Devils Can’t Ignite Offense; Get Shutout in Loss to Islanders

NEWARK- For different reasons, the penultimate game of the regular season at Prudential Center featured two teams with not much to play for. The New Jersey Devils entered a Sunday matinee stumbling off the backs of two straight losses but with a playoff spot clinched.

Meanwhile, the New York Islanders, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention, also came stumbling into today’s contest, having lost three straight.

With Simon Nemec in for Seamus Casey, Stefan Noesen taking a rest day, and Dougie Hamilton inching closer to a return, the Devils looked to get back to winning ways on home ice and get a resemblance of momentum as they enter the playoffs.

READ: Devils Expect Dougie Hamilton ‘To Be Available’ vs. Hurricanes in Playoffs

The game got off to a mild start, with both teams trading half-chances. Bo Horvat had thought we had gotten the Islanders on the board first on the power play, but it was immediately waved off after it was deemed he punched it into the back of the net.

Despite a few good spurts of possession, it was the Islanders who had the higher-quality chances. Both Kyle Palmieri and Pierre Engvall were just inches away from giving the Isles the lead after each hit the post.

The Devils were just a step behind for most of the period despite leading 10-8 in shots on goal but went into the first intermission tied 0-0.

There was not much of anything in the opening minutes of the second before. However, at the 14-minute mark, Paul Cotter was given a five-minute match penalty after he caught Adam Pelech in the head with a hit. There wasn’t much to complain about. Cotter’s elbow hit Pelech pretty clean in the head, and the defenseman left the ice slowly and angrily.

Despite being down a man, the Devils and their fourth-ranked penalty kill gave the Islanders absolutely nothing. Special teams will be the lifeblood of the Devils in the postseason, and they put on a penalty-killing masterclass for five straight minutes.

The game quieted down for the remainder of the period until the 56-second mark. Timo Meier attempted a cross-crease pass in his own zone, but Horvat was in its path to pick it off and put it over Jacob Markstrom’s shoulder to give the Islanders a late 1-0 lead.

It was a relatively uneventful third period. The Devils ramped their play up as the period went on down a goal, but Sorokin and the Islanders defense were able to hold steady.

Despite the late push and leading in expected goals, the Devils couldn’t find the tying goal and fell on home ice to Sorokin and the Islanders 1-0.

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