The Devils drop their preseason opener against the Rangers, 5-3.
NEWARK, NJ – Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe made it abundantly clear heading into the first preseason game of the year. This game wasn’t about the results or the box score; it was a game where he wanted to give players an opportunity to compete for the available spots in the lineup. The Devils’ coaching staff will have decisions to make relatively quickly as the preseason chugs along, and this was a first opportunity for some of those players to make their first impression of the season.
The only regulars on the Devils roster last season who suited up in the first game of the preseason were Paul Cotter, Cody Glass, Kurtis MacDermid and goaltender Jake Allen. Otherwise, the roster comprised of players making NHL preseason debuts or players making a push for an opening night roster spot.
The most intriguing of players heading into the game was Russian forward Arseniy Gritsyuk, who finished the game with a goal and an assist.
Gritsyuk scored a power play goal with a laser of a shot that went top corner.
New Jersey dropped their preseason opener to the Rangers, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon.
Brian Halonen opened the scoring for New Jersey with a power play goal in the first period.
Gabe Perrault, Dylan Roobroeck, Conor Sheary, Scott Morrow and Jonny Brodzinski all scored for the Rangers.
Here are some observations from the game:
• Paul Cotter, Cody Glass and Kurtis MacDermid all wore an A on their jerseys for the game.
• Arseniy Gritsyuk made his (preseason) debut for the Devils as he begins to get comfortable with the North American game.
“He’s an offensive player. So in a game like this, you want him confident, making plays, being himself offensively,” Keefe said before the game. “At the same time, it’s all the little things: energy, speed, comprehension of our system. Each player has an identity of who they are. Go out and be that.”
At 15:52 of the second period, Gritsyuk picked up his first point of the preseason, showing off his vision and slick passing abilities. With Rangers defenseman Casey Fitzgerald attempting to take away Gritsyuk’s space, the Russian forward found the smallest of gaps to slide the puck past Fitzgerald’s stick, as Cotter breaks free from coverage through the middle of the ice. Gritsyuk’s pass hits Cotter’s stick in the free ice, sending Cotter through the high slot with just enough room to make his play on Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick, burying his opportunity.
It may only be September, but Cotter’s hands are in midseason form. pic.twitter.com/IVw0UnZf9B
Gritsyuk predominantly lined up with Cotter and Glass, two of the forward regulars on the Devils last season, who suited up for the preseason game. After the opening period, Gritsyuk led the team with six shots on goal. To start the third, Keefe had Juho Lammikko centering a line with Gritsyuk and Cotter on his wings.
• This afternoon was a first look at defenseman Ethan Edwards, who has been a standout through the opening of Devils camp. In his first preseason game, Edwards was paired up with Austin Strand as the Devils’ second defensive pairing. The 24-year-old was the only defenseman to end the game with a positive plus/minus rating, at plus-1 and led the D-corp with five blocked shots.
• Jake Allen opened the game in net for the Devils for his first touch of the preseason. The plan in place had Allen playing the opening 20 minutes before being replaced by Nico Daws for the final two periods. Allen faced made nine saves on 10 shots against, while Daws was certainly shaking off the off-season rust. Daws made nine saves on 13 shots.
Allen’s afternoon was complete after the first period entirely, with Jeremy Brodeur serving as Daws’ backup for the remainder of the game.
• After spending the previous three seasons as the ‘eye-in-the-sky’ during games, sitting in the press box, communicating down to the rest of the staff on the bench during games. This season, he shifts from that role to taking on a more hands-on role during games, behind the bench with head coach Keefe, associate coach Jeremey Colliton and assistant coach Brad Shaw.
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