New Jersey kicked off preseason with an impressive win in Newark against their division rivals.
New Jersey kicked off preseason with an impressive win in Newark against their division rivals.
The New Jersey Devils opened preseason with a split squad. One group, headlined by Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli, traveled north to Montreal, while the other played in front of 8,532 fans at Prudential Center in New Jersey.
In Newark, Jesper Bratt led the way, earning two primary assists within the game's first four minutes.
"He was dangerous every time he had the puck," Ruff said of Bratt. "His deception with the puck was really good."
Another player who stood out was center Michael McLeod, who scored a breakaway goal in the third period. The 25-year-old played confidently and finished the game with one goal on one shot, two hits, and 17:53 ice time.
Lineup versus Philadelphia
New Jersey
Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Alexander Holtz
Ondrej Palat - Erik Haula - Jesper Bratt
Shane Bowers - Michael McLeod - Tyce Thompson
Josh Filmon - Ryan Schmelzer - Brian Halonen
Kevin Bahl - Dougie Hamilton
Brendan Smith - Santeri Hatakka
Daniil Misyul - Cal Foote
Vitek Vanecek (1st & 2nd Period)
Erik Karlgren (3rd Period)
Philadelphia:
Joel Farabee - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink
Olle Lycksell - Morgan Frost - Wade Allison
Matt Brown - Denver Barkey - Tyson Foerster
Brendan Furry - Elliot Desnoyers - Samu Tuomaala
Cam York - Sean Walker
Emil Andrae - Helge Grans
Nick Seeler - Oliver Bonk
Cal Petersen (1st & 2nd Period)
Felix Sandström (3rd period)
Five Things
1. An Explosive Start to Kick off the 2023-24 Preseason
The Devils wasted no time finding the back of the net versus Philadelphia. It would be an understatement to say it was a tough start for Flyers' Peterson, as he would eventually allow five goals on 24 shots.
Within the first six minutes of the opening period, the Devils had a commanding 4-0 lead and 7-1 shot advantage over their opponents. The scoring breakdown was as follows: Palat from Bratt and Haula, Haula from Bratt and Hatakka, Thompson from Bowers and Foote, and finally, Holtz from Meier. It was complete domination.
2. A Full Team Effort
By the sound of the final horn, 13 Devils players found their names on the scoresheet. Bratt led all skaters with three points, while Haula and Meier earned two. The veterans weren't the only ones who contributed, as Bowers, Foote, and Hatakka each collected an assist versus Philadelphia.
3. A Confidence Boost for Holtz
MSGN analyst Bryce Salvador may have said it best, "For me, the most significant 1st-period takeaway in (this) game was (Holtz) finding the back of the net early in the preseason. Of any Devils player not on an NHL roster full-time last season, Holtz has the most pressure to perform. Great start overall!"
Holtz's wrist shot beat Peterson a little over five minutes into the first period. It was the 21-year-old's first goal of the preseason. He finished the game with three shots and 19:56 of ice time - second-most on the team behind Misyul and the most among forwards.
4. Halonen Left the Game
Halonen only saw 1:14 of ice time on Monday night. He dropped the gloves to fight Seeler, and after a swift battle, the Devils forward left the ice and did not return. After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff said there was no update, but it appeared to be lower-body. Holtz was double-shifted and took Halonen's place in the second and third periods, which explained his increased ice time.
5. Perfect Goaltending
The biggest question surrounding the Devils entering the 2023-24 season is goaltending. On Monday night, Vanecek and Kallgren were perfect in net, stopping 11 and 10 shots, respectively. After the game, Vanecek met with reporters and said he felt good in the game, and during his postgame press conference, Ruff praised his netminder.
"I thought he was really under control and made a couple of really big saves for us," he said. "A lot to like about how he played."