NEWARK — Creating four productive forward lines was an early goal for the Devils this season. The past four games, including Monday, they saw the play they envisioned.
The Devils scored just twice but the racked up 39 shots in a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, dictating play and pressure with their four lines.
“It feels like we’re playing well in their zone. We had a lot of shots too, today, and we probably never had that many shots in a game,” forward Pavel Zacha said. “It pays off when you work hard in their zone, creating turnovers.”
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Tuesday’s win was actually the third most shots the Devils generated in a single game this season, after putting up totals of 43 and 41 shots in November contests. But Zacha’s point still rang true, with the Devils limiting the Sabres to 23 shots by keeping the puck on the other side of the ice.
The two goals came on the power play for the Devils, and converting those opportunities, plus creating pressure, has made all the difference for the defense, as well.
“I think our power play has really made a difference for us these past four games, and our forwards in general are playing really well right now,” defenseman Ben Lovejoy told NJ Advance Media. “That’s made life all over the ice easier for everybody.”
Lovejoy pointed to Zacha’s line in particular — with Zacha on the left wing, plus center Jacob Josefson and right wing Stefan Noesen.
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The group has jelled since Noesen joined the team off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks, adding another dimension beyond the top six.
“Our third line has been outstanding. They have really been an asset for this team,” Lovejoy said. “They’ve done a great job scoring goals and creating chances, but also creating momentum for the team. They’re doing a great job at both ends of the ice and they’re really hard to play against.”
Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.
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