The New Jersey Devils are hoping to keep the momentum they built before the holiday break going as they begin a two-day home-and-home series with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils, who are leading the Metropolitan Division, will play the first game on Friday in Newark, N.J.
Coach Sheldon Keefe’s team has won five of their last six games, including two shutout victories in a row. Jacob Markstrom made 12 saves in their 5-0 win over the New York Rangers on Monday, just two days after making 12 saves in a 3-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils have recorded three consecutive shutouts, a feat they last achieved in April 1997.
In Monday’s win, Jack Hughes scored two goals and added an assist, while Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist. Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes both recorded two assists.
The Devils’ offense has been strong during the last six games, scoring 19 goals in five of their wins. At the same time, their defense has been just as impressive. They haven’t allowed an opponent to get more than 20 shots on goal in seven games, marking the longest such streak since the NHL began tracking the stat in the 1955-56 season.
Keefe said he didn’t know the league kept track of that stat but credited his team’s commitment to defending the middle of the rink and preventing opponents from getting multiple scoring chances.
“Whether it’s having the puck well and managing it well or closing space when we don’t have it, it’s just a really tremendous buy-in and commitment from our guys,” Keefe said.
This shot-on-goal streak might be at risk when the Devils face the Hurricanes, who average 31.6 shots per game.
Carolina is wrapping up a four-game road trip on Friday. They lost 5-2 to the Nashville Predators on Monday, suffering their second loss in three games. The Hurricanes were down 4-0 heading into the third period but managed to close the gap with goals from Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho. However, they couldn’t get any closer.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said the team’s recent struggles are not due to a lack of effort. “We got to keep working it, trying to find the right combinations to spice things,” he said. “We know a couple things that we know work, and then it’s just finding the rest. But (Monday), we just as a group weren’t hard enough to play against for the majority of the game, and we got what we deserved.”
The break may have come at a good time for Martin Necas. The 25-year-old center continues to lead Carolina in scoring with 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 34 games, but he’s currently in the middle of an eight-game goal drought. He hasn’t recorded an assist in the last four games and has only one assist in his last six.
