HC Sheldon Keefe makes his feelings known about Devils star forwards' struggles in shutout loss to Sharks

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Nov 11, 2024 05:16 GMT

In the New Jersey Devils' 1-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, head coach Sheldon Keefe shared his disappointment with his top players' performance. Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood's strong play kept the Devils off the scoreboard.

Keefe noted that many of the Devils' leading forwards looked tired and struggled to maintain their usual energy. He suggested that these players have been carrying a lot of responsibility and may be feeling the effects of that pressure.

The game showed how much the Devils depend on their star players, but this time, they struggled to create scoring chances. Keefe mentioned that although they had some opportunities, the team couldn’t capitalize, especially on the power play. He also pointed out that the lack of support from the third and fourth lines made it hard for the Devils to break through the Sharks’ defense.

(4:37) "We just didn't have it tonight, it looked like a lot of our top guys, especially, were out of gas tonight. They’ve been carrying the load for us, and we couldn’t get—whether it’s special teams to come through for us and get a goal, or a goal from the third or fourth line—we couldn’t get that tonight," Keefe said.

The New Jersey Devils have 10 wins, 6 losses and 2 overtime losses. They’ve been strong on the road with 6 wins and 3 losses. Their next game is against the Florida Panthers, who have 11 wins, 3 losses and 1 overtime loss.

The Panthers are also strong at home with 5 wins, 1 loss and 1 overtime loss. The game will take place on November 12 at 7:30 PM EST and will be available on Hulu/ESPN+

The New Jersey Devils ended their three-game win streak

Before losing to the Sharks, the Devils had won three straight games. They showed strong offense and teamwork in that stretch. Their streak started with Jake Allen's 31 saves as the New Jersey beat the Oilers 3-0. Jesper Bratt, Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier scored. The New Jersey held their lead despite Edmonton's pressure, showing solid teamwork.

Next they secured a 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The top line of Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Ondrej Palat combined for four goals. Hughes and Bratt led their team by controlling the puck and creating scoring chances.

Further, the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 in overtime. Hughes scored twice, including the winning goal. The Devils came back from a two-goal deficit. Dawson Mercer and Stefan Noesen also contributed key goals.

Throughout these games, the New Jersey controlled the puck and used power plays well. Their top players, especially Hughes and Bratt, played a big role in setting up scoring chances. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen provided steady goaltending support.