Takeaways: Islanders Fall 6-2 to Devils in Preseason Action

The New York Islanders put up a fight, but fell to the New Jersey Devils 6-2 at Prudential Center on Tuesday night in preseason action.

Cal Ritchie (1G, 1A) had a two-point performance in his Isles preseason debut, scoring his first goal in the third period and notching the primary assist on Emil Heineman’s opening tally for New York. It wasn’t enough to combat Devils goals from Dougie Hamilton (PPG), Nico Hischier (PPG), Connor Brown, Dawson Mercer, Ethan Edwards and Evgenii Dadonov.

With his squad pitted against a mostly veteran Devils lineup, Head Coach Patrick Roy said his team could have had better puck management to prevent the Devils from capitalizing off turnovers, but he appreciated their grit through 60 minutes.

“We knew it when the game started, they were the better team for sure,” Roy said. “We were outshot, but I felt like we never gave up, I was pleased to see that.”

Roy also noted that Marcus Hogberg looked solid under siege from the Devils, as the Swedish netminder kept the Islanders in the game with 22 saves on 25 shots through 30:32 TOI before he was replaced by Tristan Lennox, who allowed three goals on 13 shots.

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

• Ritchie posted a two-point performance (1PPG, 1A) in his Isles preseason debut, noting that he felt more comfortable as they game went on.
• Roy thought fared well playing a lot against Devils vets like Nico Hischier. Ritchie took a team-high four shots on goal in 17:50 TOI.

“He was doing a lot of good things and it’s refreshing to see a young guy playing that way,” Roy said. “I was happy with his performance, no doubt about it.”

• The 20-year-old center scored his first goal on the power play, with enough time and space on a 5-on-3 in the third period to rip a shot past Georgi Romanov blocker side. Ritchie said that he wanted to showcase his hockey IQ in his first preseason game for the Isles, and he demonstrated that with a well-timed pass from the left dot right to Heineman, whose blast from the slot tied the game on the power play.
• Speaking of Heineman, the 23-year-old winger looked sharp in his first game in an Isles jersey, opening the scoring on the power play and finding chemistry with Ritchie and Simon Holmstrom. The line combined for four points (2G, 2A).

• Kashawn Aitcheson played in his second consecutive preseason game, rebounding after a hit to his knee in his Isles preseason debut against Philadelphia on Sunday.
• Daylan Kuefler left the game with 5:32 to go in the first period and did not return. Roy provided an update postgame that the 23-year-old winger has an upper-body injury.
• The power play looked more connected on Tuesday night, going 2-for-4 on the night. Roy pointed out that defenseman Adam Boqvist looked good quarterbacking his unit.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders continue preseason action on the road with a matchup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.