Five takeaways from New Jersey vs Edmonton:
1) Of late, the Devils have been getting out-chanced -- sometimes significantly -- on a nightly basis yet continued to win games anyway.
That finally caught up with them last night as the Oilers controlled play for much of the game, out-chanced the Devils by nine, and it showed up on the scoreboard.
It wasn't a completely one-sided affair but the Devils were clearly the lesser team, which has been the case too frequently of late (they have a minus-35 scoring chance differential at 5v5 over the last five games).
They're sporting a great record but I'm still not sold on them as a playoff team. They have a lot of work to do.
2) Another game, another great showing from Taylor Hall. He was flying around the ice from start to finish and was a consistent threat throughout. He scored a goal, recorded seven shots on target, and tied Leon Draisaitl for the game-high with six scoring chances. He is playing MVP-caliber hockey right now.
3) I get Hynes doesn't want to put too much on Nico Hischier's plate, but I think he was underutilized last night. He is one of the most skilled players on the roster and was playing well (he finished 2nd on the team in Corsi For%), yet only Blake Coleman and Dalton Prout saw less ice at 5v5. If I'm trailing, I certainly want Hischier on the ice more than Jimmy Hayes, Brian Boyle, and co.
4) Speaking of Hayes, the Devils were out-chanced 11-4 during his 17 minutes of 5v5 ice at 5v5. Despite that, he played more in that game state than all but Hall and Brian Gibbons up front. He has a sub 40 Corsi For% and sub 40 Scoring Chance For% on the year so I'm thinking his usage should probably be toned down.
5) On a positive note, I thought Bratt looked as good as he has in a couple weeks. He was darting around the ice, slipping through checks, and was involved in some nice passing plays that led to quality chances. There will be some bumps along the road, but that was another reminder he belongs.