Oilers 6, Devils 3: Deja vu

A poor start, bad goaltending, and an inability to stop the bleeding once again led to defeat.

Follow along on Twitter @ToddCordell | @InfernalAccess

Be sure to join the Discord channel to talk hockey, and everything else, with our writers and subscribers.

---

A few observations from another disappointing effort by the New Jersey Devils:

More of the same

Did anyone else get deja vu watching last night’s game? I sure did because I’ve seen the same thing countless times this year. The Devils really were out there playing all the hits.

They started the game painfully slow. They allowed a pair of goals before they even showed a pulse, falling behind for the 22nd time in just 31 tries.

The Devils had to know the Oilers – riding a three-game losing streak and desperate for points – were going to come out gangbusters. I knew it. You knew it. Joe from the corner store knew it. And the Devils still weren’t ready to rock.

They were sloppy from the off, making the same old mistakes we’ve seen a billion times this season. They were down two goals in the blink of an eye.

Although the Devils eventually recovered and actually earned themselves a lead at one point, they dug deep into their bag of tricks to ensure they left the ice empty-handed.

Vitek Vanecek reverted back into a pumpkin after a couple good periods. It felt like he was good for most of his start and yet he still posted a .778 SV% vs medium-danger shots and .750 vs high-danger. Not good enough – again.

The Devils also did that fun thing where something bad happens and they let it snowball. They came out with a lead in the 3rd period and pissed it away in the span of a couple shifts, allowing three goals in less than 70 seconds. Just like that a lead turned into a multi-goal deficit and the game was essentially over.

I know Lindy Ruff isn’t the one who can’t stop a puck. I know Lindy Ruff isn’t the one turning pucks over. But, at some point, the blame falls on his shoulders.

We keep seeing the same things over and over with no sign of change. If there are no changes, that means a) Ruff isn’t making them or; b) the players are tuning him out and not following marching orders. Either way, it’s a problem.

Things need to change – and fast – or Tom Fitzgerald will have his hand forced. Even with the faults of the team, they are way too good to lose so many games – and in such embarrassing fashion.

Time to mix it up