BY SAM HITCHCOCK
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
COMMENTARY
The Devils’ recent struggles with inconsistency signify the mark of an average team. And maybe that’s all they are.
Against Boston last Thursday, the Devils had spurts where they looked very competitive. They scored three goals in the second period, capitalizing on turnovers and missed defensive assignments, and forechecking and backchecking well. But during the first period, parts of the third period, and in overtime, they looked and played like they were overwhelmed. The Bruins, led by David Krejci’s hat trick, got shots consistently from the low slot and had many scoring opportunities off of defensive breakdowns by the Devils’ forwards, who were consistently inconsistent in their defensive help.
Against the Capitals the following day, the Devils looked regal, dismantling a dysfunctional Washington team that was entering the game on a surprising three-game win streak. Parise was the biggest beneficiary, earning his second career hat-trick. But the bigger story was that the Devils were dominant in every zone, forechecking hard and forcing turnovers from the Capitals defensemen.
