Devils' 5-2 Loss to Sabres: It's for the Best

The New Jersey Devils played a tentative game and lacked the killer instinct needed to put the Buffalo Sabres away early as they should have.

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Well, it's finally over. At least, it's most likely finally over. With the 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the New Jersey Devils' slim playoff hopes are all but dead. Here are three takeaways from the loss. 

No Killer Instinct

Unlike most games against teams below them in the standings this season, the New Jersey Devils got started fast against the Sabres. Max Willman redirected a Luke Hughes point shot to give the Devils a 1-0 lead, and Jesper Bratt made it 2-0 after Nico Hischier and Timo Meier won a board battle behind the net. 

Unfortunately, that's where the scoring ended for the Devils. It wasn't for the lack of chances, though. They finished with 3.38 expected goals at five-on-five but couldn't find the back of the net against Devon Levi, who has been playing well lately. 

There were a couple of instances where the Devils could have put the nail in the coffin, most notably the power plays at the end of the first period. That started as 5-on-4, then turned into a 5-on-3 for about 30 seconds, but the Devils couldn't take advantage. 

The 5-on-3, though abbreviated, was particularly disappointing. The Devils did not get a shot on goal during the 5-on-3, something we've seen too much this season. There was indecisiveness, too much passing, and their movement wasn't fluid. Jack Hughes tried to do too much with the puck, and the Sabres eventually cleared it down the ice. 

I wouldn't say that flipped the momentum, but it was a chance to put the Sabres away. If they go up 3-0, I don't think a Sabres team that gave up five goals in the first period to the Ottawa Senators a couple of nights ago was making a comeback. 

Last season, the Devils had that killer instinct. You don't win 52 games without having that killer instinct. This season, it obviously hasn't been there. There are different factors, namely injuries and goaltending, but they haven't been able to put games away like they did a season ago.