Devils' 4-1 Loss to Oilers: Out of Gas

The New Jersey Devils ran out of gas to close out their west-coast trip in a 4-1 loss to a red-hot Edmonton Oilers squad.

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The New Jersey Devils were looking to complete a sweep of Western Canada for the second straight season. The problem is the Edmonton Oilers were standing in the way. The Devils couldn't overcome a red-hot Oilers squad that extended their winning streak to seven games with a 4-1 win over the Devils. Here are three takeaways from the loss. 

Oilers’ Defense Smothered the Devils

The Devils have generally had their way at five-on-five this season, but the Oilers are among the few teams who could match them at that game state. They came into the contest second in expected goals share (xG%) in the NHL to the Los Angeles Kings, and it showed. 

The Oilers finished the game with a 59.82 xG%, and they did it in a way you wouldn't necessarily expect. Sure, they generated some quality chances offensively, but their defense took the Devils out of the game. 

Edmonton did a great job of taking the center of the ice away from the Devils. Anytime it seemed like the Devils had offensive zone time, the Oilers did a great job keeping the puck to the perimeter. Whenever the Devils shot the puck, it seemed like an Oilers player was there to make sure it didn't get through to Calvin Pickard. 

Even in the neutral zone, it seemed difficult for the Devils to play with pace in transition until the third period, when they started to create more chances. 

The schedule (fourth game in six nights and the second half of a back-to-back) probably had something to do with it. But the Oilers deserve plenty of credit for taking the Devils out of their game. 

The Oilers' defense was excellent last night for a team that was leaking chances and goals through the first month of the season. They made life easy for Pickard and didn't allow the Devils to play their game. 

Nemec Outstanding Again

Šimon Nemec had been quite impressive in his first four NHL games. Last night presented the toughest test of his young career, given the Oilers' firepower with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl up front, but he passed it with flying colors.