Daws started seven consecutive Devils games since Feb. 12 against the Seattle Kraken.

For a seventh straight game, New Jersey Devils' Nico Daws led his team to the ice for warmups, confirming that he would be the club's starting goaltender against the Montreal Canadiens.

Since Vitek Vanecek suffered a lower-body injury against the Carolina Hurricanes, Daws started every single game. 

Ahead of the team's game against the Canadiens, head coach Lindy Ruff was asked about Daws' state of mind after appearing in so many games.

"We've tried to get the rest where we can get it for him, and being yesterday was a day off, I don't think it's a physical thing," he said. "I think sometimes, when you play that much, sometimes it can be mental. I think because it's a young goaltender as where he feels, he's more than capable of doing it."

The 23-year-old made his first save against Montreal a little over five minutes after the puck dropped. After 10 minutes, Daws faced three shots, and by the end of the first period, he made 10 saves on 10 shots.

He gave up the game's opening goal 3:06 into the middle frame. It was the first shot he faced in the second period. With seven minutes remaining, Nick Suzuki's wrist shot from the right face-off circle beat Daws to give Montreal a 2-1 lead.

The netminder made five saves on six shots in the third period to secure his team's 4-3 victory over the Canadiens and two crucial points.

"He's been holding us together," defenseman Kevin Bahl said of Daws after the game.

"He's a young man, that we felt he could play that amount," Ruff said. "I know we are pushing the envelope with it. ...We've put him in a tough place where he has played a lot of games. He made a couple of really key saves for us tonight, which allowed us to win the hockey game."

Daws will be the backup on Sunday afternoon as Akira Schmid will start a crucial game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

After Saturday's game, the club announced that Isaac Poulter was reassigned to the American Hockey League, and Schmid was recalled after playing for the Utica Comets on Friday. 

The team will depart for California after Sunday's game, with their next contest scheduled for Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks.

Ruff confirmed that Vanecek will not travel with the team on Sunday evening, but there is a possibility that he could join the team later.