The New Jersey Devils seem to have found their winning formula: Mackenzie Blackwood in goal.
Blackwood made 36 saves, securing his fifth consecutive victory, as the Devils defeated the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Thursday night in a battle of struggling teams.
Blackwood, who remains modest about his success, credits his teammates and goaltending coach, Rollie Melanson, for his recent performances.
“He’s pretty technically great, so he’s helped me out a lot,” said Blackwood, who has gone 6-0-1 in his last seven starts. “I’ve been fortunate that we’ve been getting the results, so I don’t think anything will change.”
During his five-game winning streak, Blackwood has allowed just five goals and recorded two shutouts.
“Blackie made some big saves when it was 1-0 (San Jose) to keep it tight,” said Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine.
Jesper Bratt tied the game late in the second period, and defenseman P.K. Subban netted the game-winner on a power play early in the third.
“I’m happy to contribute in a way that helps our team win,” said Subban, who has faced challenges in his first season with the Devils. “I’ve never been a guy in my career that just looks at the numbers. I want meaningful points and to produce when the game’s on the line. Today, I was in that position to shoot a puck, and it went in for me.”
Defenseman Tim Heed scored the lone goal for San Jose in the opener of its four-game road trip. Martin Jones made 23 saves, including a remarkable stop with the shaft of his stick on Nikita Gusev during a 5-on-3 penalty kill in the second period.
Gusev assisted on both of the Devils’ goals.
Despite outshooting the Devils, the Sharks were missing key players: Evander Kane (suspension), Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture, and Erik Karlsson (injuries).
“Those are the games where you sort of see the lack of offense, that lack of skill that’s out of our lineup,” said Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner. “You can get by some nights with it, get a power play goal, or get a couple of bounces, and you get some puck luck.”
Against a strong performance by Blackwood, the Sharks needed more firepower.
Subban’s seventh goal of the season came on a shot from above the right circle, beating a screened Jones to break a 1-1 tie at 2:56 of the third period. The goal came just 10 seconds before the league’s best penalty kill unit could complete its fifth straight kill.
“I think we made some key saves, and he gave us a chance to win,” Boughner said of Jones. “He looks big and confident in there. I am happy to see that. I think his game has turned the corner.”
Blackwood preserved the win with crucial stops on Radim Simek and Patrick Marleau in the close during the final minutes. He now boasts a 20-12-7 record for a team with just 23 wins.
The Devils tied the game late in the second period with a breakaway goal by Bratt, who took a pass from Pavel Zacha behind the defense and beat Jones with a slick backhand-forehand move at 16:15.
Heed had given the Sharks an early lead 7:22 into the game with his first goal of the season, ending a 44-game drought dating back almost a year. Devils forward Kevin Rooney appeared to tip the point shot past Blackwood.
Game Notes:
- The Devils scratched D Will Butcher (lower body) and F Nicholas Merkley (eye), both of whom were injured against the Blues on Tuesday.
- G Cory Schneider and D Dakota Mermis were recalled from Binghamton (AHL).
- Kane finished serving his three-game suspension.
- The Sharks and Devils will meet again in San Jose next Thursday.
UP NEXT:
- Sharks: Visit the Rangers on Saturday in the second game of their trip through the New York City metropolitan area and Philadelphia.
- Devils: Host Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals on Saturday afternoon before starting a five-game road trip. Ovechkin is one goal shy of 700.
