New Jersey Devils' Nico Hischier (13) watches a shot from Edmonton Oilers' Evan Bouchard (2) slide through the crease behind goalie Jake Allen (34) as Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29) looks on during second period NHL action in Edmonton, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
EDMONTON – After going without a shutout for just the second time in his career last season, Jake Allen already has two for the New Jersey Devils in just five starts this year.
Allen made 31 saves for the 26th shutout of his career as the Devils closed out their western Canadian trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
“I think to end up two-out-of-three on this trip, it’s been a long trip for everyone involved and we’re ready to head home and to be able to head home on a happy flight is important for us,” said the 34-year-old Allen, who is serving in a backup role behind Jacob Markstrom with the Devils this season.
“It’s been 10 or 11 days since my last game and for me those practices are almost like my games. I feel like my last week has been really good.”
Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said Allen was stellar on the night.
“We won on the back of some incredible goaltending. Jake gives us a chance to get going in the game, so credit goes to him certainly,” Keefe said.
“I thought we had a bit of a bend-don’t-break mentality throughout and I thought the third period was our best period in terms of defending less and pressing and extending our lead.”
Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels of a four-game losing skid.
“I thought overall, the whole game we did a good job even though sometimes they had us hemmed in our zone,” Meier said. “We didn’t crack and we stayed solid and that’s what got us the win tonight.”
In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.
The Oilers (6-6-1) had a modest two-game winning streak snapped.
Calvin Pickard made just 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.
One of the biggest issues to this point in the season is special teams, sitting dead last in the league on the penalty kill and with their usually vaunted power play at No. 25.
“Special teams are huge,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “You look at our run through the playoffs. There’s no way we’re going to the Stanley Cup final if we didn’t have an unbelievable power play and an unbelievable penalty kill.
“That got us through a lot of series. It wins you hockey games. We know our power play is going to get better, we know our penalty kill is going to get better, it’s just finding the execution.”
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after taking the team scoring lead with captain Connor McDavid on the shelf for a couple of weeks with an ankle injury, recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.
