G33 New Jersey Devils vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: Keep the momentum going

The Devils wrap up their home stand with a Metro Division showdown against the Blue Jackets. Neil Villapiano gets you set for it.

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By Neil Villapiano (@TheNVPShow)

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

Keep the momentum going

The Devils return to action after the Christmas break that felt like a week. They have some momentum going into their matchup today vs. the Blue Jackets. After ending their three-game losing streak with a 3-2 win against the Red Wings, the team looks to keep the good vibes rolling. The biggest thing for New Jersey is that they have to start taking advantage of the opportunities to gain traction.

Games like today are the exact perfect chance to rack up wins and beat the teams they should. The Devils have lost several games at home this year to teams toward the bottom of the NHL standings. That includes these same Blue Jackets back on Black Friday. New Jersey has to take what they had success with last Saturday and bring it to tonight’s game vs a team that has been struggling all season.

Devils need to win at home

Despite the Devils being tied for the third-best road record in the NHL, and one of just six teams to win 10 or more on the road, they are on the outside of the playoffs looking in. That is due to their lack of success at The Rock.

At 7-8-2, the Devils are tied for the fifth-worst home record in the NHL. A big reason for the lack of success in New Jersey is the Devils overdoing everything. They need to simplify their game and get back to the aggressive play that they are capable of.

Another issue is the lack of strong starts. All you have to do is look at each of the last two games and it’s obvious that the Devils have not found a way to get going immediately.

Against the Oilers, they gave up the first goal 24 seconds in and on Edmonton’s first shot. Last Saturday vs the Red Wings, New Jersey gave up the first goal on the first shot for Detroit less than five minutes in. Simply put, a fast start needs to happen, especially against a struggling team.

Timo heating up