Lightning 4, Devils 1: Back to square one

After a solid start against the Hurricanes, Vanecek reverted back into a pumpkin and was a key factor in Tuesday night's disappointing loss.

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A few notes following New Jersey’s 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Goaltending was the difference

The Lightning have really labored of late. Their play has been extremely inconsistent, especially on the defensive side of the puck (and away from home).

With Steven Stamkos a late scratch, it was easy to envision problems at both ends of the rink against a Devils team that’d been piling up the wins – and dominating at 5v5 – for quite some time.

For a good portion of the night, that was the case. It feels strange to say that when the Devils conceded four goals in 40 minutes and lost by three goals. But, honestly, it’s the truth. They were the better team.

Don’t get me wrong; the Devils weren’t a free flowing offensive machine by any means. The Lightning did a good job of slowing them down and keeping them away from the middle of the ice once they built their lead.

Even so, the Devils were still more threatening than the Lightning throughout. They had the puck more often and did a noticeably better job of working it into the home plate area, even if it didn’t always feel like it.

The difference in this game – as often the case in recent losses – was goaltending. Vitek Vanecek did not play well in the opening 40 minutes, conceding four goals on just 0.99 expected while allowing a couple you’d definitely want saves on.

Andrei Vasilevskiy did Andrei Vasilevskiy things at the other end of the ice, coming up with big saves in spurts whenever the Devils were able to break the Lightning defense.

All told, he allowed one goal on 27 Grade B chances and 2.42 expected goals. That was the difference in the game.

I don’t really care if Vanecek put forth a clean 3rd period and made a couple nice saves on an over the hill – but still useful – Corey Perry. The reality is he did not get the job done when the game was close and making saves actually mattered.

Vanecek has played well and done his job for much of the season. He deserves credit for that! However, what he did in recent months doesn’t excuse him from the team-killing play we have seen of late.

He has allowed at least three goals in six of the last seven and four goals or more five times in that span; this while facing 30 shots or more just twice.

His numbers are legitimately among the worst in the league since February 20th.

Vanecek is costing the Devils points right now with the inability to stop anything, especially of high quality. And, before you hit me with an excuse about all the mistakes Player X, Y, and Z made in the lead up to certain goals conceded…just don’t.

He has faced high-danger shots at a lesser rate than every goaltender in the league during this rough patch. He’s seen just 6.28 per 60 over his last seven starts and still ranks dead last in high-danger save percentage.

The defense is not the problem. Turnovers are not the problem. Every mistake ending up in the back of the net is the problem; and he’s at fault for that.

The feast continues