N.Y. Rangers: Chris Kreider Sticks Pitchfork Into Devils

From the desks: THE BRICK CITY STYX & RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

I - NYR 4; NJD 3*

*shootout

Off-Broadway Kids Come Through Against Devils

Low and behold, Alexis Lafreniere and Kappo Kakko each played good games on the same night.  

After Adam Fox tied the game at one, Lafreniere scored at 11:24 of the second period on feeds from Kappo Kakko and Jacob Trouba.  It's only Lafreniere's fourth goal of the season and his first of November.  However, roughly two minutes later, Dougie Hamilton scored on a power play tying at two.

The Rangers failed to score with a man advantage in the third, but immediately after Newark's successful penalty kill, Kappo Kakko scored assisted by Ryan Strome.  But you know me ... if the Rangers had a top-flight center, Kakko doesn't need to fill the lane.  Kappo's second-period assist and third-period goal are his first two points this season.  They come in his eleventh game.

Together, Alexis Lafreniere and Kappo Kakko have tallied a grand total of six points.

Meanwhile, Chris Kreider continues killing it.  His game-winning goal in the seventh round of Sunday's shootout may not count on the back of his baseball card.  But his two goals against the Blue Jackets are etched in stone.  Kreider has now scored a goal in nine of 15 games played and has 14 points.  Two consecutive games are the longest he's gone this season without a goal.

Pavel Zacha scored at 16:17 of the third period to send this game into overtime.  It was his seventh goal this season.

Mackenzie Blackwood was forced to leave the ice midway through the third period with an upper-body injury.  Jonathan Bernier closed out regulation time, held the Rangers scoreless in overtime, and denied them through six shootout rounds.

Making his fourth start, Alexandar Georgiev stopped 24 of 27 shots.

N.J. Devils: Newark Offers Wandering Long Islanders No Quarter

From the desks: THE BRICK CITY STYX & LONG ISLAND NOMADS

THURSDAY

Islanders   0

DEVILS      4

FINAL

Islanders Arrive on Familiar But Unfriendly Shores

Newark, New Jersey, is the closest the Islanders have been to home base since departing for an Oct. 14 game at Carolina in the first stop of a Homeric-like season-opening 13 game road Odyssey.  

The Isles defeated the Winnipeg Jets but lost to the Minnesota Wild on the very next night.  Four days later, they sailed up the Hudson River where their metropolitan area neighbors on Thursday night offered them no quarter.  

With their defeat at the hand of the Devils, the Long Islanders are now 5-4-2 with two more road games left before finally swinging the doors open at the brand new UBS Center at Belmont.

I know Barry Trotz isn't one for excuses and is not exactly pleased with their play of late, but I believe the Islanders are still in a good place and that a significant correction will occur when they play 12 of 20 games at home through Christmas.

Semyon Varlamov finally made his 2021-2022 debut during the Isles Nov. 7 game against Minnesota, who went wild with five goals but only three off Semyon, who stopped 34 of 37 shots on goal.  But Varlamov did not earn a second straight start.  Enter Ilya Sorokin.  Making his tenth start and coming off a shutout over Winnipeg, this may have been both Barry Trotz's and Ilya Sorokin's most frustrating game to date.

Long Island's power-play in the first period fell apart like wet toilet paper.  At 12:12, Janne Koukannen capped off a flurry of activity in front of Ilya Sorokin with a shorthanded goal on assists from P.K. Subban and Nico Hischier.

With 0:50 left in the second period, Tomas Tartar scored during a Devil power-play on feeds from Dougie Hamilton and Pavel Zacha.

Dawson Mercer gave Newark a 3-0 lead at 5:46 into the third period, assisted by Andreas Johnsson and Jesper Bratt. Approximately eleven minutes later, Dougie Hamilton closed out the scoring with his third goal this season at the 16:33 mark.

However, the clear star of the game was Newark goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.  He faced 42 shots on net and stopped them all, including 35 at even-strength and five on special teams.  It marks his second consecutive win through three starts and his first shutout this season. 

The Devils improve to 7-3-2, just four points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.

Next, the Islanders set sail for Tampa.

 

Calgary Flames Sack Towns of Manhattan and Newark

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

UP IN FLAMES

It's as if Calgary was some ancient civilization that amassed an army, marched East, laid siege to the metropolitan area, and burnt it to the ground upon arrival.

After defeating the Capitals at Washington, the Flames arrived in Manhattan on Monday.  What started as a tightly contested affair quickly deteriorated into a rout.  Igor Shesterkin committed the first of his two cardinal sins when Christopher Tanev scored with just 1:10 left in the opening period.  Then, just over two minutes into the second period, Calgary made it a 2-0 game.  The Rangers showed signs of life at 5:25 of the third period when Kevin Rooney converted feeds from Jacob Trouba and newcomer Dryden Hunt.  Afterwhich, it was flame on.  Calgary scored three unanswered goals.  Shesterkin's second cardinal sin came on a penalty kill with just 0:05 left in regulation giving the Flames a 5-1 final margin of victory.

The Flames next invaded Newark on Tuesday.  They scored four unanswered goals within the first 13 minutes of the game.  Starting between the pipes, Nico Daws yielded three goals on Calgary's first seven shots and was promptly pulled.  In relief, Scott Wedgewood surrendered the Flames' fourth goal of the first period and another midway through the third.  The Devils mustered three goals, two by Pavel Zacha and one by Dawson Mercer.

Calgary has 17 goals in their last four games, with the Steel City dead ahead.  Playing minus Jack Hughes, the Devils have until Saturday's game against the Penguins to recover.  The hope here being Calgary treats Pittsburgh similarly.

N.J. Devils: Newark Spoils Seattle Kraken First Visit to Metropolis

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

TUESDAY

KRAKEN   2

DEVILS     4

FINAL

On Tuesday, the Seattle Kraken made their first-ever visit to the metropolitan area, but it did not go well.

