“1-0 Them” Is a Real Problem That The Devils Need to Address
The Devils have paid dearly under Sheldon Keefe for their inability to score the first goal of the game
The New Jersey Devils have been struggling to lead their games, as they regularly concede the first goal of the match. This pattern has persisted throughout the season, with the Devils only scoring first once in the last two-plus seasons. In Sheldon Keefe's era, the Devils have surrendered the first goal in 56% (95 out of 169) of their regular season games.
If the Devils had scored first just 66 times in the same period, they would have had the second-best odds for the NHL draft lottery. However, their current performance is far from ideal, as they have a points percentage of .783 when they score first, but have struggled to capitalize on that lead. The Devils' inability to finish their scoring chances and their disorganization during power play situations have contributed to this issue.
Despite these challenges, the Devils have managed to kill all penalties in the first period of a recent game, only to concede the first goal just nine seconds into the second period. This pattern of allowing the other team to score first at home has become a recurring issue for the Devils, and it's preventing them from gaining momentum and producing the desired excitement for their fans.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
