Devils’ Markström Led the Way in 3-1 Win vs. Senators
Jacob Markström led the way in an impressive team win for the New Jersey Devils against the Ottawa Senators.
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You know what the New Jersey Devils have done after each of their two losses this season? They've responded with a win each time.
Last night, they concluded their short two-game road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators after losing 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes two nights before.
It wasn't the prettiest or most entertaining win from the Devils, but you have to like the way they played for the most part. Here are three takeaways as they return to New Jersey for their second matchup of the season with the Washington Capitals.
Markström Was on His Game
At least through seven games, Jake Allen and Jacob Markström are getting the job done in net. Last night, Markström was in between the pipes for his second straight start, and he delivered.
Sure, Markström got some help from the post; by my count, the Senators hit iron at least three times and maybe even a fourth. You'll take the luck if you're Markström, but make no mistake, he played quite well.
I wouldn't say the Senators outplayed the Devils, especially across the first two periods. But it was a pretty even game, and the Senators did get their fair share of chances. Markström had an answer for all of them but one shot, and that came with 1:05 left in the third period.
Markström has a penchant for saving high-danger chances, and though he only faced three last night, he saved all of them. One came early in the first period when David Perron had a quality chance practically on the doorstep, but Markström turned it aside with his pads.
But his best came in the third period when he made a save with his blocker but left a rebound in a relatively dangerous area of the ice. Tyler Kleven corraled the puck and got off a strong shot on net, but Markström made a full-spread save to keep the shutout going.
Overall, Markström saved 30 of the 31 shots he faced while stopping 1.46 goals above expected. He's up to a .918 save percentage through five starts, which is well more than what the Devils need from him to be successful. That bodes well for the season if that keeps up.
Kovacevic Continues to Shine
You probably wouldn't have guessed that Johnathan Kovacevic would be leading Devils blueliners in scoring after seven games. But after collecting an assist, his fifth point of the season, on Erik Haula's goal, he moved ahead of Seamus Casey in scoring from the blue line.
Even on Nathan Bastian's shorthanded goal, Kovacevic pressured Claude Giroux into making a bad pass that Bastian intercepted and took for a 2-on-1. He won't get an assist for it, but he might as well have.
Any offense is a bonus for a defenseman like Kovacevic, but he's getting the job defensively and then some. He finished last night with an expected goals share (xG%) of 60.96 percent and once again was not on the ice for a goal against at five-on-five. He also led Devils skaters in Game Score, which is not the first time that's happened.
My guess is Brett Pesce will slide in alongside Jonas Siegenthaler once Pesce is ready to play, but Siegenthaler and Kovacevic are excelling as a shutdown pair.
And with how Kovacevic has played to start the season, I can't see a scenario where head coach Sheldon Keefe takes him out of the lineup once Luke Hughes returns. That'll push Šimon Nemec and Casey out, but it's hard to argue they deserve to play over Kovacevic. That's how good he's been.
Meier, Hischier and Mercer Carried Play
One of the top-six changes Keefe made last night was placing Timo Meier on a line with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. They didn't account for a goal — Paul Cotter was on the ice with Hischier and Mercer when the Devils went up 3-0 — but they were the team's best line last night.
Meier, Hischier and Mercer were the Devils' top three skaters in xG%, and finished with a 75.63 xG% as a line. Mercer had maybe his best game of the season, finishing with a 73.63 xG%, but he also looked great by the eye.
He set up a couple of quality chances, including his saucer pass shot assist to Hischier through the neutral zone on the penalty kill, but one chance in the third period stood out the most.
Mercer got in on the forecheck and won a puck battle. He then took the puck toward the net and slammed it on Anton Forsberg's pads, leading to a rebound that Hischier almost put home for the goal.
Meier always plays well with Hischier, so I'm not surprised that worked. But Mercer seemed like the biggest beneficiary of having Meier take Tomáš Tatar's place on that line. If they play as they did last night, the points should come.
Quick Hits
Keefe did praise his fourth line last night, but it was another rough outing for Ondřej Palát, Curtis Lazar and Bastian. Sure, Bastian had a shorthanded goal, but this trio got crushed at five-on-five, totaling an xG% of just 8.69 percent. Most of their ice time came with the Devils' top-four defensemen again, so you can't blame the inexperienced pairing of Casey and Nemec for hemming them in. I wouldn't say this line is a problem for the Devils yet, but it will be if it continues trending this way.
I know Devils fans have been excited about Casey's start to his NHL career, but he still needs work. He finished with an xG% of 3.75 percent last night, and Keefe benched him for most of the third period. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up in Utica once Pesce or Luke Hughes return (whoever's first). But remember, he's only 20 years old. Getting big minutes with the Comets will be best for his development.
Dougie Hamilton (finally) got his first point of the season on Cotter's goal that gave the Devils a 3-0 lead. He's been due, as he's posting excellent results at five-on-five, and last night was no different. He finished with a 58.08 xG%, and his defensive game has been quite good, too. The offense will come if he continues playing this way.
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Devils Game Score Chart
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