PRE-GAME AVAIL RECAP
SAN JOSE, CA - Jacob Markstrom will return to the New Jersey Devils net this afternoon when the Devils visit the San Jose Sharks.
New Jersey is trying to find their way back into the win column after a stretch of three games without a point. Head coach Sheldon Keefe is looking for his team to settle into a rhythm again, much like the one they were in before the holiday break when the Devils were playing their best hockey of the year.
"Our play in that stretch of time, six to ten games, of really consistent play, structure is in place, and getting good results," Keefe elaborated. "To me that’s where we would like to be, it’s a matter of consistency and the fact that something as small as the break is enough to disrupt us shows us we’re not where we need to be. We need to keep building this thing, keep growing it one day at a time.”
Before this current three-game skid, the so-called toughest stretch results-wise for New Jersey dates back to late October, with a stretch of 0-2-2 hockey. Brenden Smith said on Friday that had you asked them at the beginning of the season if having a 24-14-3 record at the midway mark of the season is something they'd take, the answer is certainly yes.
There is also value in going through some tougher stretches so long as it doesn't stretch too long.
“You need some adversity that you can manage and find your way through,” Keefe said. “It’s been a pretty good season for us to date. So we haven’t had a lot of these types of stretches where you’ve got to kind of find your game. And I think you can grow closer to that. It’s a unique situation, we’re on a long road trip here, it’s been a funny time… come back from the break, play two games back to back and then travel to the West Coast and play 5 o’clock, 3 o’clock and now we’re going to play 1 o’clock. It’s been very strange since coming back from the break here, so all these kinds of things are enough to upset the apple card a little bit. But being through all that I think you grow.”
On the Sharks
The San Jose Sharks may be close to the bottom of the NHL standings, but that doesn't make them a team you cannot look past, says Keefe. They've got a bevvy of young, up-and-coming talent, including first-overall pick from 2024 Macklin Celebrini.
"You’ve got a team like we’re looking at here today, they’re young, exciting, making tons of plays, they’re seemingly in a lot of games," Keefe said. "They’re losing lots and then all of a sudden they beat a very good Tampa team just the other night. You’ve got to be good every single day and that’s what we’ve been striving for and when we have been the results work out in our favor more often than not, so we’ve just got to stay with it and trust it.”
