Devils' 4-3 Loss to Panthers: Meier, Slow Start & More

The New Jersey Devils couldn't complete a furious third-period comeback against the Florida Panthers after getting off to another slow start.

It was much of the same for the New Jersey Devils in their 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers: a slow start but then finding their legs late in the game. But unlike the Detroit Red Wings and Arizona Coyotes tilts, they didn't manage to grab a positive result from this one. Here are three takeaways as the team gets three days off before returning to the ice on Friday against the New York Islanders. 

Devils' Slow Starts Already Problematic

The Devils weren't awful in the first period, but it's clear they weren't at their best, either. They quickly found themselves trailing 2-0, and while you could argue Vitek Vanecek should've made a save on one of the goals, the Devils did not help him out. 

It wasn't their defensive game, though. Rather, it was that the Devils couldn't generate anything offensively at five-on-five other than from the Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli line. The team's fourth line generated some looks, but the rest of the top-nine was invisible until later in the game. 

That lack of offense continued into the second period, where the Devils looked sluggish. Not only were they not generating enough offense, but they were also taking undisciplined penalties and putting themselves behind the eight ball. 

The team needs more from their top-nine early in games, and it has to start against the Islanders on Friday. Devils head coach Lindy Ruff has to figure out what the issue is, and it's not like it's a new concern. Slow starts were a problem in 2022-23 too. 

Ruff did switch lines a few times in the game, eventually ending with Ondrej Palát alongside Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, while Erik Haula was with Michael McLeod and Alex Holtz in the third to spark a comeback that got the team within one goal. 

Perhaps that's how they'll start the game against the Islanders on Friday, but I'd expect Ruff to go through with more changes at practice in the next few days.

Encouraging Signs From Holtz

If there was a silver lining other than the Devils' third-period comeback, it's that Alex Holtz showed some encouraging play again. He tallied an assist on McLeod's goal in the third period and finished with the third-best Game Score among Devils skaters. 

Holtz had a few noticeable plays that stood out. He set up Timo Meier for a grade-A chance in the second period when he won a puck battle forechecking and made a nifty pass from behind the net. Early in the third, he made a good stretch pass to Palát, who either grazed iron or got a piece of Sergei Bobrovsky. 

To cap it off, Holtz did a great job in a one-on-one battle at the blue line to gain the zone before McLeod's goal. After that, he made a quick cross-ice pass to Haula, who had plenty of open space. And from there, the puck would find the back of the net. 

Was it a perfect game for Holtz? No, but considering how some of the team's other top players looked, it was another encouraging performance. Will Ruff considering move him up to the top-six? Probably not yet, but he will work his way up the lineup if he continues playing as he did last night. 

Meier Fighting It

Back to the bad, it was not a good night for Meier by any stretch. He took two lazy penalties, which led to Ruff benching him for all but one shift of the third period. Not only did Meier take two costly penalties, but he finished with the worst expected goals percentage among all Devils skaters. 

Long-term, there probably isn't much concern for Meier. But there is in the short term. His outing against the Panthers wasn't a one-off. He struggled against the Red Wings and Coyotes as well. 

The thought was that playing Meier alongside Hischier would get him going, and who could blame Ruff for pairing them together? They played very well as linemates a season ago after the team acquired Meier from the San Jose Sharks. 

Perhaps Ruff will turn back to that combo at some point later in the season, but it's clear that it's not working for now. It'll be interesting to see where Ruff places Meier in practice over the next few days, but he and Holtz did seem to have chemistry during the preseason. 

I'm not advocating for playing the two of them with Hischier, but for now, a third line of Meier, Haula, and Holtz might be the best option until Meier figures out his game and earns his way back into the top-six. 

Devils Quick Hits

• Ruff stated in his post-game media availability that anyone who didn't play in the third was a coach's decision. That would include John Marino. Initially, I didn't notice anything glaring that warranted a benching. He finished with a 61.43 xG% and had some good minutes on the penalty kill. But after watching the highlights, it's clear his d-zone coverage on the Panthers' third goal irked Ruff and forced him to bench Marino. 

• Speaking of struggling, Ruff has to get Colin Miller in the lineup for Brendan Smith. The latter finished last night's game with an xG% of 39.8 percent and is under 40 percent in that statistic through three games. The Devils didn't acquire Miller from the Dallas Stars to be a healthy scratch, and though he struggled in the preseason, he is a better option for the third pair than Smith. 

• Was last night Vanecek’s best game? He allowed 1.35 goals above expected, so certainly not. The Devils could've used a timely save from him that he's not supposed to make at some point, but that loss is not in him. The team in front of him has to play better in the first period and not make his or Akira Schmid's life more difficult than it needs to be. 

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