The Devils blocked 15 shots in front of goaltender Jake Allen, who faced 45 shots.
"A lot of blocked shots tonight. (Toronto) was all over us in the first, and obviously a lot of massive saves out of Jake (Allen)."
Jack Hughes immediately acknowledged the shots his teammates blocked when Devils reporter Catherine Bogart asked what were some of the smaller plays that helped the New Jersey Devils secure a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night.
This is an aspect of the game the Devils have needed to improve.
According to Statmuse, New Jersey has 981 blocked shots this season. To put that into perspective, the Philadelphia Flyers lead the league in blocked shots with 1,361.
NHL coaches, including former Devils bench boss Lindy Ruff, will say defense is a commitment by individuals. Players decide whether to get in front of their opposition and sacrifice their bodies to stop the puck.
Fans saw Tomas Nosek block a William Nylander shot in the first period against the Maple Leafs, which left him in some pain. Erik Haula is another veteran with no qualms about positioning himself in front of an opposing shot.
Some would argue those players are some of the toughest guys on the ice.
Over the past couple of Devils games, it has been defenseman Nick DeSimone who has been the team's shot-blocking machine. On Tuesday, the 29-year-old had a team-leading three blocked shots, and against the New York Islanders, he was credited with four.
And no player on the roster appreciates these sacrifices more than the goaltender.
"Blocking shots is obviously key in this league; it is important," Allen recently said.
Blocking shots may not be as eye-catching to fans as collecting three primary assists or scoring back-to-back goals, but it is a vital facet of the game. On Tuesday night, there were 12 NHL games on the schedule. The team with the most blocked shots was victorious in eight.
Goaltenders will always need support, whether it is their teammates getting into lanes and blocking shots to keep the puck to the outside of the zone or their awareness of being in the right spots and flipping pucks out to the neutral zone.
Since Allen and DeSimone made their Devils debuts against the Dallas Stars on March 14, New Jersey has a record of 5-3-0.
Since being acquired by New Jersey, the veteran goaltender has exceeded most expectations, and DeSimone has quietly become one of the team's most reliable defensemen.
The Devils will look to complete their road trip with their third straight victory on Friday, March 29, against the Buffalo Sabres.