Rookie Dawson Mercer scored five minutes into the game. A little over a minute and a half later, defenseman Damon Severson gave Newark a 2-0 lead on feeds from Jack Hughes and Ryan Graves' second assist of the period.

Seattle scored midway through the second period, but that was answered at 14:48 when Jimmy Vesey beat (G) Joey Daccord on feeds from Andreas Johnsson and Colton White.

The Kraken scored a power-play goal at 14:41 of the third period, but Pavel Zacha put the game out of reach with 0:20 left in regulation.

Newark's centermen joined together on five points and accounted for 18 (54%) of their 33 shots.  Devil defensemen accounted for four points.

Newcomer Jonathan Bernier earns his second win in as many starts.  Signed as a free agent, Bernier goalie stops 27 of 29 shots, and the Devils blocked 17 other attempts and escaped with 4 of 5 penalty kills.

The Devils open the season 2-0-0 at home, their first victory coming against the Blackhawks with four goals scored in each game.

N.Y. Rangers: Eight Points in Six Days Against Devils Keep Blueshirts in Chase

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Rangers defeat Devils; 6-2

I - NJD 4; NYR 3

II - NJD 5; NYR 2

III - NYR 6; NJD 1

IV - NYR 6; NJD 3

V - NYR 3; NJD 0

VI - NYR 4; NJD 0

VII - NYR 6; NJD 3

VIII - NYR 6; NJD 3

Young Devils Taking Their Lumps

Had the Devils managed to stay out of the penalty box, they might have gotten somewhere.  Newark allowed the Rangers five power-play opportunities, and the Blueshirts converted on two.  

Nico Hischier got whistled for roughing Jacob Trouba at 5:23 of the first period.  Chris Kreider made the Devils pay just over a minute later on feeds from Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin.  

At 14:03 of the first, Vitali Kravtsov scored his first NHL goal.  It comes in his ninth game with the club.  The 21-year old was selected by the Rangers with the ninth overall pick of the 2018 draft.  

Something which brings me great joy occurred at 5:17 of the second period; Alexis Lafreniere scored his eighth goal of the season on assists from Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil.

In a very similar fashion to Saturday's game, the Rangers yielded three unanswered goals at most inopportune times.  Not once but twice, they committed one of the cardinal sins in hockey: never allow a goal in the first or last two minutes of a period.  Mikhail Maltsev did just that at 18:55 of the second period on assists from Yegor Sharangovich and P.K. Subban.  Then just 1:53 into the third period, Marian Studenik scored his first NHL goal on feeds from Andreas Johnsson and Mikhail Maltsev.  Less than four minutes later, Nico Hischier tied the game at three on assists from Nolan Foote and Nicholas Merkley.  

For Foote, it's his first NHL point in his first NHL game, and in his fourth NHL game, Marian Studenik scores his first-ever goal.

Playing minus Jesper Bratt and Pavel Zacha, the Devils won more faceoffs and generated more shots on goal but erred late in their comeback.  At 15:50 of the third period, Ryan Murray was sent to the box for high-sticking Kaapo Kakko.  Mika Zibanejad reclaimed the lead for the Blueshirts just over a minute later on assists from Adam Fox and Ryne Strome.  In turn, Strome scored the capper at 19:35 from feeds by Artemi Panarin and Colin Blackwell for a 6-3 final margin of victory.

New Jersey, one of the youngest teams in the league, is now 2-10-2 in their last 14 games.  They're presently on a six-game skid after losing two against the Penguins and four in a row against the rival Rangers, who remain four points behind the Bruins with eleven games left.  However, the Bruins have two games in hand.

Battle of the Hudson: Rangers Hand Devils Fifth Straight Defeat

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE of the HUDSON

Rangers lead Devils; 5-2

I - NJD 4; NYR 3

II - NJD 5; NYR 2

III - NYR 6; NJD 1

IV - NYR 6; NJD 3

V - NYR 3; NJD 0

VI - NYR 4; NJD 0

VII - NYR 6; NJD 3

VIII - SUNDAY

Pavel Buchnevich Scores First Career Hat Trick on Birthday

Things are winding down to an interesting conclusion.  Not only are the Rangers a mere four points behind the Bruins with twelve games left to play, but the final two regular-season games are at Boston.  

I wonder if this is indeed the reason why the Rangers didn't trade Chris Kreider.  Of all the players purged these last few years by Jeff Gorton, I remain surprised they A)-signed him to a prohibitive contract, and B)-by the simple fact he is still here.  

Chris Kreider scored the Rangers' sixth and final goal of Saturday's match against the Devils into an empty net, that is.  It marks his first point in six games and his first goal since Mar. 28 at Washington.  Since scoring a hat trick on Mar. 4 against these very Devils, Kreider has just three points through nine games in April and just five goals in his last 23 games.

That won't jive in the playoffs.  Just saying ...

Pavel Buchnevich opened the scoring at 7:26 of the first period on feeds by Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad.  The Rangers then scored on consecutive power plays, first by Ryan Strome at 10:27 with assists from Panarin and Zibanejad, then again by Pavel Buchnevich (K'Andre Miller, Colin Blackwell) at the 11:48 mark for a 3-0 Rangers lead.

Artemi Panarin scored within a New York minute to open the second period with assists from Ryan Lindgren and Ryan Strome for a commanding 4-0 lead.  The Rangers appeared on their way towards a third straight blanking of the Devils, but Michael McLeod ended that notion at 12:37 of the second period with his seventh goal of the season.

Into the second intermission, they went. 

