Devils' 5-1 Loss to Rangers: Running Out of Rope
The New Jersey Devils' power play faltered early, snowballing into a perfect storm of what could go wrong in a 5-1 loss to the Rangers.
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Well, that was as bad as it could've been. The New Jersey Devils needed a win and two points against the New York Rangers yesterday, but they couldn't have come further away from getting what they needed in a 5-1 loss. Now, they're beginning to run out of rope. Here are three takeaways from the loss.
Devils Power Play Falters Again
The Devils were gifted a golden opportunity when Matt Rempe received a match penalty for a vicious hit on Nathan Bastian. Five minutes of power-play time just two and a half minutes into the first period. Score a goal or two on a continuous five-minute power play, and it sets the tone for the rest of the game.
Unfortunately, the Devils couldn't have done worse on the five-minute man advantage. Yes, they did fire five shots on goal, but the first half of that power play was discombobulated. They had trouble gaining the offensive zone and setting up against an aggressive Rangers penalty kill.
The Rangers did well to win puck battles and get the puck cleared down the ice. They also did well to stand up at the blue line and prevent the Devils from gaining the zone cleanly. They deserve credit for killing well, but these have been problems on the power play for the Devils since the calendar turned to 2024.
It wasn't just the five-minute major, either. The Devils had a four-minute power play in the second period after Kaapo Kakko got a double minor for high-sticking Šimon Nemec. But the Devils weren't able to get anything going until the second half of the man advantage.
As coach Lindy Ruff and Nico Hischier said after the game, the Devils are also passing up on shooting opportunities for less dangerous shots. One example was when Luke Hughes was in the slot in a dangerous shooting position but decided to pass out wide to his brother Jack Hughes, who was at a sharp angle and did not have the chance Luke had.
I tweeted it out after that play happened, but that's where the Devils sorely miss Dougie Hamilton. If he gets the puck in the spot Luke Hughes is, he's shooting it. That's what he does and why he's such an effective power-play quarterback. And believe me, they would have moved him to the first unit a long time ago.
Unfortunately, that's why there could be some more tough sledding for the Devils' power play. They don't have another option to make the switch on the first unit. It's either Luke or Nemec. I would probably give Nemec a shot, but I'm not sure there'll be much of a difference. They'll have to find other ways to make their two units more effective.
Luke Hughes Hitting the Rookie Wall
The Devils have asked a lot of Luke Hughes this season, and for the most part, he's handled it well, especially considering he's only 20 years old. You can see how bright his future is, but he's struggled in his last couple of games.
He had a tough night against the Washington Capitals and did not have a great game against the Rangers. Not only was he having a tough time with some of his decision-making on the power play, but his turnover that led to Alexis Lafreniere making it a 2-0 game is certainly a play he will want to have the back.
There is a good case to have Luke sit a game or two and watch from the press box. But I think the Devils would be better off letting him play through his struggles. One) Aside from these last two games, he has been very good this season. He's a 20-year-old playing his first NHL season, and these learning experiences will be valuable for him moving forward.
Two) Not only do the Devils need him to quarterback the power play, but they need him at five-on-five with Hamilton not coming back any time soon. They just don't have the defensive depth right now to sit Hughes, which is why finding a defenseman this offseason will be crucial.
We'll see how the Devils decide to manage him, but with their playoff hopes dwindling by the day, letting Luke take his lumps and learning from his mistakes will benefit the team beyond the 2023-24 season.
Devils Struggled to Generate High-Danger Shots
Even though the Devils fired 40 shots on goal, I wouldn't say many were of the high-danger variety, specifically at five-on-five. They had just seven high-danger chances at five-on-five on 28 shots on goal. The Rangers defended better than one would have expected based on their numbers this season, but still, that was a disappointing effort from the Devils.
Having said that, it all ties into their power play. After not managing to score on the five-minute major, you knew it would affect how they played at other game states. As Bryce Salvador said a couple of times during the broadcast, when the power play lacks confidence, it tends to carry over at five-on-five.
That's why the Devils have to figure out their power play. I think one positive you could look toward on the man advantage is the Devils have an unsustainably low shooting percentage of 6.06 over their last 25 games. Even though they've been about middle-of-the-pack in generating quality over that stretch, you'd have to think some pucks will go in eventually, even if it's by accident.
It will help their confidence if that happens, and perhaps they have a chance to do that against a Montreal Canadiens team tomorrow afternoon at the Prudential Center.
Quick Hits
Colin Miller should not be a healthy scratch under any circumstance. Obviously, sitting him for Brendan Smith is not the reason the Devils lost last night. But for a team that's struggling offensively right now, sitting a defenseman with some of the best offensive impacts on the team is a no-go. I think he might even be an option for the power play with his shooting ability, but he needs to play for that to be the case.
Something that has been a common occurrence is the Devils giving up the game's first goal. Last night marked another contest they had fallen behind 1-0, the 40th time it's happened in 56 games this season. In a way, I think that's a perfect encapsulation of why the Devils need to change something. The power-play woes, defensive lapses, giving up the first goal 40/56 times, they've all been consistent issues this season. They're not getting corrected, and while it falls on the players, too, it ultimately falls on the coaching staff to rectify these problems. That these things are still happening this late into the season is incredibly concerning, and that's why it sure looks like it's time for some type of change.
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