On Tuesday night the New Jersey Devils concluded their home-and-home series against Columbus the same way it began: with a shutout loss.
The opener was an absolute snoozefest where the two teams combined for just 42 shots and 14 high-danger chances. Sergei Bobrovsky was perfect, Cory Schneider was not, and that was the difference.
While the result was the same, last night's contest offered *some* entertainment value -- at least in the first two periods (although, it didn't hold a candle to Get Out, which I saw after the game).
The Devils came out with purpose and tested Bobrovsky early and often. They put 16 pucks on net in the opening frame and had 25 shots through 40 minutes. The Devils didn't register that many in any of the three games prior so it was a step in the right direction.
It didn't matter, though. As has been the case all season long -- the Devils are 29th in goals -- they couldn't find a way to convert on the chances they managed to create.
Keith Kinkaid held down the fort for much of the night but the Jackets eventually found a way to beat him.
Sam Gagner hit Oliver Bjorkstrand with a nice pass in the slot and the rookie did the rest scoring his fourth goal in four career games against the Devils.
Oliver Bjorkstrand doesn't miss from there. Absolute game changing player. 1-0 Jackets. pic.twitter.com/W8j9m6xBl2
— Buckeye State Hockey (@BuckeyeStHockey) March 8, 2017
The Devils couldn't tie things up late and Kinkaid's strong performance (he posted a .958 save percentage) was wasted as a result.
They have now lost eight consecutive games, scored just two goals over the last four and been shutout three times in that span.
Remember when they were hovering around the playoffs and it once seemed possible they would actually sneak in? Oh, how the times have changed.
But, hey, they play the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes in their next two games. Maybe they'll be able to pick up a win for the first time since mid-February. Maybe.