Devils 3, Sabres 1: A full 60

The New Jersey Devils built on a season-opening win with an even more impressive victory in Game 2.

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By David Mudrak (@MuddyOpinions)

The New Jersey Devils played a complete hockey game and finished the global series weekend with a sweep of the Buffalo Sabres. 

This series highlighted the success of Tom Fitzgerald’s off-season moves. As Todd noted in his comments on the opening game, it was the new players that allowed the team to win.

The story was much the same for New Jersey’s second game of the season, with big performances by Seamus Casey, Paul Cotter, and Brenden Dillon. 

Before looking at the stand-out performances of some of the individual players, let’s take a moment to recognize the culture change already becoming visible under Sheldon Keefe.

Keefe’s impact

While it was great to see the Devils pick up their first possible two points on Friday, I thought there were times that they let the Sabres have the run of the game and that the team relied too much on Markstrom, especially in the third, to hang on for the win.

I was also concerned that they might rest on the win and not worry about ironing out some of the wrinkles in their game with less than 24 hours between the two games. However, the team impressed with what was one of their most complete efforts in a long time.

It’s clear that Sheldon Keefe will keep pressuring the guys to play the best game they can, whether or not they win each game. 

The Devils, especially last year’s version of the team, were not known for playing a complete 60-minute hockey game.

Whether it was a slow start, a second-period breakdown, or a failure to close out a game in the third, the team struggled to play well for three periods in a row. 

Saturday was a different story. From puck drop to the final whistle, the team outcompeted, outshot, and outperformed their Buffalo opponent.

It was an incredibly refreshing change of pace and one that I hope to see many more times this season. 

If the team was able to improve this much after a win less than 24 hours prior, I am incredibly hopeful for how much this team may grow during the entirety of the regular season.

It seems Keefe is asking the players to compete against themselves, constantly striving to play a better game. Hopefully, this will elevate the team and eliminate the Devils’ tendency to play down to their opponents. 

Sheldon Keefe’s impact was also noticeable in how committed the players were to the defensive side of the game.

After watching him take offensively-minded players in Toronto and convince them to play a 200-foot game, most people assumed that Keefe would have a similar impact on the Devils’ players. It was surprising to see it occur in just the second game of the season. 

Throughout the game, the forwards backchecked with purpose and effort. Jack Hughes particularly stood out in this area as he had a couple of excellent takeaways from backchecks and was even out on the ice defending the lead with only a few minutes to play.

Keefe is placing more responsibility on Hughes, making him a more complete player in the long run. 

The commitment to the defensive side of the game also negated one of the most glaring problems from last year - the defensive breakdown/turnover that turns into a goal against.

During Saturday’s game, the Devils made mistakes and sometimes turned over the puck, but it seemed there was always a supporting player to help when the play did not go as planned. 

Whether it was Timo Meier coming back and breaking up a two-on-one, Jack Hughes staying low in the defensive zone to ensure the puck gets out, or Brenden Dillon snuffing out a play with a blocked shot, it felt like every time a minor mishap occurred, there was someone ready to jump in and help.

Let’s hope that the team can stay dedicated to this new style of play and erase the easy goals against that were so prominent last year. 

Saturday’s game also highlighted some structural changes Keefe has made to give up fewer high-danger chances.

In the defensive zone, the Devil’s forwards played a much tighter formation in the slot than in previous years.

In at least the first two games of the season, this change has cut down on how many high-danger slot chances are given up to the opposing team while also helping eliminate dangerous rebounds. 

Newcomers shine