BLOG: 'Never Quit' Attitude Remains with Devils

Although the results didn't go the way the Devils wanted this season, there was one thing that remained consistent - a 'never give up' attitude.
"I'll give these guys a lot of credit for not quitting on a game ever," Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said Friday. "This year there were games that looked like it could have gone in a really bad direction. We talked about situations inside the game or opportunities that we could (do to) change the game, and the players went out and changed the game and got back in games.
"There were a lot of games where it looked a little bit dire, but we dug in and found a way to get closer to where we needed to be."

New Jersey pushed through a 10-game losing streak in April and rebounded with wins in five of its last six games. For Ruff and the coaching staff, this was the team holding each other accountable, following a players only meeting held by the captains.
"I really think it was a moment of OK, enough of the losing," Ruff said. "Getting close or coming back or not quitting isn't good enough. The game is all about winning. The discussion to challenge each other inside the dressing room, to demand to be better. I those are moments the culture changes."
In addition to the off-ice changes, the team will need to focus on the fundamentals, especially when it comes to defense, to avoid losses building up next season.
"If your foundation is broken, it's hard to win games," Ruff said. "But when you compete on a defensive level, it really frustrates the other team. A lot of times if you can get the first goal of the game, you can get the other team trying to cheat a bit, leave some more offensive opportunities. And I think the decision to compete harder on the defensive side of the puck was a big moment for us also."