Newark. The New Jersey Devils don’t know what it feels like to lose.
They tied a club record with their 13th straight win last night – at home against the Edmonton Oilers.
“We really learned to win,” top scorer and star Jesper Pratt told Sportbladet after the 5-2 win.
October 24 was the latest on the calendar New Jersey Devils Lost hockey match – against Washington Capitals.
In the month since then, they’ve won and won and only won – and tonight they touched a club record with their 13th consecutive win.
– It’s very fun now, says Jesper Bratt when we meet him in the very cheerful dressing room at The Rock after the final whistle.
– But we really learned to win, got the right mentality and played with confidence, especially in the most difficult moments.. It’s a big difference compared to previous years.
Yes, confidence literally lights up about you.
– That’s how it is. We feel we have speed and width in the team and many of us youngsters have made great strides and are ready to take on bigger roles. I also think we play very fun hockey.
Create CCCP groups
In fact. This fall, the Devils erased their old image as square messengers of hockey and replaced it with the NHL’s funniest profile currently in the league. They are insanely fast both in the skating and in the passing game, and night after night they come up with amazing CCCP combinations on the ice.
Jesper himself was involved in two absolutely fantastic goals last night. He first scored his eighth goal of the season after a video game applause display with Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes power plays early in the first period – then it was he who scored the perfect final pass to defender Damon Severson. In a state of extreme anger in the midst of others.
– Yes, it was a great match there, Jesper smiles.
– On the first goal Jack first did a great job going on and finding Neko with the puck and I just tried to get a surface because I know you get a pass from him in situations like that. I got that and then I got the perfect position to spray it in there. Other times Jack and I tried to use our speed in the midsection, it gave us the depth we wanted to go. At the same time, Severson, one of our more offensive running backs, stepped up, and I knew he could dunk it if I played him.
Celebrate the scale of the team
Fabian Zetterlund also had an assist in the game – and Jesper Bokvist erupted prominently as a third-string quarterback.
– Yes, Bratten continues, this is another of the biggest differences compared to the previous one. The third and fourth strings are also very good. We really have depth this year.
On Thursday night, the Devils have a chance to break the now-tied club record with their 14th consecutive win – at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The down game in the NHL could be that.
Skåne defenseman Rasmus Andersson sank a powerful shot directly from the blue line as Calgary suffered Philadelphia’s seventh straight loss at the Wells Fargo Center overnight.
5-2 were the winning numbers – and the long-distance guests didn’t have to work hard for that victory.
– But give credit to the Flyers, I think they fought well, says Blake Coleman, who scored a goal and made two assists, very generously.
Toronto seemed to be on course for a bizarre home goal victory against the New York Islanders, but with only three minutes remaining, Erik Kalgren made an unfortunate dribble with the puck behind his own net, and it ended up in the hands of Josh Bailey. He was able to make it 2-2 without any issues.
Then Anthony Beauvilliers decided for the visitors in extra time.
Worse for the home team, though:
The best defender on the team, Morgan Riley is injured – and the Leafs have been injured already secondly Best return for Jake Muzin on the injured list.
– We’ll x-ray him tomorrow, and we’ll see how serious he is, Coach Sheldon Cave sighs.
The trio of William Nylander, Rasmus Sandin, and Timothy Lillgren all had an assist.
It was tighter than it should have been, but in the end Nashville was able to beat Arizona 4-3 – after a penalty shootout.
Philip Forsberg contributed an assist and scored a penalty.
Some other results from the night:
St. Louis won its seventh straight contest by defeating Anaheim 3-1 (Isaac Lundstrom assisted on the visitors’ consolation goal), Winnipeg beat Carolina 4-3 after an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey (David Gustafson’s goal was scored on an assist) and Colorado won with gold. The real showdown against Dallas on penalties (assisted by Andreas Englund). Final score: 3-2.