With their playoff hopes already a pipe dream, the New Jersey Devils headed to Pittsburgh on Thursday night hoping to snap a four-game skid and restore the atmosphere. Instead, they fell flat on the way to a 4-1 defeat.
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Same magazine, different day
The last time the Devils took the ice in Pittsburgh was after a terrible 9-0 loss to the New York Islanders. They lost 4-1 and could not convert any of their 27 5v5 scoring chances.
Tonight was an eerily similar story: the Devils had 25 5v5 scoring chances and were similarly unable to put one past Penguins netminder Arturs Silovs, losing again 4-1. While finishing has been a problem for the Devils all season, the problem during this five-game skid almost transcends what the human mind can fathom. They just can’t buy a goal.
It’s the same old storyline for the #NJDevils game after game after game.
— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) February 27, 2026
Per Natural statistical trickthe Devils have had 87 scoring chances in 5v5 since January 31 – including 31 of the high-danger variety. They have only two goals.
They have now scored 36.04 goals for the season below expected at 5v5. That would flip their 5v5 goal difference from minus-30 to plus-3. Pretty drastic.
“So close, yet so far,” play-by-play announcer Don La Greca said on the broadcast as the Penguins added an empty-netter. That was the story of the season.
Defense is struggling again
Before the Olympic break, it seemed like the defense was making big strides; since January 19, their 2.19 expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) at 5v5 was the sixth-best mark in the league.
Last night at home they suffered a major regression with 2.76 xGA in 46:44 of 5v5 time (3.62 xGA/60) – their worst score since January 17 against the Carolina Hurricanes and the 10th worst of the season.
It was a similar story tonight with 2.68 xGA in 44:14 of 5v5 time (3.63 xGA/60) – again their worst score since January 17th. In consecutive games, they had their fourth and third worst defensive performances of the calendar year respectively. Certainly not the way they wanted to come out of the break.
Dougie Hamilton back on the board offensively
Now that the team has withdrawn from playoff contention, rumors are swirling about what changes will be made before the March 6 deadline. One of the most mentioned names is defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
The first goal of the game for the Devils came on a delayed penalty when Hamilton shot a puck, which Paul Cotter sent through. Hamilton has been very streaky this season; after recording eight points in his first 36 games, he rebounded strongly with 13 points in the next 13 games.
He then went scoreless in the next four games, but with an assist tonight, 14 points in 18 games makes him the 16th best point producer among 153 regular defensemen in that span.
While it’s still unclear what the next week has in store for Hamilton, playing his best hockey won’t hurt any party involved — except the price of a potential suitor.
Come on
The Devils – now 28-29-2 – will look to get back into the win column on Saturday as they head west to take on the St. Louis Blues (5:00 PM EST).
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