G15 New Jersey Devils @ Edmonton Oilers: Time to bounce back

The Devils were blanked against the Flames last time out. They are in a great spot to rebound against a McDavid-less Oilers squad.

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A few notes to get you set for New Jersey vs. Edmonton:

Don’t give an inch 🤏

The Devils have mostly defended very well since Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes made their season debuts. Although they’ve dropped three of the five games, the process appears very sound.

They rank 2nd to the always-stingy Carolina Hurricanes in 5v5 shot suppression while no team has done a better job of limiting scoring chances or expected goals. The Devils aren’t giving up quality or quantity.

A date with the Edmonton Oilers would normally be a great spot to put the defense to the test. However, Connor McDavid’s absence certainly makes their offense less formidable.

Although the Oilers still have players who can hurt you, they rank 27th in high-danger chances per 60 since McDavid went down. They’re not nearly as dangerous and the proof is in the pudding.

Their 5v5 struggles are far from ideal given they’re also 31st in shot generation – and 26th in goals for – on the power play. The Oilers can’t rely on it humming and bailing them out.

This is a matchup where the Devils should be able to flex their muscles defensively. Not just because a top-heavy Oilers team is missing the best player in the league – the Devils are rested and playing against a team that was in action Sunday night.

A unit to feast on 🍽️