Less than 24 hours after Will Smith said “Yo Homes to Bel-Air”, slapping an overtime bomb harder than Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, the Sharks swam across the Hudson for a bout with New Jersey. San Jose could smell blood in the water early in the first period, scoring on a power play and adding a second goal that was disallowed due to a high stick. The Devils, struggling to get their sea legs for most of the night, steadied the ship just enough to escape the period down just one goal.
When the second stanza began, Captain Nico Hischier and his men came out of the tunnel with purpose. Scoring two power play goals by Dougie Hamilton, and imposing a stifling defensive game by the entire lineup, New Jersey turned the tide. The Devils outshot the Sharks by an impressive total of 13-0 during the middle twenty minutes, taking control of the game and a 2-1 lead going into the third.
In the third the Devils kept the throttle up, but sharp play by San Jose goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov kept the Sharks alive. The ever valuable Connor Brown delivered the harpoon with just under a minute to go, icing the game with an empty net goal.
More impressive than the prior five, NJ won the last two games at home to Mid-esota and San Jose. Two proverbial “trap” style games that often derailed Devils wagons of the recent past. A home and home with Colorado awaits the Devils. At the Rock on Sunday afternoon and out in Denver on Tuesday night. Having already defeated many of the league’s elite in Florida, Edmonton, Tampa(supposed to be elite) and Toronto; winning just one against the Avs would really solidify Jersey as a serious contender.
Hey Siri play “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen…and put a pitchfork in this one!