Things will get better soon, we have a new head coach.
That seems to be the refrain across the NHL this season and nearly each response to that refrain is a thunderous indifference in the standings.
On Monday night in Newark, the Chicago Blackhawks laid the latest egg and yielded eight goals to the New Jersey Devils in an 8-5 loss.
Sami Vatanen had a goal in Devils win over Blackhawks – file photo courtesy of Lewis Bleiman
A five-goal second period keyed the Devils’ win.
Kyle Palmieri and Blake Coleman kicked in two goals apiece in the win as the Devils improved to 18-20-7.
“There are things in our game plan that we didn’t execute and weren’t detailed enough on,” Palmieri said. “You’re not going to score eight goals every night. There’s definitely some stuff to tighten up, but it was good we found a way to win.”
Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves in the win.
“[The game] is one that you throw in the trash and move on,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. “You remind yourself what makes you a good team. That’s work ethic, commitment to the little things, winning your battles, getting pucks deep and making things difficult for the other team. When we get back to doing that, we’re going to get the results.”
Throw it away if you will but this is the fifth time the Hawks have surrendered seven or more goals in a game this season, all losses.
Patrick Kane had a pair of goals in the loss and Dominik Kahun, Brandon Saad and Brent Seabrook added goals for the Hawks.
“It looked like we were out of it but never really out of it,” Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “[Kane] makes a couple of plays and we’re right back in it. We wanted to play him as much as we did (28:50 in ice time). Obviously with 11 forwards (and seven defensemen), he’s going to get more, and he was really good.”
Travis Zajac, Sami Vatanen, Brett Seney, and Kevin Rooney also scored for the Devils.
“It’s certainly a challenge in some ways to play as detail-oriented when you’ve already put up six and it’s still the second period,” New Jersey forward Brian Boyle said. “It’s a professional thing. You have a finite amount of time in this league. You don’t know when your next shift is going to be. It’s certainly something we can learn from.”
[WATCH: All Blackhawks vs. Devils highlights]
Cam Ward yielded six of the goals in the game and made 19 saves before getting the hook in the second intermission.
“I just think at the end of the day they outworked us. Our work ethic has to be there to give us a chance to win,” Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. “On their first goal, it’s a lucky break in a sense [Coleman] steps out [of the penalty box] and it is right on his tape and it’s in the net. We had too many mental errors and our work ethic was not good enough. Sometimes you just get off kilter and off page for a period and a half and that’s all it takes for a game to get blown open.”
Collin Delia surrendered one goal and made 14 saves in relief.
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