3 Takeaways From the Devils’ 5-2 Loss to the Red Wings

Less than a minute later, the Devils cut the Red Wings’ lead by one. Haula had the puck near the net and attempted a wraparound, which was blocked. Dawson Mercer picked up the rebound and scored the second goal.

With his two points in this game, Haula earned the second star of the game. Although the Devils tried to make a late comeback, it was not enough. Detroit scored two more goals following the Devils’ two goals, earning them the 5-2 victory. 

Devils Didn’t Have Their Star Players

Many of the Devils’ star players were scratched for this game in preparation for the playoffs this weekend. Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Luke Hughes, Stefan Noesen, and Brett Pesce were all scratched for this game. It’s more important for them to be healthy for the playoffs than to play in a game that doesn’t matter in the standings.

With the postseason creeping closer, the Devils need their star players to be on their A-game. Taking the ice for the Devils this game were players who didn’t get much ice time in the NHL this season, such as Mike Hardman and Marc McLaughlin, who were only called up to the Devils this week from the Utica Comets, New Jersey’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team. With a secondary assist on Mercer’s goal, Hardman even earned his first point as a Devil. He played on the first line alongside Mercer at center and Haula on the left wing. 

With players who don’t typically get a lot of time in the NHL playing against players such as Dylan Larkin, it’s understandable why the Devils struggled. However, the team showed strong moments. Could players like Hardman see more time in the NHL next season? 

Bratt Ends the Season with Most Points

Although Bratt’s ironman streak has ended, he does earn the honor of achieving the most points for the Devils during the regular season. Bratt put up an impressive 88 points with 21 goals and 67 assists. He beat his personal best of 83 points, which he recorded last season. On top of this, Bratt holds the Devils franchise record for most assists recorded in a single season. The previous record was set by Scott Stevens in the 1993-94 season where he recorded 60 assists. 

Bratt has been a solid member of the Devils’ core, playing right wing alongside Jack Hughes on the first line. Although Hughes sustained a season-ending injury earlier this season, Bratt didn’t slow down and had a solid performance throughout Hughes’ absence. It’s a good thing Bratt was rested for this game; he’ll need to be consistent heading into the playoffs if the Devils want to go on a run.

Devils Are Playoff Bound

The Devils will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1 of the playoffs. The schedule is still to be announced.