A pair of rookie defensemen - New Jersey's Nikita Okhotiuk and Buffalo's Owen Power - each scored their first-career NHL goals, but it was the Power's Sabres that edged out the Devils, 5-2, Thursday night at Prudential Center.
Jesper Boqvist also scored for New Jersey.
The Sabres had goals from Kyle Okopo, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin and Jeff Skinner as well.
Sabres Claim Victory v. Devils in Dueling Rookie Firsts | GAME STORY
Two rookie defensemen picked up their first-NHL goal in the contest, one for each team
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The Devils continue their three-game homestand with back-to-back afternoon games this weekend starting Saturday against Carolina. The game can be seen on MSG and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 12:38 p.m. ET.
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Here are some observations from the game...
- The Devils can chalk this up to their inability to finish. Pavel Zacha missed the net from the circle and had another shot gloved. Dawson Mercer was right at the paint, but his shot was stopped by Anderson's glove. Tomas Tatar hit a post. Jesper Bratt hit a post on the power play. Damon Severson was stopped on a breakaway. You can't say New Jersey didn't have its opportunities.
"What really hurt us was our power play (Bratt) missing the empty net," Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said. "Great play, real good passing. Those are the opportunities coming off a road trip gain momentum and get your fans into the game. You miss those opportunities and sooner or later, it's going to bite you. And it did."
- Jesper Boqvist continues to shine in the goal scoring department. His tally with 7.2 seconds left in the second period gave him a three-game goal-scoring streak, and goals in four of his last five games. The best part was that he scored while standing in the paint and crashing the crease. He isn't just relying on his skill and shot. He's getting his nose dirty and getting rewarded.
"He gave us great energy there. He gave us a chance. To drive to the net, make the play," Ruff said. "The second effort was something that we're seeing a lot more of."
- Rookie defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk made his NHL debut, coming with it the customary no helmet rookie lap. But what came in the third period was the real treat. Okhotiuk located a hefty rebound in the circles and whipped a slapper into the net for his first-career NHL goal in his first-career NHL game. Things you love to see.
"It was unreal. It's hard to explain those feelings when you're out there and step on the ice with the rookie lap," Okhotiuk said. "First goal was awesome too, in my first game. I felt great."
"I thought he played really well, really well," Ruff said. "What a great debut for the young man. I'm happy for him. ... He probably was our best defenseman. He wasn't in on any chances against. I have nothing but high regard for how he played."
- But 3:34 minutes later, there was another first-career NHL goal by a rookie defenseman. This one from Buffalo's Owen Power who pinched up on a play and scored five-hole. Power was the No. 1-overall pick in last year's draft by the Sabres. - The game was a sequence of traded opportunities and missed chances through the opening 30 minutes. Great rush plays, high-grade scoring chances and great saves were the theme. It wasn't until Okposo's floater hallway through the second period broke the scoreless tie. And then things started rolling. - The Devils power play continues to plague them. On their first man-advantage of the game, Jesper Bratt had a wide-open net, but rang it of the post. That was as close as they would come on four tries on the night. The team has now gone 0 for its last 30 opportunities, a stretch of 11 games.
"There was nothing wrong with that power play. There were three Grade-A opportunities to put it in the back of the net," Ruff said. "If you don't execute it and don't finish those plays, we can talk about the power play wasn't good enough, but we made the right plays. We just didn't put it in the back or the net. We've had some bad power plays and I let you know we've had some bad power plays. That was a good power play that we didn't capitalize on."
