The New Jersey Devils suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at UBS Arena, sending them into the holiday break with a sour taste. Adam Pelech's late goal, with just 1:15 remaining in the game, sealed the Islanders' victory and snapped their three-game losing streak. Here are three key takeaways from the Devils' heartbreaking loss:
1. Goaltending Gaffe Proves Costly:
Jacob Markstrom's performance in net was largely solid, but a critical miscue in the second period proved to be the turning point. Markstrom ventured out of his net to play the puck behind the goal line, but a miscommunication with defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler led to a turnover. The puck landed right on Simon Holmstrom's stick, who had an open net to shoot at, tying the game 1-1. While Markstrom made 23 saves on 25 shots, this single error overshadowed his otherwise strong performance and shifted the momentum in favor of the Islanders.
2. Offensive Struggles and Missed Opportunities:
Despite recording 29 shots on goal, the Devils' offense struggled to find the back of the net consistently. Brett Pesce scored his first goal of the season in the first period, assisted by Nico Hischier. However, that would be the only goal the Devils would score. Jack Hughes had a breakaway opportunity in the second period, but Islanders' goaltender David Rittich made a crucial save to deny him. The Devils' inability to capitalize on scoring chances ultimately contributed to their downfall.
3. Power Play Woes Continue:
The Devils' struggles to draw penalties and convert on the power play persisted in this game. They failed to capitalize on their opportunities with the man advantage, continuing a concerning trend. Coach Sheldon Keefe has acknowledged the importance of drawing more penalties to give their power play a chance to generate momentum. The Devils' power play success rate has been lackluster, and they rank low in power play opportunities per game. Improving their ability to draw penalties and convert on the power play will be crucial for the Devils to turn their season around.
The Devils will look to regroup and address these issues during the holiday break. Their next game is at home against the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
