Lost Leads Will Ruin New Jersey Devils’ Season
When it comes to the New Jersey Devils, no lead is safe. That was the case on Friday night when the Detroit Red Wings came into the Prudential Center.
The Devils had a 4-1 lead early in the second period. They needed to hold this lead for 39 minutes to come away with a big win. Instead, they blew the lead pretty easily.
What makes this worse is they were playing the Red Wings’ third-string goalie. With the shoulder injury to Jonas Gustavsson, Petr Mrazek has been given the ability to back up Jimmy Howard. In his second game of the season, he shut out the Devils for the final 44 minutes and did not let them score in the shootout. The is despite having nearly a full two-minute 5-on-3 penalty kill to deal with.
The fact of the matter is the Devils blew another game. This has been a trend this season. They did it against Karri Ramo and the Calgary Flames. They did it against the New York Rangers, the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche. This team is not good enough to let easy points go to waste. This stretch is going to kill them when it comes to the end of the season. When you give up leads and lose games seemingly twice a week, maybe the team isn’t as good as originally thought.
The Devils need to hold the fort once in a while. Despite holding a 4-1 lead at one point, the Devils only took 25 shots in the game. It is clear the Devils took the foot off the gas in the second period. After holding the Red Wings to nine shots in the first, they allowed them to storm back with 17 shots in the second. They realized the error in their ways by only allowing four shots in the third, but one of those shots tied the game.
Cory Schneider needs to be better, plain and simple. His team is scoring for him. He cannot be giving up four goals on any night, but especially when he is given offensive support. The complaints of the past are no longer viable when the team scores and the goalie blows it. On the second, third and fourth goals for the Red Wings, Schneider over committed to the man in front and allowed an easy one-time goal on all three. He needs to be more aware of where every opposing player is, not just the puck handler.
There is still hope for the Devils, but something needs to be done. There are plenty calling for the head of head coach Peter DeBoer for how the team has played. Nobody will say he has done a good job, but there isn’t a clear person to take the job as of now. He needs to find a way to stop a veteran-laden team from giving up leads. If he doesn’t, it will force GM Lou Lamoriello to make a decision faster than he wanted to.
Nick Villano is the New Jersey Devils writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.
Keith Kinkaid Has Earned More Starts For Devils
Keith Kinkaid put together his second straight good start for the Devils. He has earned the chance to gain more playing time. Read More
5 Keys to Canadiens vs. Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens are set to meet for the first time this season. What are the keys to this game for both teams? Read More
Problem With Oilers Lies Deeper Than Coaching
The Edmonton Oilers have been through five head coaches in the past seven seasons. With no playoff appearances since 2006, the problem is rooted deeper than the coach. Read More
McDonagh Is Rangers' Most Disappointing Player
Ryan McDonagh has had a tough start to the season, and he has been the New York Rangers' most disappointing player thus far. Read More
Kari Lehtonen is Stars' Most Disapointing Player
Kari Lehtonen has appeared to hit a new low in his career, and is having a tough time in net for the Dallas Stars. Find out why he is the team's most disappointing player so far this season. Read More
Damien Brunner Is Most Disappointing For Devils
Damien Brunner came to the New Jersey Devils with a lot of hype, however, he has been so bad that his contract was terminated on Friday. Read More
Johan Franzen Has Disappointed For Red Wings
Although the Detroit Red Wings are off to a great start, Johan Franzen has been mired in a slump. His offensive struggles mixed with his defensive issues make him Detroit's most disappointing player. Read More
Tyler Toffoli Has Been Kings' MVP So Far
Tyler Toffoli is the MVP of the Los Angeles Kings so far this season. Here's why. Read More
Tyler Seguin Has Been Stars' MVP So Far
Tyler Sequin leads the NHL in points so far this season and he has easily been the Dallas Stars' MVP. Read More
NHL Power Rankings For Week 10
More than two months into the season, the NHL landscape is starting to materialize. Here are the power rankings for Week 10 of the 2014-15 season. Read More
Ducks' Matt Beleskey Key To Current Success
Find out how Matt Beleskey's breakout season has propelled the Anaheim Ducks to the top of the NHL. Read More
Adam Burish Has Been Sharks' Biggest Letdown
Adam Burish has been a solid contributor throughout his NHL career. However, he's underperformed this season and has been the San Jose Sharks' most disappointing player so far. Read More