The Devils have returned from the holiday break facing their biggest adversity of the year yet, after putting together some of their best hockey just prior to the three days off.
“Definitely some structured things, we’re not dialed in anymore,” Nico Hischier said of the difference between his teams performances before and after the break. “We’re giving them way too easy offense, pucks on their own sticks and even against teams like (San Jose) they’re going to make you pay for it. Just not as sharp and we’ve got to dig in. Come out better on the other side but it definitely sucks right now.”
“The structure is off because we’re not working, we’re not skating, we’re not connected as a result,” head coach Sheldon Keefe added. “When you’re just off by one stride, this is the NHL, if you’re off by one stride, hanging around on offense or you swing away, you expose the game unnecessarily. It opens up the game for the opposition and you’re less likely to get the chances yourself to get the chances the other way. A lot of why we’re not scoring is connected to the fact that we’re not defending properly. We’re not defending hard enough. You get what you deserve.”
Sharks winger Nikolai Kovalenko opened the scoring for the Sharks in the first period and Nico Hischier scored his 19th of the season in the second period as the Sharks and Devils entered the final 20 minutes of regulation in a tied game.
Rookie forward Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 first-overall pick by the Sharks put San Jose up 2-1 early in the first period, but New Jersey wouldn’t let the Shark’s lead linger for too long.
Paul Cotter put some fancy dangling skills on display, benefiting off a Luke Hughes outlet pass at 5:07 of the third period, finishing off the play with a wrist shot, up and over Yaroslav Askarov’s glove for the Devils’ second tying goal of the game.
New Jersey now travel to Seattle to face the Kraken on Monday night.
