Disastrous First Period Dooms Devils in 6-3 loss to Flyers

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With the Devils reeling following two losses to the Panthers and Lightning, it felt like this Metropolitan Division battle was a great way to gain some positive vibes from the road trip. It started well also, the Devils' first power play of the game saw them sustain possession and pressure, eventually leading to a Timo Meier goal. A much-needed goal for one of the big guns who must lead the Devils through this stretch of 6-8 weeks.

The Devils' lead would be given up just over a minute and a half later with a Flyers goal from Noah Cates. The score would not stay tied for long, and quite honestly, all hell broke loose for New Jersey just a few minutes later. A Matvei Michkov goal and a pair of Tyson Forester goals would put the Flyers up 4-1 in the first frame. The trio of Flyers goals would become the fifth-fastest three goals for a team in NHL history, per the MSG broadcast. Sheldon Keefe did not elect to call a timeout and most notably kept Jake Allen in instead of giving Markstrom the nod. Kinda tells you how much faith they have in Markstrom right now.

The game, for the most part, slowed down after the wild first period; however, it appeared the damage was already done. Bobby Brink would eventually make the game 5-1 a little over halfway through the second. Nico Hischier would grab one back for the Devils to make it 5-2 through 40 minutes.

The Devils pressed hard in the third period and would eventually pull Jake Allen with over seven minutes left. Nico Hischier would add another tally on a deflection from a Simon Nemec shot from the point to make it 5-3. However, with Allen returned to the net, Trevor Zegras would deliver the dagger, making it a 6-3 final score. The Devils move to 13-7-1, with a 2-3-0 record on the five-game trip, and most noteworthy, without a regulation win. Their last regulation win came on November 1st in Los Angeles.

Takeaways:

The Big Guns Produced

The Devils are undeniably going to have to rely on Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt to lead the way offensively. They all had their hands all over the Devils' scoresheet, which was a welcoming sight in a mostly concerning night for New Jersey.

Everyone Else Did Not

If there was one thing that tanked the Devils' season last year, it was the ineptitude of the bottom-six. The lineup this season sought to correct that, but in the early returns, it's looking like we're seeing the same things. Stefan Noesen, Ondrej Palat, Paul Cotter, the list goes on, have all for the most part, been held off the scoresheet. Secondary scoring has been hard to come by for the Devils when they need it the most. Is Lamikko an NHL-caliber center? It's fair to question Fitzgerald's ability to address the needs of his club because the same problems we saw last year are coming to light once again.

Keefe calling out Fitzgerald?

In Sheldon Keefe's postgame scrum, he had a very cryptic comment that almost seemed like he was throwing a jab at his boss's ability to give him assets to be successful. "I'm looking for players. I'm looking for guys that want to play."

Now we know the Devils are banged up and have been for the majority of the season, but other NHL teams can overcome this and not let it derail a season. The Devils have not shown this. Keefe can only do what he can with what he is given. Now, with the Devils' cap situation, it's important to be realistic and know that Fitzgerald cannot just snap his finger and bring in someone to help the team. There's some gymnastics to be done with the cap for this to be possible.

Get Home and Stay Hot at Home

Six of the Devils' next seven games (six, seven I know) will come on home ice, where they are 7-0-1 on the year. This is a crucial stretch for the team and one that cannot go haywire.