“Devils Fall 3-0 to Canadiens in Penalty-Filled Preseason Matchup, Despite Stellar Penalty Kill and Goaltending”
Tuesday night in Montreal belonged to Justin Kea and Garrett Rank, as the New Jersey Devils lost 3-0 to the Canadiens. The game was filled with penalties, with New Jersey racking up eight and the Canadiens taking six. Michael Pezzetta scored twice for Montreal, including an empty-net goal, while Nick Suzuki also added a goal.
Despite the penalty trouble, New Jersey’s penalty kill unit was a standout, going a perfect 8-for-8, even successfully defending a full two-minute 5-on-3. Sixteen of the 18 Devils players contributed to the penalty kill, with only Kurtis MacDermid and Mike Hardman not getting any time (Xavier Parent logged just four seconds).
Strong goaltending was key to the penalty kill’s success. Jake Allen started in net for the Devils, stopping 12 of 13 shots before being replaced halfway through the second period by Nico Daws, who made 14 saves on 15 shots. Both goalies made several key saves to keep the Devils in the game.
Unfortunately, the Devils’ offense didn’t match their defensive efforts. The lineup, made up mostly of players unlikely to feature heavily in the NHL this season, struggled to create chances. Nathan Bastian, Nolan Foote, and Simon Nemec led the team with three shots each.
Overall, it was a frustrating game for the Devils, marked by a lack of offense and an excess of penalties. Now 0-2 in the preseason, the team will look to improve in the coming games.