What a difference a summer makes. The new look New Jersey Devils dealt the Utah Hockey Club their first franchise loss in a 3-0 victory in Newark. The Devils now move to 4-1-0 on the season and are starting to live up to the expectations placed on the team to start the season.
The Utah Hockey Club is a fast, transition team that can score on any team in the NHL. Their high-speed skill was on display in the first period when the two teams seemed to race back and forth exchanging chances. If it sounds familiar, the Utah HC had a 2023 NJ Devils feel to it. They capitalized on turnovers and, based on their previous games, beat teams with quick turns up ice, stick-to-stick passes and by catching defenses looking. The Utah HC outshot the Devils 6-5 in the first period.
Luckily this is a different Devils team and a different coach. Head Coach Sheldon Keefe made adjustments that were lacking in previous seasons. The Devils changed their defensive style and turned up the physical play. The third and fourth lines started checking harder into the boards and played a much more physical game in the neutral zone. The Devils managed to force more dumps by the Utah club and created a much more frustrating game for the new franchise.
This could be seen in the amount of penalties the UHC took, especially in the offensive zone. After an anemic power play has plagued the Devils early in the season, they have made adjustments and went 2-for-7. Even when not scoring the power play units controlled the play and did everything right but score. That changed when Seamus Casey, the young Devils rookie, who is taking advantage of his shot at the big leagues, scored a power play goal off a feed by Captain Nico Hischier. It was Casey’s third goal in five games.
Make that three goals in the first five career NHL games for Seamus Casey! 😈 pic.twitter.com/HDU9reTiN7
— NHL (@NHL) October 14, 2024
The Devils third and fourth line continued to make Tom Fitzgerald an early candidate for General manager of the year. They played a strong game and gave the Devils something they have lacked, four lines that can change the course of a game. Stefan Noesen scored his second of the year off a shot on goal by Casey.
Stefan Noesen tucks home the rebound for the Devils!
pic.twitter.com/ui8oyPsTB6— SleeperNHL (@SleeperNHL) October 14, 2024
The Devils outshot the Utah Club 16-5 in the second frame, and it continued into the third period. After getting another power play, the Devils made it 3-0 on a goal by Hischier. The first power play unit was aggressive all game and it showed. Hischier’s goal, assisted by Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt was the final stroke in a well-played and coached game.
Great pass from Jack to Nico, taking advantage of the tired Utah PK.
Stefan Noesen on the first PP unit might be the move for the foreseeable future. Also gives Timo more opportunity to create on the second unit in the half wall. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/JncfUp76L7
— Daniel Rebain 🇺🇲🇵🇱 (@pvtmcbain) October 14, 2024
The defense came up big as Utah began to pull their goaltender with over four minutes remaining in the game. It failed to create any difference, and the Devils would give goaltender Jake Allen, who played a brilliant game, his first shutout since Feb. 14, 2023.
This is not last year’s Devils that played one form of hockey. This is not just a transition team that relied on its top two lines to win games. From the goaltending out this is a balanced team. The Defensive defenseman matched with offensive defenseman, to four rolling lines and a top two lines that are getting close to breaking out. This is a team that can beat you in different ways.
