The New Jersey Devils have responded favorably following a four-game winless skid.
Winners of three of their last four games, the host Devils will look to add to the Montreal Canadiens’ misery on Thursday when the teams meet in Newark, N.J.
Montreal has lost four in a row and eight of its last 10 games (2-6-2) following a 3-2 overtime setback to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Former Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen turned aside all 31 shots he faced, lifting New Jersey to a 3-0 win in Edmonton on Monday. The shutout was the second of the season for Allen and second by the Devils on their three-game trek through Western Canada.
“We had some good effort from our guys throughout the trip,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. “You talk about the two shutouts (including a 6-0 win at Vancouver on Oct. 30), but we were five minutes away from getting one in Calgary as well. There’s things we have to do a lot better, no question, but we’re learning how to win these types of games and learning how to defend a lead.”
Allen praised the approach of fellow netminder Jacob Markstrom as a reason for his success on Monday.
“I tried to take a page out of (Markstrom’s) last two games,” Allen said. “He played a lot more calm than previous games and he looked great in his last two games.”
Jesper Bratt collected a goal and an assist on Monday to give him nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past eight games. Bratt leads the team in assists (12) and his point total (15) is one shy of captain Nico Hischier.
Hischier recorded two goals and an assist to help the Devils win two of the three meetings against the Canadiens last season. He scored the go-ahead goal on the power play in the third period and Bratt tallied three minutes later in an eventual 4-3 victory on Feb. 24 in Newark.
Joel Armia collected a goal and an assist on Tuesday in a losing effort for Montreal. Brendan Gallagher also tallied for the Canadiens, who let a third-period lead go by the boards en route to yet another loss.
“Right now we’re fighting. We’re searching for results,” Gallagher said. “We’re working hard but it’s not easy. This is a tough league. Once we figure it out we’ll be better off but we can’t let too much time go by. There’s a slim margin between winning and losing in this league. When you have a lead in the third, at home, it should be a situation where you’re able to lock it down.”
Cole Caufield has been held off the scoresheet in consecutive contests after erupting for 10 goals in 11 games to start the season. He scored one goal and set up three others in the 2023-24 regular-season series versus the Devils.
Captain Nick Suzuki also has been held without a point in back-to-back contests. He recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his previous nine games.
