A few notes from New Jersey vs St. Louis:
1) We’ll start with the controversial offside review because it’s likely that cost the Devils a point. I did not like the call for quite a few reasons. First and foremost, it was obviously called a goal on the ice, which means you need conclusive evidence to overturn it. If refs need five or six minutes – maybe more – to review the same few angles before deciding it’s no goal, maybe the call on the ice should stand. If it were clearly conclusive, it wouldn’t take more than a minute to realize that. Fox Sports did show one angle where it looked like Marcus Johansson’s skate was a hair off the ground, rather than touching the blue line, but it was hardly conclusive and even if it was – what possible difference does it make if a player’s foot is directly above the blue line but not touching it? Technically he’s in the right spot, anyway. I’ve hated this rule for so long and it has nothing to do with what has happened the last few games. The NHL and a good portion of its fans have said they’d like to see more goals yet the league takes them away by the handful because a player’s skate crossed the blue line a millimeter before the puck. And, of course, that’s reviewable but scoring a goal with six players on the ice during 5v5 play…don’t you dare question that! It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Honestly, I’d like to see the offside reviews disappear because every other night goals are being taken away due to margins so small that a ref standing on the blue line couldn’t even pick up in real time. That’s just my take.
2) I thought the Taylor Hall - Nico Hischier - Jesper Bratt looked really good. They were buzzing around the ice and put the Blues’ defense on its heels numerous times with their speed and attacking mentality. At 5v5, the Devils out-chanced the Blues at a 2:1 clip with that trio on the ice and they accounted for the team’s only two goals – not to mention the one that was called back. It’s pretty good when you can go on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the league, give them the matchups they want, and still come out on the positive end of it.
3) The shootout was a bit of a disaster but I can’t really complain about Keith Kinkaid’s performance. He hadn’t started in almost a full month and came in as rusty as a spoon in the Salad Fingers videos that went viral a decade ago. Despite that, he held the Blues to two goals, posted a .931 save percentage, and helped the Devils collect a point. If not for the goal reversal, he probably gets two and the shootout never even happens. Nitpick all you want but he did his job. That’s pretty much the best you’re going to get from a backup.
4) Sami Vatanen did not record a point and tallied just six shots in his first eight games as a Devil despite playing no less than 20 minutes in any of them. In seven games since, he’s piled up five points and 22 shots on goal. He’s getting more involved offensively and starting to look quite solid alongside John Moore, who’s actually been pretty good with Vatanen by his side.
5) I didn't care for the decision to scratch Damon Severson last night. I’m not going to sit here and tell you he’s perfect or never makes mistakes but the good certainly outweighs the bad. In the two games prior to being scratched, which you’d think were the basis of the decision to sit him, the Devils out-chanced their opponents 23-12 – and 12-3 in terms of high-danger looks – with Severson on the ice at 5v5 but somehow four pucks ended up in the back of the net and he had to sit for it. He wasn’t bad at all. If anything, he was good but unlucky. Even if the chances were the other way around and he legitimately struggled, he’s important enough that an off night or two shouldn’t leave him sitting in the press box. Among regulars on the Devils’ blue line, Severson ranks 2nd in Corsi For% by a hair (.14%), 2nd in Scoring Chance For%, 2nd in Expected Goals For%, 3rd in Goals For%, tied for 1st in primary points, 1st in shots on goal, and 1st in scoring chances at 5v5. I know it’s likely he only sits for one game, but that’s one too many for me. He's not a guy you take out of the lineup.