A little over five minutes into the third period, P.K. Subban scored his fifth of the season on feeds from Yegor Sharangovich and Jack Hughes.  One minute and four seconds later, Yegor Sharangovich made it a 4-3 game off another feed from Hughes.  But that's where Newark's comeback stops.  The Devils gambled when they pulled goalie Aaron Dell from the net, but the house won.  Pavel Buchnevich scored into an empty net at 18:39, and Kreider followed likewise one minute later.

Pavel Buchnevich scores a hat trick on his 26th birthday!

Artemin Panarin had three assists and one goal; Ryan Strome and Mika Zibanejad score three points each.

After a tough overtime loss against the Islanders, Igor Shesterkin bounces back with back-to-back shutouts of the Devils.  In each of the first two games of this series, he stops 27 and 16 shots on goal.  On Friday, he faces an increased 33 SOGs and allows three goals even-strength (.. but that's because Coach Quinn took his foot off the pedal).

New Jersey played beyond seven periods against the Rangers before McLeod's second-period goal.  The Devils are 1-5 since trading Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac with 15 goals for and 27 goals against.  They are likewise 0-5 against the Rangers since winning the first two games of the season series.

N.Y. Rangers: Igor Shesterkin Blanks Devils at the Rock

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Rangers lead Devils; 3-2

I - NJD 4; NYR 3

II - NJD 5; NYR 2

III - NYR 6; NJD 1

IV - NYR 6; NJD 3

V - NYR 3; NJD 0

Fists Fly in the Battle Between Two Rebuilding Locals

Igor Shesterkin earns his first career NHL shutout as the Rangers blanked the punchless Devils at Prudential Center.  Newark was both plus-seven in faceoffs and shots on goal and even the beneficiaries of two power-play opportunities.  But the Rangers' 25-year old goalie faced 27 shots and stopped them all, including four on special teams.

It's worth noting the Devils were playing without Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac's services - traded to the Isles - and centerman and team Captain Nico Hischier finally made his reappearance on the ice.

Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring at 7:02 of the first period on a breakaway set up by Pavel Buchnevich and Adam Fox feeds.  After a scoreless second session, Artemi Panarin scored at 7:50 of the third on Filip Chytil and Fox assists.  Pavel Buchnevich then closed out the scoring on an unassisted short-handed goal into an empty net with just 0:28 seconds left in regulation.   

Mackenzie Blackwood has enjoyed better days.  His defensemen offered zero help on Zibanejad's goal.  Otherwise, he faced just 19 shots, stopping all but two.

With two more assists, Adam Fox has 34 points in 41 games.  Mike Zibanejad now has four goals and six points in his last seven games and 30 points in his last 27 games.

Damon Severson and Chris Kreider wasted little time exchanging pleasantries and punches just 1:27 into the game.  Later in the second period, Brendan Smith and Michael McCleod also decided a tussle was in order.

Hostilities resume Thursday.  The Rangers and Devils play three more times over the next five days.

N.Y. Islanders: Lou Lamoriello Reinforces The Ranks

From the desks: THE LONG ISLAND NOMADS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

LOU LAMORIELLO MAKES SNOW DAYS 

A DISTANT MEMORY

Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri Dealt to Long Islanders

With centerman and captain Anders Lee out for the season, Lou Lamoriello acquired winger Kyle Palmieri and center Travis Zajac from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for AHL prospects A.J. Greer, Mason Jobst, this year's first-round draft pick, and next year's fourth-round pick.

The Islanders add smart veteran depth and talent.  Palmieri scored no less than 24 goals in each of his first five seasons with the Devils and three times achieved at least 50 points.  This season to date, Kyle Palmieri has eight goals and 19 points through 34 games with Newark.  Meanwhile, Travis Zajac's time in New Jersey comes to an end after 15 full seasons and over 1,000 games in a Devils uniform.  To date, he has seven goals and 18 points through 33 games.  I expect each of them to fit seamlessly into Barry Trotz's system.  

Palmieri is 30-years old, and Zajac is 35-years old, and both will become unrestricted free agents at season's end.  In return, the Devils acquire another high draft pick.  It was the prudent thing to do as something is always better than nothing.

THURSDAY

Devils   6

Sabres   3

FINAL

Thank goodness for Buffalo.  Newark snaps a four-game skip with Thursday's commanding 6-3 victory out in Western New York.  The Devils scored three times in the first period, then three more times in the third period.  Pavel Zacha netted two power-play goals, Jack Hughes scored his eighth goal of the season, and Yegor Sharangovich scored his ninth.

THURSDAY

Flyers    2

Islanders 3

FINAL

SHOOTOUT

The Islanders put up two quick goals in the first period.  But Philadelphia ground out a two-all tie after two periods.  After a scoreless third period and overtime, the Islanders finally defeat the Flyers in a shootout.  Both Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac played their first game as New York Islanders, mustering just three total shots in goal.  The Islanders got goals from Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle.

N.J. Devils: Look What the Capitals Did to Newark, Again

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

FRIDAY

Capitals 2

Devils   1

FINAL/OT

Devils Woes Against Capitals Go Unchanged; Fall to 0-7 in Season Series

Just brutal ... like being jabbed with your own pitchfork.

Mackenzie Blackwood had just made a brilliant save against T.J. Oshie to keep overtime moving along.  At the other end, Jack Hughes was likewise denied a game-winning opportunity by Capitals goalie Vitek Vanecek.  Washington then recovered the loose puck and promptly headed the other way.  With just 0:21 seconds left in the extra session, Dmitry Orlov, from the left circle, wristed a high shot past Blackwood's right shoulder for the win. 

It seemed somewhat inevitable.  Like an omen, Orlov proved problematic for the Devils throughout this game.  Tied with Alex Ovechkin, he co-led the Capitals with six shots on goal.  In fact, both Washington goals came courtesy of defensemen.

After a scoreless first period, Washington's John Carlson opened the scoring at 8:22 of the second period.  Within four and a half minutes, Michael McLeod tied the game at one.  But the Caps and Devils would again duel through a scoreless third period.

