If you tuned into Sunday’s Devils-Islanders game expecting playoff-level intensity… well, you didn’t exactly get it. With a postseason ticket already punched and their first-round dance partner—hello again, Carolina Hurricanes—officially set, the New Jersey Devils treated this matinee matchup like a preseason tune-up. The 1-0 final score in favor of the Islanders? Honestly, it matched the energy in the building.
There wasn’t much drama. No big swings in momentum. Just two teams skating through the motions—with Ilya Sorokin once again proving he’s the difference-maker in tight, low-scoring affairs. He stopped every one of New Jersey’s 26 shots, securing the shutout and handing the Devils their ninth time being blanked this season.
But here’s the thing: the loss changes absolutely nothing for New Jersey. And that’s kind of the point.
🚨 No Stakes, No Urgency
With the Devils locked into a first-round series against the Hurricanes, and mathematically unable to gain or lose home-ice advantage, Sunday’s game was the textbook definition of a “nothing-to-play-for” scenario. And you could feel it from puck drop.
“I’d be lying if I said our number one concern is anything other than getting to the playoffs healthy,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said during an in-game TNT interview—offering a rare, refreshing bit of transparency that basically told fans: don’t expect fireworks today.
That perspective colored everything. Players weren’t diving headfirst into board battles. There were zero post-whistle scrums. The power play looked like it was operating at half-speed. And when there was a decision between making a high-risk play or living to fight another shift? Business decisions all around.
This wasn’t the Devils giving up. This was the Devils preserving gas in the tank for a much bigger road ahead.
💥 The One Real Flashpoint: Cotter’s Ejection
If there was one moment that snapped fans out of their collective nap, it was Paul Cotter’s hit to the head of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech midway through the second period. It was a bang-bang play, sure—but Cotter caught Pelech up high and was promptly handed a match penalty and sent to the showers early.
The TNT crew broke it down with varying degrees of outrage, and even Keefe—who defended Cotter’s character—conceded the officials made the right call.
“Cotter isn’t a dirty player,” Keefe said, “but it was the right call in the moment. Player safety has to be prioritized.”
New Jersey killed off the entire five-minute major (which says more about the Islanders’ atrocious power play than it does about the Devils’ penalty kill), but the sequence didn’t shift momentum. It just underscored the theme of the afternoon: play safe, avoid injury, and survive the 60 minutes intact.
❌ Another Final-Minute Slip-Up
The only goal of the game came in the final minute of the second period, thanks to a brutal turnover by Timo Meier that led to a Bo Horvat snipe. Meier’s mistake was especially painful given it marked the third straight game where the Devils surrendered a goal in the final minute of a period.
“That’s a habit we definitely don’t want to carry into the postseason,” Keefe noted postgame.
To his credit, Jacob Markstrom played well again, stopping 21 of 22 shots and continuing his late-season rebound. After a rocky return from injury in early March, Markstrom has quietly stabilized—posting a .904 save percentage over his last five games (and that’s with a 7-goal blip against Boston thrown in there).
🛑 The Rest vs. Rust Dilemma
If Sunday was any indication, Keefe is prioritizing rest. Veteran Stefan Noesen was a healthy scratch, likely the first of several in the final two games. Expect names like Ondrej Palat, Brenden Dillon, and maybe even Nico Hischier to get a night off before it’s all said and done.
“It’s a fine line between staying sharp and staying healthy,” Keefe said. “We’re going to manage it carefully.”
It’s a calculated risk. Sit too many guys and the team loses its edge. Play them too hard and risk injury. With Jack Hughes still out and Dougie Hamilton unlikely to be 100% in the first round, the Devils are already thin on elite talent. They can’t afford more casualties.
🔮 Looking Ahead: The Real Work Begins
The Devils head to Boston on Tuesday for their final road game of the regular season before returning home for the finale. But make no mistake: all eyes are on the first-round showdown with Carolina.
It’s going to be a grind. The Canes are deep, experienced, and relentless on the forecheck. New Jersey’s path to an upset almost certainly runs through Jacob Markstrom playing out of his mind, Bratt and Hischier elevating their games, and the Devils’ depth stepping up in big moments.
They’ve got a puncher’s chance—but it’s going to take everything they’ve got.
📣 Your Take
So what do you think? Did Sunday’s snoozer worry you, or are you team “rest now, rumble later”? Is Markstrom the x-factor this team needs to pull off a Round 1 stunner? And what would you do with the lineup in these final two games?
Drop your thoughts. You know the drill—we’re all in this Jersey hockey journey together.
Next Up:
📍 @ Boston Bruins
🕖 Tuesday, April 15 | 7:00 PM
📺 MSGSN | Streaming on ESPN+
Let’s see who suits up and who gets the bubble wrap treatment next.
