Devils have struggles in the power play ranking 31st in the NHL lowest of all teams.
Could Recchi be the blame for the long struggles of the power play unit and is their process getting any where?
The Devils shot themselves in the foot in the middle of the 1st period. Severson gets called for a roughing and is sent to the box. Not even a minute to spare the Devils commit back to back penalties. At the 8:48 mark Koukkanen is called for tripping adding two more minutes.
Vegas had the 5-on-3 advantage, the Devils complete the first penalty kill but fail on the second kill.
Dylan Coghlan at 10:27 mark scores a power play goal on the 5-on-4 advantage. Knights tied it up 1-1 and thats how the 1st period ends.
A Slow Second Period
The Devils started off very slow in the early going of the 2nd Period. There wasn't any real production from the team offensively.
Vegas took advantage of the their opportunities, at the 3:47 mark William Carrier puts one behind the net after a mishap by the help side defense of the Devils. Carriers goal puts Vegas up 2-1 on the Devils.
At the 5:48 mark Dylan Coghlan is called for tripping and sent to the box. Once again the Devils have the opportunity with the 5-on-4 power play.
Vegas PK unit does its job and killed it, the Devils failed once more to produce a goal on the power play.
In the late period the Devils began their attack creating shots and opportunities for themselves to produce goals, but couldn't find a way to finish.
At the end of the second period, the Devils finished by out shooting Vegas 15-7 but came up with nothing at the end. Give a lot of credit to McKenzie Blackwood who kept the Devils hope alive in the second and keeping them in the game.
To Little To Late
The Devils opened up the third period with some early struggles. Dougie Hamilton gets called for high sticking at the 3:03 mark. The penalty kill unit does a great job however to keep the game 2-1.
Vegas was 1-3 on the power play tonight and took advantage of the costly mistakes by the Devils. At the 7:37 mark William Karlsson gives the Knights a comfortable lead scoring a goal. It didn't stop there for the Knights as the goals continued. A minute went by and the Knights put up another goal at the 8:10 mark to make it 4-1 Vegas to increase their cushion. That goal was scored by Nicholas Roy.
The Devils now on the power play for the third time tonight, after a high sticking called on Dylan Coghlan at the 8:30 mark for his 2nd time in the box.
The Devils went 1-3 on the power play; Thomas Tata scores at the 10:03 mark for a power play Goal to make it 4-2, scoring his 6th goal of the season.
Top-shelf tuna.#NJDevils | @PSEGDelivers pic.twitter.com/jGSkOp92ff
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 17, 2021
The energy was working for the Devils, at the 12:29 mark Jimmy Vesey scores a goal to make it now 4-3 and pull the game within one.
Devils decide to pull McKenzie Blackwood from the game and to have the extra man. Vegas was able to score on the empty net, goal scored by Marchessault would make it 13 on the year for him.
Excitement ran through the arena; what it appeared to be a goal by Jack Hughes was overturned by a challenge from Vegas and was overturned. The overturned call was made from referee Rooney and the result was "offsides".
11.4 seconds left in the third period chaos erupted, a massive brawl broke out between both sides on the ice. Mason Geertsen was jumped by two Knights players out of no where. Tensions rose fast between both teams, but the spark of it wasn't found or known. Couple of Knights players were ejected for the fight which included starting goalie Robert Lehner, received a ten minute major.
After the overturned call and brutal brawl, the energy dispersed from the arena. Fans watched the final seconds turn to zero with frustration.
Post-Game Devils Takeaways
The Devils now sit with a four game losing skid and have only have three wins under their belt in the last 16 games. Despite a lot of negativity surrounding the team; there are positive notes to focus on.
Vegas is one of the better physical and high power offenses in the league. If the Devils take away the penalties this is a whole different game tonight. It doesn't help when the roster is on the COVID 19 Protocol list, but the team fought and played hard Thursday.
During the post game interview head coach Lindy Ruff expresses his voice about the teams performance after tonights game.
“Where we are at as a team, we gave it everything we had. We battled hard.”
Hear from Lindy Ruff after tonight’s 5-3 loss to Vegas. pic.twitter.com/Mz5GDMmIik
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 17, 2021
The Devils losing skid is now at four and sit 7th in the Metropolitan division with a depleted roster and a struggling power play unit.
New Jersey is going to need to find a theme and momentum to end this losing streak.
The Devils head to Detroit to play against the Red Wings December 18, puck drop beginning at 8pm Eastern time.
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