Devils' 6-3 Loss to Penguins: Panic at The Rock

For the second game in a row, the New Jersey Devils panicked and unraveled, allowing five unanswered goals in another disappointing loss.

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The New Jersey Devils can't seem to get out of their own way. After taking a 3-1 lead into the third period, they turtled and gave up five unanswered goals to lose 6-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the second game in a row they've given up five unanswered after taking a two-goal lead. Here are three takeaways from the loss. 

Devils Panicked in the 3rd 

As the Devils have done so many times over the last couple of seasons, they completely dominated the Penguins...at least for two periods. The Devils took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission and looked poised to come away with their eighth win in a row against the Penguins. 

But as fate would have it, that did not turn out to be the case. The Devils completely unraveled in the third, taking a couple of penalties that led to the Penguins getting two power plays. Sidney Crosby converted on the second man advantage, and it was all downhill for the Devils after that.

Dawson Mercer failed to clear the puck down the ice on Crosby's goal. Kris Letang kept the puck in at the blue line, and as we've seen so many times this season, that came back to bite the Devils. At that point, it was noticeable the team got tight. 

Timo Meier said after the game that he thought the team played scared. Apparently, other players mentioned it, too. I'm not sure scared is the right word to describe how the Devils played, but there was certainly panic in their game. They got loose, and the Penguins took advantage. 

Interim coach Travis Green said the message between periods was to not let up on the gas, but there wasn't much urgency from the Devils to attack in the final period. They generated just 0.21 expected goals at five-on-five and only four shots on goal at that game state. 

I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like a team set on pressing the issue as they did in the first two periods. That has been a problem under Green, which was not an issue under previous coach Lindy Ruff. And I think that can lead to a team playing scared or panicking when things don't start going your way.