Devils 4, Canadiens 3: Winning ugly

The Devils did not play their best - or anywhere close - but managed to get a needed result against the Canadiens.

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By David Mudrak (@MuddyOpinions)

The New Jersey Devils left with a much-needed two points but did not make it look easy against a bottom-tier team. Here are some observations from Saturday afternoon’s game. 

Timo Time is coming - maybe - just not yet:

The MSG broadcast team, and Devils fans, was singing Timo Meier’s praises after he played what looked like a very strong game on Saturday afternoon. Meier finished the game with a goal and an assist - earning the game's first star. 

Much of the praise is warranted, as Meier did play a hard, line-driving game that featured multiple controlled zone entries, good net presence (especially on his goal), and a tremendous block to send Jesper Bratt on his way to one of the prettiest Devils goals this season. 

Meier needs to continue to play with this level of passion and grit, where he moves his legs, gets to the right places, and drives play for his line. If he can continue to be a threat and an energy creator, it will go a long way to getting the Devils back into the playoff picture. 

However, Meier can still provide more as he did not have as dominant of a game as the optimism about his performance made it seem. Meier finished the game with a 46.15 CF% and a 44.37xGF% at 5v5.

Furthermore, some of Meier’s work was more flash than substance. While he entered the zone with control multiple times, he often drove down the right side, carrying it behind the net, and ran out of space before doing something productive with the puck.

Like everyone else, I am happy to see Meier getting on the board and playing with pace, but he still has another gear to hit. If he can, it will truly make a difference for a Devils team that has struggled to get on the board lately. 

Power play progress