The Devils had their chances.  They put three shots on goal during overtime versus two by the Caps.  But whereas Vitek Vanecek stopped all but one of Newark's 23 shots on goal, Mackenzie Blackwood was peppered with 40 shots on goal by Washington.  Both goalies turned in stellar performances, relatively speaking, that is.  Otherwise, for Blackwood, this was as tough luck as they come. 

Meanwhile, forwards Yegor Sharangovich and Travis Zajac, along with blueliners Ty Smith, Damon Severson, and P.K. Subban, exit the ice with a minus-one. 

Newark is yet to defeat the Capitals in seven games now.  This game marks their second overtime loss against them.  The Devils are also trending again with four losses in their last five games.

N.J. Devils: Mackenzie Blackwood Turns Away Bruins

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

Devils lead Bruins; 4-1

I - BOS 3; NJD 2*

II - NJD 2; BOS 1#

III - NJD 3; BOS 2

IV - NJD 1; BOS 0

V - NJD 1; BOS 0

*shootout

#overtime

Devils Extend Win Streak to Four Against Boston

Kyle Palmieri's goal at 16:37 of the first period holds up.  It was his seventh of the season.  He now has 16 points in 32 games making the Smithtown, Long Island, native a little more attractive to other teams as the NHL trade deadline approaches.  Since arriving from Anaheim, Kyle has touched or topped 20 goals in each of his first five seasons with the Devils.  Were it not for last year's pandemic shortened schedule, he was on pace for the second 30 goal season in his career but finished with 25 goals and 20 assists in 65 games.

Ty Smith's 17th assist ties his for team-lead with 19 points; Jesper Bratt picked up the second assist on Palmieri's goal.

Boston unleashed 40 shots on goal, and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped them all for his first shutout of the season.  Nine saves came on special teams and 31 at even strength.  He made 17 saves in the third period but none more important than his kick-save with just seven seconds left in regulation - absolute thievery.  It's the Devils' second blanking of the Bruins.  Three weeks ago, Scott Wedgewood likewise shutout the Bruins in a 1-0 final.

The Devils and Bruins resume hostilities on Tuesday.  Afterwhich, Newark hosts the Washington Capitals.  The Devils are winless in six games this season against the Capitals.  However, they have now taken four of five games against the Boston Bruins.

Captain Nico Hischier remains out.  He has played just five games this season.  

Surging New Jersey Devils Set Sights on Washington

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

Flyers lead Devils; 2-1

I - PHI 5; NJD 3 

II - PHI 3; NJD 1

III - NJD 4; PHI 3

Storming the Capital ... Hockey Team of Washington D.C., That Is.  Tell Your Friends.

No one is trying to kid anybody.  The Devils, like the Rangers, are still a rebuilding club.  They place respectively seventh and sixth in the division as a direct result of Buffalo's ongoing implosion.  Otherwise, the Devils and Rangers would be fighting a four-point battle between seventh and last place.

Of course, with rebuilding come tempered expectations.  There is no need to tell Devils fans, who very recently suffered through a 4-10-2 stretch after the team's return from a mass observance of COVID protocol.  During that time, I remember P.K. Subban one night in post-game commentary saying (paraphrasing) that these Devils still had more learning to do.

The education continues, and Newark is suddenly trending with wins in four of their last five games versus the aforementioned moribund Sabres, two of three from the Penguins, and Tuesday's win against the flummoxed Flyers.  The regularly scheduled follow-up game against the Flyers had already been postponed due to COVID, this time affecting Philadelphia's camp.

Therefore, the Devils will re-engage the Washington Capitals in a back-to-back set on Thursday and Friday.  It will be interesting to see how the seemingly smarter and (moreover) healthier New Jersey rank and file measure up.  

The Devils this season are 0-4 against the Caps, getting outscored by an 11-17 margin.  But if the Devils are, in fact, trending in the right direction, and they have indeed finally shaken off the last remnants of COVID from their systems, then they just might be up for the task. 

🏒

On Tuesday, the Devils scored early and held on late to defeat the Flyers for the first time in three tries.  Michael McCleod opened the scoring midway through the first period.  After the Flyers tied the game, Kyle Palmieri put the Devils back ahead on a power-play goal with just 0:06 left in the period.  The second period was all Newark.  Goals from Yegor Sharangovich and Travis Zajac staked the Devils to a 4-1 lead.  Zajac similarly closed out the period with his fourth goal of the season with a mere 0:24 seconds showing on the clock.  The Devils then withstood two goals by Philadelphia, the second coming too late, by Sean Couturier at 18:58 of the third period.  

Rookie blueliner Ty Smith assisted on Newark's first and last goals, giving him 17 points in 20 games.

Mackenzie Blackwood faced 33 shots back in net, making nine saves on special teams and 30 saves overall.  He allowed one goal on the PK in the first and two goals at even strength in the third.

N.J. Devils: Mackenzie Blackwood Puts Penguins Into Deep Freeze

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

Devils lead Penguins; 2-1

I - NJD 3; PITT 2

II - PITT 3; NJD 1

III - NJD 2; PITT 1*

*overtime

Three Wins in Four Games is a Trend

And that's a wrap!

Jesper Bratt's wraparound goal at the 2:50 mark of overtime was just as artful as the weaving and assists he received from Ty Smith and Pavel Zacha.  

With the Devils coming off Saturday's loss at Newark, Sidney Crosby opened the scoring on Sunday just 3:37 into the first period.  There would be no change in scoring until 4:48 of the second period on Sami Vatanen's second goal of the season.  And that's the way things stayed for the remaining 35:12 minutes left of regulation.

Mackenzie Blackwood returned between the pipes.  He faced 35 total shots, including three on the PK, and stopped all but one during even strength.  Otherwise, after yielding Crosby's goal in the first, Blackwood shut out the Penguins over the final 59:13 minutes of play.

