Normally, you would think adding a sixth goal with seconds to play would win you a game.
Instead, it only earned the New Jersey Devils one point in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Rock.
Kyle Palmieri scored the third of his three goals of the evening with only eight seconds remaining in the game to force overtime before Tampa Bay's Tyler Johnson would beat Cory Schneider less than ninety seconds into overtime to end the evening.
Devils goals to Kyle Palmieri (4 Power Play, 5, 6), Jesper Bratt (2, 3), and Sami Vatanen (3) in the defeat.
The Devils will end this homestand against Philadelphia on Friday night before starting a five-game road trip in Raleigh against Carolina before the four-game road swing in Western Canada.
Hell Raisers
1) Cory Schneider was bad.
Bad might be a nice way of putting it.
Oscar the Grouch keeps more garbage out of his can than Cory Schneider keeps out of his net.
Schneider's play this year combined with two more years on his contract at six million each year, the Devils will have to eventually ( If they aren't already) consider buying him out before next season.
He's been that bad.
2) Now it wasn't ALL on Schneider, P.K. Subban screened Schneider on one goal, which is unfortunate since Subban plays for the Devils and it was Subban who didn't clear the crease and allowed Brayden Point to score from the inside.
Add to that the bad luck breaking of his stick on a slap shot attempt and resulting Lightning race down the ice to score with Subban without a stick and you had a pretty bad night for the highest-paid Devil.
3) And speaking of a bad night, how about Mr.Taylor Hall, who continued his goal drought with a performance that lacked zip to be kind.
Hall, he of one goal in October and looking for a big contract after the season, did have a secondary assist on Kyle Palmieri's second of his three goals, but Hall's play hasn't lived up to his resume' this season,
I was talking about Hall during the game and I gave him too much credit this season before looking up the actual numbers this season.
And what happens as I write this- Taylor Hall rips the fans for booing the power play when "we went one of three".
Being that I had seen a Baker Mayfield walk out of a press conference because he didn't like a question or its questioner earlier today, Hall was the second player to whine about something that they didn't like and in both cases it comes down to this- talented players that aren't playing well and are frustrated because they aren't, lash out due to that frustration.
I understand that but take care of business and these things go away.
4) Now for some news, three goals from Kyle Palmieri.
Three goals on six shots and plus Palmieri played with a bit more swagger than he had played with earlier in the season.
Palmieri seemed to be the bully on the ice all evening and when you look at his career, his goals often come in bunches and hopefully, this will be the start of a solid run for the veteran winger
5) Jesper Bratt returned from a scratch against Arizona to score two goals.
Bratt, like Palmieri, seemed to have opportunities throughout the game and adding two of those should keep him in the lineup for a bit.
I suppose the scratch for Bratt was to prove a point and hope to see Bratt's play step up, while others that are scratched more often, I have no idea what they are thinking.
For example, Nikita Gusev was scratched for this game and perhaps that's another "message", while Jesper Boqvist is scratched again and I'm just unable to figure out what the point is.
6) On the surface, the Devils have to feel good about getting a point in a game against one of the top teams in hockey, but I'm not.
The Devils had five days to prepare, had the game at home and Tampa Bay's starting their backup goalie in the seemingly 63-year-old and generally weak Curtis McElhinney.
All the ingredients were there for a victory and the Devils have a two-goal lead in the final period, only to blow another multiple-goal lead to barely escape with a point.
There are ways to be pleased with a loss and ways to be disappointed- this was a very disappointing loss.
7) The Devils need to win Friday against Philadelphia.
It's the last home game for twelve days and ends a six-game homestand worth a possible twelve points.
Right now they have earned a possible five of ten points and perhaps seven of twelve isn't anything to
puff your chest out over, but it's a ton better than five of twelve.
Lose that game with the dreaded Western Canada road trip ahead and if you think this has been ugly, imagine how that is going to look.
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