3 Takeaways From Devils’ 5-2 Loss to Avalanche

After racing up the ice on a 2-on-1 with Luke Hughes, Brown scored his first goal of the season to put the Devils up 1-0. His shorthanded goal provided a much-needed spark, but the team struggled to score again on Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.

The Avalanche scored five goals before the Devils retaliated, and Brown notched his second of the contest with four minutes left. He picked up Lombardi’s rebound off his backhand and fired it past Blackwood’s blocker. Though it wasn’t the outcome the team had hoped for, Brown helped end the game on a positive note, cutting the deficit to three goals.

Devils Outshot and Outpaced

For the first time this season, the Devils were outshot by their opponent. After 20 minutes, the Avalanche had 10 shots on goal compared to New Jersey’s six, and this margin continued to widen through the remaining 40 minutes. By the end of the second, Colorado had over three times as many shots as the Devils (21-6).

Even when the ice was tilted in the Avalanche’s favor, goaltender Jake Allen kept the Devils in the game at first. He faced 31 shots through the first two periods, giving up only a single goal. Gabriel Landeskog scored on the power play to tie the game at one. Unfortunately, things fell apart in the final period. 

The Avalanche struck again 2:45 into the third and scored again just over a minute later. Despite the Devils’ attempts to regroup, the home team scored three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes.

Afterwards, Cody Glass told reporters that the team is focused on putting the loss behind them and playing with the same tenacity they’ve shown in previous games: “You want to see what went wrong and how you can get better…We want to come back next game, do exactly what we’ve been doing, and put a good foot forward.”

Special Teams Fall Short

Special teams have been a significant weak point for the Devils recently. During their three-game homestand, they scored just one power-play goal and have yet to score one on this road trip. They were unable to capitalize on all three opportunities against the Avalanche, despite earning a 5-on-3 at the end of the second. The Devils recorded two shots on goal with the two-man advantage and none on their third and final power play of the game.

This season, their power play is 7/33 for a 17.5% conversion rate that ranks 23rd in the league. The team must focus on a stronger net-front presence and shore up their defense to maximize their opportunities. The reality is that Nico Hischier is the only Devil with multiple power-play goals.

Similarly, the Devils’ penalty kill has also fallen near the bottom of the NHL, allowing their opponents to score eight goals across 29 penalties. Though they’ve been more disciplined at staying out of the box, allowing a dominant team like the Avalanche to score on the man advantage created a deficit the Devils were unable to overcome.

Devils Back in Action on Friday

New Jersey concludes their three-game road trip on Friday, Oct. 30, against the Vegas Golden Knights, who rank second in the Pacific Division with 19 points. Puck drop is set for 6:00 PM ET.