The Devils played near equal hockey, as did their competition.  They finished just minus-one in shots on goal, minus-two in hits, and plus-two in face-offs won.  Both teams were scoreless in two power-play opportunities each.

After playing Pittsburgh three times in four days, including back-to-back nights, the Devils come away with two wins out of three.  They are now 3-1 in their last four.  There's a chance, as I suggested when writing about Mika Zibanejad, many Devils players might finally be getting over any lingering effects of the COVID virus and needing to adhere to quarantine protocols.  

N.J. Devils: Straight Out of the Playbook

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

THURSDAY

Penguins 2

Devils   3

FINAL

As if by design ... I'm sure this was more along the lines of what Lindy Ruff and Tom Fitzgerald had in mind.

New Jersey's 2019 number one draft pick Jack Hughes opens the scoring midway through the first period on assists from Ty Smith and Kyle Palmieri.  After which, the big-name import, P.K. Subban scored on the power play at 8:42 of the second period from feeds by Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes.  Just over a minute later, Newark's long-time veteran, Travis Zajac puts the game out of reach at the 10:19 mark of the second period with his third goal of the season assisted by Damon Severson.

Goalie Scott Wedgewood takes care of the rest.   It's hard to say the Devils were lucky to come away with the victory because that just isn't the truth.  Jake Guentzel scored during a Penguins power play with a mere 0:13 seconds left in the second period.  Then, with just 0:05 seconds left in the game, Bryan Rust scored making it a 3-2 game and the final margin of victory for New Jersey.  Otherwise, Scott  Wedgewood faced a season-high 42 shots on goal en route to his third win of the season.  Sidney Crosby accounted for eight shots (and no points).  It's the second time in the last eleven days Wedgewood needed to make at least 40 saves in a game, as this contest harkens back to Wedgewoods's 1-0 shut out of the Bruins.

New Jersey's 2018 first-round pick, Ty Smith picked up his twelfth assist of the season, and with two points, Jack Hughes now has 16 points in 27 games.  Now in his 15th season with over 1,000 games played with the Devils, Travis Zajac with an assist picked up point number 543 of his career.

With victories over Buffalo and now Pittsburgh, the Devils win back-to-back games for the first time in a full month, when they defeated the Rangers and Bruins in their first two games back on the ice after returning from COVID quarantine protocol.

Long Islanders Continue Bedeviling New Jersey Hockey Club

From the desks: LONG ISLAND NOMADS & THE BRICK CITY STYX

Islanders lead Devils; 5-1

I - NYI 4; NJD 1

II - NJD 2; NYI 0

III - NYI 2; NJD 1

IV - NYI 5; NJD 3

V - NYI 3; NJD 2

VI - NYI 3; NJD 2*

*shootout

SUNDAY RECAP

Islanders Gain The High Ground

The Long Islanders defeated Newark for the fifth time this season and thereby extended their consecutive winning streak to nine games.  They also increased their division lead by four points over the Capitals and finished the night with the most points in all of hockey.

Devils Get Lost In The Details

Meanwhile, the Devils continue suffering the agony of defeat after defeat.  Sunday's game marked their fourth straight loss.  It's the ninth loss in their last ten games and the twelfth loss in sixteen games since returning from quarantine.

🏒

Each team was minus their respective on-ice captains, Anders Lee for the Islanders, and Nico Hischier for the Devils.  So, there's that ...

After Kieffer Bellows opened the scoring on feeds from Sabastian Aho and Jordan Eberle just 4:18 into the first, the Devils catch a big break on Andy Greene's delay of game penalty.  Janne Kuokkanen makes the Islanders pay with a power-play goal at the 5:12 mark.  New Jersey then takes their own turn committing a big mistake - it won't be the last one - when Brock Nelson scores on feeds from Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey with just two seconds left in the first period, giving the Islanders a 2-1 lead.  New Jersey tied the game at 16:04 of the third when Yegor Sharangovich converted feeds from Dmitry Kulikov and P.K. Subban.

This brings us to big mistake number two.  Subban appeared to score the game-winning goal in overtime.  But the Islanders challenged an off-side violation and were proven correct.  The devilish perpetrator was positioned in place on the far board but on the wrong side of the line, a clearly avoidable mental mistake and costly one.

Sure enough, the Islanders go on to win in a shootout at Newark.  But it's just hockey.  There's nothing more to see here.  All is well.  You can go back to your home now.

Heading In Opposite Directions, Islanders and Devils Speed Past Each Other In The Night

From the desks: THE BRICK CITY STYX  &  LONG ISLAND NOMADS

Islanders lead Devils; 3-1

I - NYI 4; NJD 1

II - NJD 2; NYI 0

III - NYI 2; NJD 1

THURSDAY

(1-3) Devils    3

(3-1) Islanders 5

FINAL

Long Island Is On Fire While Newark Remains Frozen In Ice

Another day, another twenty-minute performance by the New Jersey Devils.  In a near mirror image of their contest against Washington, in which they trailed the Capitals 4-1 after two periods, the Devils fell behind the Islanders 4-0 after two periods.  The Devils scored three times in the third period against the Caps but ultimately lost that game in overtime.  Thursday against the Isles, Newark again rallied for three goals in the third, but it clearly wasn't enough. 

Newark successfully killed off five penalties, which is to say they were completely overrun at even-strength.  They generated just 12 shots on goal through the first two periods and 22 shots overall versus 33 for Long Island.  Meanwhile, the Devils power-play hasn't scored since Feb. 27, against the Capitals.

After two more consecutive losses, the Devils have now lost ten of their last 14 games since returning from quarantine.  Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood appears in lockstep.  Back in January, he posted a .947 SV% through his first three games.  He then registered a decreased .904 SV% over seven games in February.  So far in March, Blackwood owns a .815 SV% through three games.  Through 13 games, he presently sports a .900 SV% and a troublesome 3.13 GAA.

