The New Jersey Devils exited the Christmas break the say way they entered it: with a three-goal loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Devils played a pretty good first period -- they were actually leading 2-1 after 20 -- but they allowed four unanswered in the final two frames en route to a 5-2 loss.
A few notes:
1) Remember when the Devils were 9-3-3? Good times, good times. Since that point, the Devils have won just four times in 20 games (20%) and have allowed three or more goals in 17(!) of those 20 games. One of the games the Devils *didn't* allow three goals in was a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers so, in a way, they still kind of did.
This team simply can't defend and it's getting to the point where Cory Schneider, who takes blame for anything and everything bad that ever happens, is starting to point fingers at teammates a little bit.
More Schneider: "I just didn’t see the urgency from everyone to really want to tie that game." Says empty-netter could have been prevented.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) December 28, 2016
I hate to rule any team out of the race with more than half the season remaining but the Devils have won one of 10, four of 20, are last in the East, and only three teams (Vancouver, Arizona, and Colorado) are allowing more goals per game. This is not a playoff team.
2) P.A. Parenteau is quietly scoring at a 22-goal pace over an 82-game schedule. He is also one of the best possession players on the team. Not bad for a waiver claim on a cheap, one-year deal.
The Devils probably earned themselves a free 3rd round pick from a playoff team that needs help on the right side (like Edmonton) in exchange for paying Parenteau's cheap salary for a few months. If the Devils were to get a 3rd, which I would say is a very reasonable ask, the Devils would have 10 picks in the top-3 rounds over the next two years.
3) At what point does Beau Bennett get more ice time at 5v5? He is one of the few in the green on a routine basis.
Another day, another rough 5v5 showing for the Devils against the Pens. pic.twitter.com/5Rj7SCupsW
— Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell) December 28, 2016
In 7:28 of 5v5 ice the Devils out-attempted the Pens, 10-1, and out-chanced them 7-0. His finishing ability isn't great, but he sure gets a lot of chances (and helps create them). You don't have to defend when you're in the offensive zone. That has value.
4) If not anything else, it's worth tuning into Devils games just to watch Taylor Hall do crazy things for ~20 minutes a night. He darts around the ice like he crushed five red bulls before every game and has a habit of making something out of nothing.
Step 1: Deke
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 28, 2016
Step 2: Dish
Step 3: Score#PITvsNJD pic.twitter.com/61sMtWsdr9
5) Since it's the holiday season, I'll try to end on a positive note.
Michael McLeod was actually given some ice for Canada against Slovakia and scored this nice goal.
Michael McLeod darts to the net and taps in his first of the tournament. pic.twitter.com/PQ8QOVIzaS
— Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell) December 28, 2016
Fellow Canadian Blake Speers registered an assist in the win and has looked really good thus far, especially defensively and on the penalty kill.
Meanwhile, defensemen Yegor Rykov, a 5th round pick in 2016, leads Russia in time on ice through two games and has one goal and five points.