Devils 4, Avalanche 3: Statement made

The Devils extended their winning streak to eight games with a victory over one of the league's best teams.

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The New Jersey Devils picked up their eighth(!) consecutive win Sunday afternoon, taking out the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in extra time.

Let’s break it all down.

Gritsyuk makes a statement 🗣️

Arseniy Gritsyuk has really impressed in the early going but the performance he put on against the Avalanche was next level. Elite, elite, elite – undoubtedly the best yet.

Gritsyuk’s shot was on full display from start to finish. He blew one past Trent Miner to get the Devils on the board early and that was just a taste of the shooting gallery to come.

He was firing pucks off the wing after entering the zone, finding soft spots in the offensive zone, deceptively using defenders as screens, and on it goes.

Anything he could do to put his shot to use, and test Minor, he did. It was honestly surprising Gritsyuk didn’t finish with more than one tally.

What’s impressive is all the ways Gritsyuk made an impact beyond his shooting, which would’ve been enough on its own given the crazy volume and how much he threatened with his shot.

Gritsyuk made a fantastic play to hold the line and keep the possession alive just prior to his goal. He stole a puck at his own blueline and took it the other way for a chance. He drew a penalty. Hell, he even took a run at Josh Manson after he went at Timo Meier moments before.

Think I’m done? I am not!

Gritsyuk did all of this while spending most of his time against the Nathan MacKinnon line, which entered play generating close to 5 xG per 60 at 5v5.

He went toe-to-toe with MacKinnon for 11 minutes. The Devils won the shot attempt battle 18-8, controlled 73% of the xG share, and outscored the Avs 1-0. That’s as dominant of an effort as you’ll see against arguably the best line in the NHL.

Gritsyuk was so, so, so good. Yes, he had help from a pair of elite linemates. But he wasn’t just along for the ride – he was a driving force.

Par for the course ⛳️