G43 New Jersey Devils @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Desperate for a rebound

The Devils have dropped four of the past five games. They need to rebound against the Blue Jackets before their schedule really stiffens.

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

How will Vanecek respond?

Vitek Vanecek has made just one start over the past five games. He conceded four goals on 20 shots in that game against Tampa Bay and was likely the biggest factor in the Devils leaving the ice without two points.

It’s not an exaggeration to say Vanecek is often doing more harm than good to the team’s chances. His playing time of late has reflected that.

With Vanecek struggling mightily, and Nico Daws mostly giving the Devils consistently solid netminding, Vanecek has finally lost his spot as the lead dog and is very clearly second in the pecking order.

While giving Daws the bigger share of the workload is no doubt the plan moving forward, the Devils are still going to need Vanecek. Daws is a young pro coming off major surgery; he can only handle so many starts.

I expect Vanecek to step in for the first half of a back-to-back, which makes sense for a couple of reasons.

First and foremost, the Blue Jackets are several tiers below the Stars. Vanecek has played terribly – even by his standards – against playoff teams this season, posting a save percentage above .900 just once vs. sides currently slated to make the dance. He has a much better chance of holding his own vs. Columbus.

Giving Vanecek the first start also means an extra day of rest for Daws. He started three games in five days prior to this game so having two full off days in advance of the Stars will likely serve him well.

This is a big game for Vanecek, whose ground in New Jersey gets shakier with each poor performance. He needs to give the Devils a legitimate chance to win.

Righting the ship