This may be an unpopular take, but the Devils should seriously consider trading Kyle Palmieri and P.K. Subban.  After all, they are a rebuilding team.  Despite a minus-18 point differential and a division-low 58-goals for, the Devils nevertheless appear settled at the center.  There are other good young talents here.  But the Devils have clear deficiencies on the blue line.  Therefore, trade remaining assets and continue forging ahead with a full rebuild.

Lest we forget, the New York Islanders are in first place for a reason.  They own a plus-twenty point differential (28 points better than Newark), and with 38 points in 27 games, the Isles continue leading the division by two points over the relentless Washington Capitals.

Congratulations are in order.  Thursday's game marks Barry Trotz's 100th victory as coach of the Isles.

For the first time this season, the home team also played in front of a limited number of Long Island fans.  Those in attendance got to watch their Islanders win its seventh straight game and ninth win in their last ten.  The bad news is they also watched their Captain Anders Lee exit the ice due to an injury.  He is expected to miss some time.  He clearly appeared in pain, but the severity of the (undisclosed) injury is still unclear.  Anders Lee leads the team with both 80 shots on net and twelve goals in 27 games.  There's no denying he is among the league's toughest and most effective goal area loiterers.  If there's a loose puck, he finds it and converts.  

Getting the call, Ilya Sorokin saw little action through the game's first forty minutes.  However, the Isles eased off the throttle.  In turn, the Devils generated ten third-period shots on goal and found net three times.  In his eighth start, Sorokin nevertheless stopped 19 of 22 shots en route to his fifth straight win of the season.

Elusive New Jersey Devils Defense Disappears Back Into The Pine Barrens

From the desks: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Series Tied; 2-2

I - NJD 4; NYR 3

II - NJD 5; NYR 2

III - NYR 6; NJD 1

IV - NYR 6; NJD 3

Bad Just Got Worse For The Devils; Ice Cracking Beneath Their Skates

Straight out of the Pine Barrens ... Newark's defense has been as elusive as the mythical New Jersey Devil itself.  Having lengthened their losing streak to five, they are now losers of eight of eleven games since returning from COVID quarantine, over which time they've been outscored by a 40-27 margin.

The visiting Rangers over the last two games account for twelve of those goals; six on Thursday and six more Saturday afternoon.  Six goals are the most rendered this season by the Devils to any opponent through 20 games, much less in consecutive games.  

Talk about problems of the macro/micro variety ... New Jersey couldn't keep Chris Kreider (hat trick) from loitering around the net two days ago and appeared stuck in the Pineland muck as Adam Fox went endzone to endzone and scored just 2:06 six into Saturday's game.

Trailing 2-0 in the first, P.K Subban scored at the 14:54 mark.  Just 0:17 seconds later, Mikhail Maltsev tied the game at two.  But outside of Nathan Bastian's inconsequential goal at 17:48 of the third, Newark went missing for the final forty minutes of play.

Mackenzie Blackwood was faced with killing five Rangers' power plays.  He allowed one goal and made five saves.  Blackwood otherwise allowed four even-strength goals while making 17 saves, and 22 saves in 27 shots overall.  The Rangers' sixth goal was into an empty net.  This comes on the heels of getting yanked early in the third period of Thursday's game, in which he yielded four goals on just 15 shots.

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Victories Over Buffalo And Newark Are Little To Write Lester Patrick About, But The Kids And Grown-Ups Are Finally Learning How To Play Together

The 21-year old Filip Chytil, since returning from injury three games ago, is a plus-four with a goal and two assists.  It's worth noting he went scoreless in his first game back, which really gives him three points in his last two games.  Chytil was the primary assist on Kevin Rooney's goal late in the first period helping the Rangers regain a 3-2 lead.  Filip then scored at 8:38 of the third, giving the Rangers a more comfortable 5-2 lead.  It's his third goal in only eight games played this season and his first since Jan. 22 at Pittsburgh.  

Meanwhile, Mike Zibanejad was a minus-one with just one shot on goal in back-to-normal shifts and time on ice.  However, he appeared to be in some discomfort during the closing minutes of the game.  Bruised or not, I would again urge Coach to start Filip Chytil on the first line.  There's no sense in disrupting Ryan Strome's role on the second line, not coming off two goals on Saturday and four points in these last two games against the Devils.  He's planted his flag with eight goals and 17 points through 22 games.  Therefore, I say put Mika Zibanejad on the third line for a spell.  Everything Coach Quinn does is already transient in nature.  This would be no different.  Sometimes the best decisions start out being the most unpopular ones.  Otherwise, the Rangers received four goals from their centermen against the Devils on Saturday.

Just 1:33 into the game, Sami Vatanen was whistled for a mindless high-sticking penalty against Brendan Lemieux - not the other way around!  Enter Adam Fox, who at 0:36 into the power play, goes end-to-end, splitting the Devils PK unit straight down the middle, and scored unassisted sans his goalie Alexandar Georgiev.  Cycling back to Lemieux, I'm copacetic with his 12:49 minutes at even strength and a fleeting moment on the power play.

Playing in his first game since Feb. 18, Kaapo Kakko assisted on Ryan Strome's first-period goal.  Also, with an assist, Chris Kreider now has twelve points in his last nine games.  Likewise, with an assist, Pavel Buchnevich now has five points in his last three games.

Similar to the way New jersey started the first period, just 1:05 into the second session, they again commit one of the cardinal sins in hockey when Rangers' blueliners K'Andre Miller and Libor Hajek catch Newark napping.  Hajek converts a Miller feed for only his second goal in 45 career games as a Ranger.  In fact, Blueshirt defensemen contributed two goals and four points.  Even Jack Johnson administered five hits and committed no penalties, and Brendan Smith led the team with four shots on goal.

