G21 New Jersey Devils @ Minnesota Wild: Start on time

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Five things to watch when the New Jersey Devils take on the Minnesota Wild:

1. Set the alarms

The Devils have been starting games as if they were caught in traffic and showed up already in progress. They’ve found themselves trailing after the 1st period in four of the last five games, which isn’t exactly a recipe for success.

It’s imperative they don’t fall behind the 8-ball in this game. The Wild are 8-0 on the year when leading after 20. That’s not exactly surprising given their defensive prowess. They rank 5th in expected goals against per 60 minutes of 5v5 play. They don’t give up much at the best of times. It’s a borderline death wish to fall behind and allow the Wild to stick to their structure without needing to take risks.

New Jersey best be ready to play in this one. If they fall behind early, they’re likely looking at their fourth loss in five games.