NEWARK, NJ – A goal in the second period by Tage Thompson and one in the third by Peyton Krebs were the difference as the New Jersey Devils dropped their first game after the Olympic break to the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 2-1.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe said the story felt familiar.
“I thought the game went a lot of the same way these games went most of the season,” Keefe said. “We played well, especially early in the game. But you’ve got to score in order to take a hold of it. Their best player had one clean look and made it. That’s the difference in the game.”
Timo Meier scored the lone Devils goal.
“Even I thought the start was good, and we had chances that just didn’t go in,” Meier said. “But especially in these games, you can’t fade away from defending the right way, and that’s what cost us the game tonight.”
Both teams had very good chances in the early going. Shots on goal midway through the period were 5-4 New Jersey with the Devils’ best chance coming off a one-timer from Timo Meier.
While shorthanded in the final two minutes of the opening frame, Jesper Bratt skated in alone on a breakaway. His backhand attempt went over the net.
After one, shots on goal were 12-9 for the Devils.
Jake Allen felt the group handled the start well coming out of the break.
“I thought we played a good first period,” Allen said. “There’s things obviously we need to clean up, but for the most part the game was okay. Unfortunately tonight just didn’t go our way.”
Jack had a great chance early in the second, electing to shoot on a two-on-one. Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made a nice stop and cleared the rebound out of harm’s way.
Near the midway point of the second, the Sabres struck for the game’s first goal. Thompson took a feed in the slot and fired it past Allen to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
“You’ve got to score in order to take a hold of the game,” Keefe said. “We didn’t make good on our chances. Their best player made it count.”
Devils had a great chance to tie it moments later, Dawson Mercer’s shot from the left circle was turned away and Nico Hischier nearly batted in the rebound.
With five minutes to go in the second, Jonas Siegenthaler dropped the gloves with Jason Zucker. The Devils defenseman got some good shots in and energized the Prudential Center crowd.
Hischier had the Devils’ second grade-A shorthanded chance of the night with a clear cut breakaway but he shot it over the net.
After two, shots were 22-20 in favor of New Jersey.
Allen credited the penalty kill for keeping the Devils within striking distance late in the second.
“Those last two at the end of the second period, under five minutes left, those are things that help you find ways to win games,” Allen said. “The guys did a good job.”
Midway through the third, Thompson stole the puck from Jack then made a nice saucer pass over to Krebs who roofed it glove side on Allen to double the Sabres lead to 2-0.
Keefe acknowledged the mistake but praised Hughes’ effort under difficult circumstances.
“Everything he’s been through, it’s been a whirlwind,” Keefe said. “You weren’t going to get Jack’s best here tonight, but I still thought he made some plays and put us in good spots. All things considered, I thought he gave us a lot.”
A penalty to Owen Power with around eight minutes to play in the final frame gave the Devils power play a chance to get on the board but they were unable to convert.
Frustration mounted as quality looks continued to miss the mark.
“For sure it’s tough,” Meier said. “When you have those chances, everybody’s trying to score. But you’ve just got to keep going and can’t let other parts of your game slip. If we continue to work, I’m sure those are going to go in for us.”
With the extra attacker on the ice, Jack’s shot from the side boards was stopped but Meier was waiting at the doorstep and jammed the puck in to draw the Devils back within a goal.
It was not enough.
“We all know time’s ticking,” Allen said. “These guys are trying their tails off to score. I have the utmost confidence in them. It’s a little tough right now, but it’s going to come.”
The Devils now turn the page quickly with little time to dwell.
“It’s two points that obviously hurt,” Meier said. “We’ve got a quick turnaround. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to perform better and get two points tomorrow.”