G31 New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Answering the bell

The Devils haven't dropped back-to-back games since late October. Can they rebound quickly against a hungry Maple Leafs team?

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Here are a few notes to get you set for New Jersey vs. Toronto:

A strong start is key 🔑

The Devils have resembled the 2023-24 version of themselves lately – at least when it comes to 1st period woes. It hasn’t seemed to matter if the Devils come out of the gate strong or not. They just haven’t found ways to get ahead, making their life very difficult.

For several reasons, it is crucial the Devils are ready to hit the ground running against the Maple Leafs.

First and foremost, the Maple Leafs tend to bounce back very quickly. They have lost consecutive games twice since the beginning of November and one of those occasions came in the latter half of a road back-to-back against the Minnesota Wild.

The Wild are tied for the league lead in points, and that game went to overtime, so that tells you all you need to know about Toronto’s ability to rebound.

Having now dropped two in a row, including one against a bad Penguins team, you can bet your bottom dollar the Maple Leafs will come out with real urgency in this one. The Devils need to match it.

The other reason a strong start is necessary: Toronto is a miserable team to deal with when they’re ahead.

The Maple Leafs are 9-1 when leading after 20 minutes and 13-0 when leading after 40.

Oh, and they are the best team in the NHL at keeping the puck out of the net when leading. They allow just 1.37 goals per 60 minutes of 5v5 play when ahead, with the Devils sitting a distant 2nd at 1.66.

If the Devils are slow out of the gate, or can’t find a way to convert their chances into results, it’s going to be very difficult for them to get a result.

A strong start is imperative in this game.

Playing with fire 🔥