That’s the response by the New Jersey Devils (22-19-2) after one of their own was verbally assaulted just two days ago?
At UBS Arena on Tuesday night, the Devils—who were 4-6-2 against the Metropolitan Division this season, and 1-5-1 in their last seven in-division matchups entering the game—were completely humiliated by the New York Islanders (23-15-4) in a brutal 9-0 loss.
The Islanders opened the scoring first, meaning the Devils have now given up the first goal of the game 25 times this season.
After the Islanders won a puck battle in the offensive end, Ryan Pulock found Mathew Barzal in the left circle and rifled a shot past Jacob Markstrom to give New York 1-0 lead 1:08 into the first period.
It took less than three minutes for the Islanders to double their lead, after Anthony Duclair led an odd-man rush from the defensive to offensive zone, looked off his rush-mates, and sniped another shot past Markstrom.
The Islanders’ first two goals were scored on their first two shots.
Although the Devils controlled much of the play following two quick goals, New Jersey couldn’t find their finish, outshooting the Islanders 12-4 with about seven minutes remaining in the first.
Then, another rush up ice by the Islanders ended up behind Markstrom, as Duclair—once again—rifled a shot by Markstrom in stride.
Trailing 3-0 in the second period, the Devils’ struggles continued.
Just three and a half minutes into the middle frame, Duclair received a cross-ice pass from Barzal, and one-timed a shot past Markstrom to record the hat-trick, giving the Islanders a huge 4-0 lead.
The Islanders continued their onslaught in the middle frame, as Simon Holmstrom tucked in a rebound to extend New York’s lead to 5-0 at the 11:12 mark of the second.
If you thought the third period would be any better, you could stop holding your breath.
Just over a minute and a half into the final frame, Casey Cizikas drove Markstrom’s net with the puck on his stick, and snuck the rubber between the Devils goaltender’s pads and scored to make it a 6-0 game.
Credit to Ilya Sorokin, who made some remarkable saves as the Devils racked up north of 40 shots on the Russian netminder.
In fact, he stole a scoring opportunity away from Jonas Siegenthaler in the third period, sprawling out and stopping a rebound opportunity.
Cizikas, Tony DeAngelo, and Cal Ritchie netted the Islanders seventh, eighth, and ninth goals in the latter half of the third period, as defensive issues and poor goaltending persisted.
The final buzzer blared, and the Devils suffered their 19th loss of the season in disastrous fashion.
Sheldon Keefe kept Markstrom in for the full 60 minutes, amid 14 saves on 23 shots, allowing nine goals against.