Still, minus Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba, the Rangers are now winners of three straight.  These last two victories against the Devils just happen to be the Rangers' ninth and tenth wins of the season. 

Getting the start in place of the injured Igor Shesterkin, Alexandar Georgiev stopped all but three of 27 shots; two saves on special teams.  Georgiev will have a quick turnaround as the Rangers take on the Penguins at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

N.Y. Rangers: Chris Kreider Hat Trick Hastens Devils Disappearing Act

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS  &  THE BRICK CITY STYX

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Devils lead Rangers; 2-1

I - NJD 4; NYR 3

II - NJD 5; NYR 2

III - NYR 6; NJD 1

SATURDAY

Rangers 

vs.

Devils

FROM 

NEWARK

Filip Chytil's Return Impacts Team in More Ways That One

The beleaguered Mike Zibanejad for major portions of Thursday's game at Newark was withheld from Coach Quinn's ice.  There's no controversy; it was well deserved, in a manner of speaking.  He is otherwise usually out there for the most shifts and ice time.  But despite two points in his last two games and the primary assist on Alexis Lafreniere's third-period goal, everyone knows Mika is struggling with just two goals and eight points through 21 games.  Last season through the same number of games, Mika scored at a torrid pace with eleven goals and 13 assists for 24 points.  Said another way, he is presently scoring two-thirds less than last season.

Meanwhile, Filip Chytil is two games into his return from injury and already has a point, his fourth in only seven games played this season.  But there's a rub.  During Filip Chytil's seven games played, Mike Zibanejad also registered four points.  In Mika's 14 games played in Chytil's absence, he registered only four points.  Now that Chytil is back, he and Zibanejad scored a point in the same game for the third time.  I'm inclined to think none of this is mere coincidence.  

So, what's a head coach to do?  Does Quinn bump Filip Chytil up to the first line and either bump everyone down a spot or leave Ryan Strome on the second line and drop Zibanejad down on the third line?

In the continuing absence of Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, and Kaapo Kakko, the onus is on Blueshirts veterans to pick up the slack.  Pavel Buchnevich has five points in his last four games, and Chris Kreider is in the midst of one of those mind-boggling streaks we've witnessed so many times before.  With a natural hat-trick against the Devils, Kreider now has seven goals in his last nine games, including two hat-tricks.  He now has 13 goals and 15 points for the season.  Let's enjoy it while it lasts because history says these bursts of brilliance come and go.

Here comes Alexis Lafreniere!  After notching just two points in his first 16 games, the Blueshirts teenager now has two goals and five points in his last four games while finally playing consistently alongside the Rangers' other top-five forwards.

Igor Shesterkin was brilliant, that is, until succumbing to a non-contact leg injury with just under 6:00 left in the third period.  He left the ice, clearly favoring one leg.  At the same time, it confirms the need for depth within the pipes.  No confidence was lost with having Alexandar Georgiev minding the net.  But Igor was indeed winning the day.

Moreover, if it wasn't for Igor, the Rangers, in all practicality, should have lost Thursday's game.  The best centerman on the ice, Jack Hughes, opened the scoring at 7:12 of the first period.  But Shesterkin performed cartwheels in shutting out Newark the rest of the way.  Newark won 16 more faceoffs than the Rangers, which correlated into 36 shots on goal versus just 19 shots for the Rangers.  Mackenzie Blackwood was pulled early in the third period of Thursday's game.  At some point, the Devils effectively stopped playing in front of him.  

Blackwood is otherwise sporting a .912 Sv% and 2.77 GAA through eleven starts.

After a quick start to the season, the Devils have now lost seven of eight since returning from COVID hell.  Losing two of three against the Sabres is most troublesome.  They were also playing Thursday yet again, minus their captain Nico Hischier, who is now in concussion protocol, not to mention suffering a broken nose/sinus fracture.  He will not be returning soon. 

Second-year Jack Hughes has five goals and 13 points in 19 games, and despite Newark fortunes, Miles Wood and Ty Smith continue to impress as well.  Wood leads the team with seven goals, and Smith leads with nine assists.  

Should Wood and particularly defenseman Ty Smith be having betters seasons than Kyle Palmiere?  That's a discussion worth having.  The Devils are no doubt strong up the middle, unlike the Rangers.  Bit whereas the Rangers appear string on the wing, the Devils do not.  

But aren't they too a rebuilding team?

On that note, Coach Lindy Ruff doesn't seem to be winning over the masses either.  Rangers fans know what that's like from when he coached the Broadway blueliners to certain fan dissatisfaction.

Hockey Night in Metropolis: Rangers and Islanders Up; Sabres and Devils Down

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHER WITH THE GREATS

TUESDAY

Buffalo   2

Manhattan 3

FINAL

Eight Avenue - Like I've been saying, face-offs mean possession; possession means shots on goal.  The Blueshirts lost the face-off battle 26-18 and were behind in shots on goal 24-29 to Buffalo.  Just so happens that Kevin Rooney was 0/6 on face-offs.  However, the Rangers get away with it because they're playing the beleaguered Sabres.  Otherwise, the Rangers have two players getting into a groove at the same time.  Chris Kreider scores his fifth goal in the last four games bringing him to ten goals in 20 games, and Alexis Lafreniere scores his third goal of the season for his third point in his last three games.  Perhaps still motivated (pissed off) when he got bumped off the first line, Pavel Buchnevich led the team with four shots and notched his sixth goal with an assist for two points, giving him seven points in his last seven games.

Out of 20 regular-season games, Igor Shesterkin has starter twelve and appeared in 13 games.  So we're beginning to get a clearer picture in which direction Coach Quinn (or management, or both) is leaning.  He stopped 22/24 shots against Buffalo and now owns a .932 Sv% and a 2.52 GAA.

