The New Jersey Devils playoff chances are in good standing. However, their lack of consistency throughout 60 minutes has cost the team points as the year winds down. Recent injuries to Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Jonas Siegenthaler may have dwindled the Devils’ chances at a deep run. Despite missing key lineup pieces, the Devils’ locker room has high expectations once April rolls around. Entering the final week of March, New Jersey sits with a six-point cushion over the New York Rangers to qualify for the tournament.
Devils Playoff Chances Falter With Inconsistency
The Devils are still a very skilled team without some of their top weapons. Losing Jack Hughes for the season is difficult to overcome, but the likes of Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Nico Hischier have stepped up in his absence. The addition of Brian Dumoulin and the Devils defensive depth has lessened the impact of losing Hamilton and Siegenthaler.
Yes, New Jersey will gladly take being in a playoff position as they hit the home stretch, but the lack of consistency in playing a full 60 minutes is costing them vital points down the stretch. After winning three straight games, the Devils have lost four of their last five games. The one constant is a bad stretch during the game seems to lead to the Devils downfall. In hockey, a few bad shifts at any point in the game can break the back of a team. The Devils have been learning that lately.
A March 28th loss to the Winnipeg Jets saw the Devils fall behind 2-0 only 1:52 into the game. The Devils settled in for the rest of the period, but immediately find themselves chasing the game before half the roster has touched the ice.
Third Period Meltdowns
On March 17th, the Devils took a 2-0 lead into the third period in Columbus. They had published a solid effort against a hungry Blue Jackets team fighting for their playoff lives. The third period turned into one of the worst the team had played all season. New Jersey was outshot 24-3 over the final frame; only holding onto two points thanks to the heroics of Jake Allen.
Three days later, the same problem arose at home against Calgary. New Jersey was outshot 15-4, while surrendering four unanswered goals in a 5-3 loss to the Flames.
What This Means
New Jersey has seven games remaining in the regular season to to try and right the ship. They have corrected issues that have plagued them early in the season. The bottom six is scoring more with the likes of Cody Glass and Erik Haula finding new life on a newly formed third line.
Goaltending, which has plagued the Devils over recent years, is now a strength. Despite the struggles from Jacob Markstrom since his return from injury early in March, the Devils are not weak in net.
No matter how the Devils draw up their schemes, it is vital to avoid a stretch that buries them in the game. Whether it’s sitting back too much in the third period, or just a stretch in the second period where they give up two quick power play goals, the Devils need to bring the consistency every shift.
Thankfully, no other teams in the Eastern Conference have sparked a heated run toward the playoffs. Entering the final day of March, the New Jersey Devils playoff chances sit at 99.4% according to MoneyPuck.
The Devils will be home for six of their final seven games. Of those seven games, only two are against teams currently in a playoff position as of publication being the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers. The Devils should find themselves in the dance barring a historically bad final two weeks.
Anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the recent play from the Devils certainly has them holding onto a spot being a success in itself.
Main Photo Credit: David Banks – Imagn Images
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