Devils' 3-2 S/O Loss to Predators: For Old Times' Sake

The New Jersey Devils couldn't outlast the Predators after a great performance from Jake Allen, who replaced an injured Kaapo Kähkönen.

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Thankfully, we won't have to see the New Jersey Devils play the second half of a back-to-back again for at least another six months. With the 3-2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators, the Devils finished the season 3-11-2 in the second half of back-to-backs, something they'll have to clean up in 2024-25. Here are three takeaways from the loss. 

Allen Gave the Devils a Chance

Yesterday's game got off to an eventful start. Soon after Jack Hughes scored to make it a 1-0 game, Nico Hischier lost an edge and went into Kaapo Kähkönen and the post. Neither player appeared worse for wear, but that changed moments later. 

On the ensuing faceoff, Kähkönen went down on what seemed like a harmless shot from Roman Josi from the point. It did result in a goal against, but Kähkönen stayed down and left the game. That meant Jake Allen had to go again just after playing in Ottawa 24 hours earlier. 

That's not an easy spot for Allen to take over, but he was excellent against the Predators. The Devils got off to a good start, but the Predators quickly took over the game and started tilting the ice in their favor, specifically at five-on-five. 

The Predators generated 1.44 expected goals in the first, with part of that coming when Kähkönen was still in the game. But Allen still faced plenty of work as soon as he took over. He made a couple of crucial saves in the first, one being a glove save on a Filip Forsberg 2-on-1, then again on a Roman Josi chance on a 2-on-1. 

That was just the beginning of Allen's work, too. He made numerous timely saves throughout the rest of regulation to help the Devils secure a point. He finished the night by making 29 saves on 30 shots while saving 2.73 goals above expected and was 9/9 on high-danger shots.