Devils News
Sheldon Keefe Reveals Calculated Goaltending Plan for Devils Back-to-Back
The New Jersey Devils are hoping to reverse their 2023–24 fortunes in back-to-back games. Sheldon Keefe reveals his first goalie plan.

NEWARK — The New Jersey Devils play in their first back-to-back situation over the next two days in the 2024-25 season in the States. Technically, they’re 1-0-0 in the second half of a back-to-back situation following the Global Series, but that is its own animal. Last year, back-to-back’s significantly hampered the Devils, among other things. With a new-look defense and upgraded blue line, they’re hoping to flip the script on that this season, starting with the Utah Hockey Club on Monday and the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe revealed it will be Jake Allen who tends the net against Utah during Monday’s matinée. As a result, Jacob Markstrom will play against the Hurricanes Tuesday evening.
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That wasn’t a decision that was made by coach Keefe at random. Historically, Allen has been quite good against Utah (formerly the Arizona Coyotes). The same can be said for Markstrom against the Hurricanes.
In 12 games in his career against Utah/Arizona, Allen has registered a superb 8-3-0 record with an immaculate .943 SV% and 1.61 GAA, collecting two shutouts.
The Utah team coming in is off to a hot start, and are perhaps a different team than Allen has faced in the past. However, Keefe is looking to Allen and his history to extinguish the electrifying Dylan Guenther and Co.
Similarly to Allen and Utah/Arizona, Markstrom has also faced the Hurricanes 12 times in his career. In that span, Markstrom has accrued a 7-4-1 record, .924 SV%, 2.36 GAA, and two shutouts.
It’s a completely new season, so the Devils aren’t looking back at past mistakes. However, it’s hard to overlook the fact that they were 3-11-2 in the second half of back-to-back games last season. Fortunately, there will be fewer games in consecutive days, as the Devils will play 12 in 2024-25 as opposed to 16 last season.
Last season, Keefe coached the Maple Leafs to a much more favorable 8-5-0 record in the second half of back-to-back games. The Devils are hoping to look more like that than their 2023–24 selves in back-to-back’s this season.
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