You might say Buffalo lost this game right out of the gate and simply failed to make up ground.  Buchnevich scored just 0:28 seconds into the game, assisted by Adam Fox and point-starved Mika Zibanejad.  But the Rangers were guilty of the "two-minute sin" as well when Sam Reinhart scored a mere 27-seconds later.  Alexis Lafreniere then set Buffalo back at the 2:36 mark of the first period.  Chris Kreider put the Rangers ahead 3-1 at the 9:32 mark of the second.  Tobias Rieder cut the deficit to one at the 16:21 mark, but the Sabres would creep no closer.  The teams skated through a scoreless third period en route to a 3-2 final.

Filip Chytil is back!  Thank goodness.

For the Rangers, their fourth win in their last six, and for the Sabres, their fourth loss in a row and fifth in the last six.

🏒

From the desks: THE BRICK CITY STYX & LONG ISLAND NOMADS

TUESDAY

Uniondale 2

Newark    1

FINAL

Across the Hudson - A close game considering the Devils - much like the Rangers - are young and upcoming, rebuilding, with a head coach starting to rub people the wrong way.  Whereas the Islanders are a band of tough established veterans in winnow mode.  What do both teams have in common?  They have vastly superior centermen than the New York Rangers.

I digress ...

The Islanders did what they do, grind, confound, and outlast you.  After two scoreless periods, the Isles finally began wearing on the Devils.  Have stick will find - team assists leader Nick Leddy fed Oliver Wahlstrom at the 1:10 mark of the third period to open the scoring; Jean Gabriel-Pageau had the secondary assist.  Then at 7:51, the Isles strike again.  Anders Lee converts on feeds from Andy Greene and Mathew Barzal.

Miles Woods ruined the shutout with 0:14 left in regulation.  Wood had a team-high five shots on goal.  The Buffalo, New York, native now has seven goals and eleven points through 18 games.  Making just his second start for Newark, goalie Aaron Dell faced just 20 shots, stopping all but two.  Meanwhile, the Devils mounted 29 shots on goal against Semyon Varlamov, who stopped all but one.  He made seven saves on the penalty kill.  Thus the Devils wound up 0/4 on the power play.  But you can't kill Jersey for lack of ... anything, really.  The effort and opportunities were there.

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And now, for the Centermen of Attention:

• BUF: ten SOG; two goals; one assist; three points.
• NYR: five SOG; no goals; one assist; one point.
• NJD: five SOG; no goals; one assist; one point.
• NYI: eight SOG; one goal; two assists; three points.

N.J. Devils: Look What The Washington Capitals Did To Newark, Again

From the desk: THE BRICK CITY STYX

Capitals lead Devils; 3-0

I - WAS; 4; NJD 3

II - WAS 5; NJD 2

III - WAS 3; NJD 2

Newark Suffers Puck Luck Two Nights In A Row

The Devils are simultaneously rebuilding and falling apart before our eyes.  Since returning from their own COVID in-team pandemic, they've lost five of their last eight.  On Sunday, Nico Hischier sustained a puck to the face Saturday.  Then late in the third period against Washington on Sunday, Miles Wood exited the ice after taking a puck to the head on an attempted clear by Zdeno Chara.

From Sunday to Sunday, this marks the Devils' third loss against Washington in the last week in which they've been outscored by a 12-7 margin.  

With Nico Hischier out, the Devils were outdone on the faceoff by a 37-18 margin.

After trading goals in the first, then trading another pair of goals very early in the second period, Alex Ovechkin scored the go-ahead goal at 13:37 of the second.  Newark put themselves in a position to knot the game in the closing seconds; Pavel Zacha's shot was stopped by Ilya Samsonov, but Kyle Palmieri failed to put home a loose puck in front and game over.

New Jersey's scoring came courtesy of their rookies.  Winger Mikhail Maltsev netted his second of the season on a wrister from the right circle at 6:45 of the opening period.  Just 0:48 seconds after Nicklas Backstrom gave the Capas a 2-1 lead in the second, Yegor Sharangovich came barreling down the middle to score his third goal of the season, tying the game at two.

Hockey Night in New York State: Long Island Up; Buffalo Down

From the desk: HOCKEY NIGHT IN NEW YORK STATE

NYR Centermen vs. Flyers

ten shots on goal; four assists

🏒

THURSDAY

Devils    4

Sabres   3

FINAL

BUFFALO - Devils center Nico Hischier scores his first goal since returning to action one week ago.  After falling behind in the first period, Jesper Bratt ties the game at one at the 5:27 mark.  But Dmitry Kulikov gets called for slashing and Casey Mittelstadt puts the Sabres back in front.  The lead doesn't last long.  Miles Wood opens the third period with a power-play goal at 4:25, and just over two minutes later Hischier finds the net giving Newark a 3-2 lead.  However, Sam Reinhart's power-play goal at 15:30 sends the game into overtime.  Buffalo then commits a cardinal sin of hockey: allowing a goal in the first or last two minutes of a period.  At 1:17 of overtime, Pavel Zacha finds the back of the net ending the game.

The Devils level out at 3-3 since returning from COVID lockdown.

Miles Wood with his sixth goal earned his 9th point in 15 games.

Now for my stick it to the New York Rangers segment.  Newark centermen accounted for 18 of the Devils 40 shots on goal.  They come away with two goals and two assists for four points. 

THURSDAY

Bruins       2

Islanders  7

FINAL

LONG ISLAND - Look what the Isles did to the Bruins, again!  As I always say, once is an event, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a trend.  With a third victory over the division-leading Bruins, the Islanders appear to finally be taking major steps forward towards the heights of the division.  Long Island has now outscored Boston by a whopping 12-4 margin through three contests.  

In my effort to keep sticking it to the Rangers, Long Island centerman joined for 14 shots on goal, with two goals and three assists for five points.