Devils pick up one point in SO loss to Flames
10 Takeaways: Devils fall to Flames 5-4 in a shootout
On Sunday night, the Devils dropped their contest against the Flames, 5-4, in a shootout. New Jersey went 1-1-1 on their three-game Western Canada road trip.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Almost time to drop the puck! Tune in to @MSGNetworks MSG + at 9PM! #NJDvsCGY pic.twitter.com/jQffgfRFEC
Here are 10 takeaways from the game:
1. The Devils finished their three-game road trip with three out of a possible six points. Their record on the season is now 9-3-1, good enough for first in the Metropolitan Division and second in the Eastern Conference.
2. Steven Santini sat out of Sunday night's matchup. Santini was kept out as a precaution because of an upper body injury. Coach John Hynes said before the game: "He's got something that's nagging him right now, we're making sure it doesn't get worse. … We don't want him to push it."
Santini did take part in warmups, but did not play. Ben Lovejoy drew into the lineup in his place.
3. With Santini out and a return to a formation of 12 forwards and six D-men, Hynes shuffled up his lines and pairings against the Flames. The lineup looked like this:
Hall-Hischier-Bratt
Wood-Henrique-Stafford
Boyle-Zacha-Hayes
Gibbons-Coleman-Noesen
Greene-Mueller
Moore-Severson
Butcher-Lovejoy
Kinkaid/Schneider
Tweet from @NJDevils: �� The calm before the #RedDawn in Calgary. �� #NJDvsCGY pic.twitter.com/yepepVbdCn
4. Taylor Hall scored the opening goal before the game was two minutes old. Off a rush with Nico Hischier, Hall potted his fifth of the season just 1:34 after the first puck dropped. Hall continues to pick up the points for the Devils. He leads the team with 17 points and is now only two away from 400 in his NHL career. Hischier picked up his seventh assist of the season. See how the goal looked below:
Tweet from @NJDevils: Two No.1's doing No.1 things. pic.twitter.com/eOfPRWVZ5r
5. There were a couple of firsts for New Jersey in the game against the Flames. The Devils gave up their first shorthanded goal of the season, and Keith Kinkaid faced his first penalty shot of the year. Calgary's Michael Ferland had a clear path to the net, and was taken down by New Jersey's Stefan Noesen. Ferland was awarded a penalty shot. Kinkaid stood tall to make the save and keep the game tied at 1-1.
6. Lovejoy scored his first goal of his season, and only his second as a Devil. Lovejoy cleaned up a rebound off Calgary's Mike Smith and shot into an empty net to give the Devils a 2-1 lead over Calgary at 1:56 of the second period. Lovejoy finished the night with a goal and an assist.
Tweet from @NJDevils: We're feeling the Love and Joy. #NJDvsCGY pic.twitter.com/eaeiDNil8w
7. Brian Gibbons continues to be an offensive presence for the Devils. He scored his team-leading seventh goal of the year to tie the game 3-3 at of the second frame. Gibbons' goal came only 10 seconds after the Flames' Sean Monahan gave Calgary a 3-2 lead. Gibbons had five goals in 66 career games before this season.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Score a goal, get picked up by @BColes25. Literally.Brian Gibbons leads the #NJDevils with seven tallies this season! #NJDvsCGY pic.twitter.com/gwjEA6xvEQ
8. Andy Greene scored the 40th goal of his career, and it was an important one. He tied the game 4-4 at 11:11 of the third period. He is now just a single point away from 200 in his career. Jesper Bratt and Lovejoy were credited with the assists.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Andy gives us the Greene light. #NJDvsCGY pic.twitter.com/HnwZ9xUnfo
9. After the loss, the Devils' away record fell to 5-1-1. They're tied with the Washington Capitals for the most road wins in the Eastern Conference.
10. The team now returns home for a three-game home stand. New Jersey hosts St. Louis on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday and Florida on Saturday before hitting the road again to face the Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday.
Tickets for home games are available and can be purchased.
