Devils Dominant in 6-0 Rout of Canucks
The New Jersey Devils put forth their best effort of the 2024-25 season in a 6-0 beatdown of the Vancouver Canucks
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If you stayed up until 1 AM last night, you were treated to the New Jersey Devils' best performance of the 2024-25 season. Nico Hischier scored less than a minute into the game to give the Devils a 1-0 lead, and they never looked back.
With the win, the Devils moved to 7-4-2 on the season and are off to an ideal start on their Western Canada road trip, which continues against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night.
Captain Hischier Leads the Way Again
Oh, captain, my captain. There aren't enough words to describe how excellent Hischier has been at the start of this season. His goal — which was his 10th of the season — leads the NHL, but that was only the start of his night.
After his goal, the Devils went on the penalty kill when Jesper Bratt received a double-minor for high-sticking. The Devils only allowed one shot on goal on that penalty kill, and Hischier played his part. With the Canucks getting a bit of zone time, he knocked a J.T. Miller pass out of mid-air and sent the puck into the neutral zone, forcing the Canucks to regroup.
Hischier then took over the game at the beginning of the second period. He was instrumental in setting up Dawson Mercer's shorthanded goal, stripping Quinn Hughes of the puck, and starting an odd-man rush the other way. Hischier then shot for a rebound off Arturs Silovs' pads, allowing Mercer to clean it up for the goal.
Hischier had one more fantastic play in him, as he easily fended off Nils Hoglander in the defensive zone to start a 3-on-2 the other way. He then fed Timo Meier on the rush, and he made no mistake about it to give the Devils a 3-0 lead.
We were just 23 minutes and 15 seconds into the game, but that's all Hischier needed to pick up a three-point night. His on-ice metrics weren't great, but it didn't matter. He did enough damage early in the game with a couple of fantastic individual efforts, showing why he's been the team's best player through their first 13 games.
The Hughes Line Played Their Part, Too
While Hischier did most of the damage early, the Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and Ondřej Palát line had themselves a night, too. Hughes picked up two points, including a power-play goal, while Palát scored his first goal of the season.
Let's start with Palát, who's had a rough go of it to begin 2024-25. It's only one game, but that was a big step in the right direction for him, and it wasn't just the goal.
Palát finished with an expected goals share (xG%) of 93.95 percent, the best he's posted this season. Scoring chances were 8-0 with him on the ice, while high-danger chances were 7-0.
Individually, Palát was perhaps the Devils' best skater. He finished with a team-high five shots on goal, five scoring chances, and five high-danger chances. It'd be unfair to expect that from him every night, but performances half of that would go a long way for the Devils.
It wasn't just Palát, though. This line all played their part in hemming the Canucks in the defensive zone. It seemed like every time Palát, Hughes and Bratt were on the ice, the Canucks couldn't get out of the defensive zone.
And perhaps the biggest takeaway from this line is that Hughes is starting to find his game. It's not that he's been playing poorly to begin 2024-25, but it looks like he's coming closer to being full Jack Hughes after offseason shoulder surgery.
Bratt may not be scoring a ton of goals; he has just two in 13 games. But he is doing about everything else right. He's up to 11 assists after collecting one on Hughes' power-play goal. With the Hischier line already dominating, teams could have fits of Palát, Hughes and Bratt continue playing like this.
Another Process Builder
I've been talking about the Devils' process in the last few takeaways posts, but it needs reiterating. After some inconsistent performances at the start of the season, their process really looks like it's rounding into form in the last five or so games.
The Devils dominated the Ducks at five-on-five in a 6-2 win on Sunday, and though they weren't as dominant against the Canucks (score effects were likely a factor, given how quickly the Devils built up a big lead), the Devils were still the better team at five-on-five.
It was a low-event affair in Vancouver, especially early on, but the Devils ended up with an xG% of 54.84 percent. They generated 15 high-danger chances and 28 scoring chances at five-on-five, which isn't a surprise, considering how much time they spent in the Canucks' end.
But what's maybe most impressive about the last few games is how the Devils are defending. You can't deny the impact Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce are having since returning to the lineup. The Devils were getting crushed when Seamus Casey and Šimon Nemec were in the lineup, and now they're not in Hughes and Pesce's minutes.
As a team, the Devils gave up just eight high-danger chances at five-on-five. The Canucks may not have the most high-powered offense in the NHL, but Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson know a thing or two about scoring.
They were practically invisible last night because of how the Devils defended, and that is a good sign that the process head coach Sheldon Keefe wants is beginning to take shape.
Quick Hits
Tomáš Tatar probably could've had a couple of goals last night, but it was nice to see him rewarded for a solid game with a goal that made it 6-0. He also drew the power play that led to Jack Hughes making it a 5-0 game. Having him on the fourth line could prove to be a luxury if the Devils' top nine keeps clicking.
Dawson Mercer got off to a slow start, but it looks like it's coming around for him. He made a great play to set up Hischier's goal in the opening minute of the game, and there was his previously mentioned shorthanded tally. He has four points in his last two games and is up to seven in 13 games this season.
There's a reason Keefe continues to use the Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic pairing as much as he does. It's because they're awesome. The Devils had a 75.4 xG% and allowed just 0.15 expected goals when they were on the ice. They are emerging as an elite shutdown pairing.
Game Score Chart
Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick
The Devils have to send Nemec to Utica, right? The three defensive pairings look really good right now and you can't have him sitting upstairs for long stretches if he's healthy.