NHL Power Rankings: A new No. 1, and the game(s) of the month for all 32 teams
The second calendar month of the 2024-25 NHL season is here. But which games are the most tantalizing in the next 30 days?
For this edition of the Power Rankings, we’ve identified the game (or games) of the month for all 32 teams, whether it’s a rivalry matchup, a reunion with an old teammate or a key early season clash between top Stanley Cup contenders.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Oct. 25. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 90.00%
Nov. 7 vs. the Avalanche. The Jets’ promising 2024 playoff entry ended pretty quickly at the hands of the Avalanche this past spring. A single game in November will not be sufficient for vengeance, but as the Jets continue to prove themselves as a top contender, beating other top-tier teams is a requirement.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 1), vs. TB (Nov. 3), vs. UTA (Nov. 5), vs. COL (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 77.78%
Nov. 1, 2 vs. the Panthers. It’s another round of the NHL Global Series. Though the Devils-Sabres series in Prague proved one-sided, this pairing of Finn-loaded contenders will be a delight to the thousands in the building in Tampere.
Next seven days: vs. FLA (Nov. 1), vs. FLA (Nov. 2), vs. CHI (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 72.22%
Nov. 23 at the Oilers. Not only is this the “Mark Messier matchup” — and one that would’ve made a great Stanley Cup Final this past spring — but these two teams have the shortest Cup-winner odds in their respective conferences, per ESPN BET. Perhaps we’ll get these two iconic franchises in the Cup Final this season?
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 1), vs. NYI (Nov. 3), vs. BUF (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 77.78%
Nov. 19 at the Blues. The Wild and Blues fell just shy of the playoffs last season, and given the strength of the Central Division, one imagines there won’t be room for both of them in the 2025 postseason. Can the Wild get revenge for the Blues’ 4-1 win back on Oct. 15?
Next seven days: vs. TB (Nov. 1), vs. TOR (Nov. 3), vs. LA (Nov. 5), @ SJ (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 68.18%
Nov. 17 vs. the Capitals. It’s not often that a player gets traded on the same day he’s scheduled to do a meet-and-greet with fans. But such was the case for goaltender Logan Thompson. He’ll make his return to Vegas with his new teammates for this one, after stopping 24 of 26 shots to beat his old team 4-2 on Oct. 15 in D.C.
Next seven days: vs. UTA (Nov. 2), @ EDM (Nov. 6)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 77.78%
Nov. 8 vs. the Penguins. Although Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are on the proverbial back-nine of their careers, both are still performing at a high level; that makes any Capitals-Penguins game a must-see (even if Sid’s Penguins are seriously lagging behind Ovi’s Capitals in the standings).
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 2), @ CAR (Nov. 3), vs. NSH (Nov. 6)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Nov. 27 vs. the Capitals. Long live the Southeast Division. The Lightning and Capitals are both in playoff position as of this writing — and might well be at the end of the month when this game takes place, too. An important game for each club as they hope to remain in the postseason mix by season’s end.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 1), @ WPG (Nov. 3), @ STL (Nov. 5), vs. PHI (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 77.78%
Nov. 27 vs. the Rangers. The Hurricanes’ playoff run this past spring was terminated by the Blueshirts, and this will be their first showdown with their divisional foes.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 3), vs. PHI (Nov. 5), vs. PIT (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 68.18%
Nov. 16, 19 against the Jets. November is a quirky month in the Panthers’ schedule: They have four occurrences of consecutive games against the same opponent. We’ll highlight occurrence No. 3 for this spot, as the Jets look every bit as awesome as their NFL namesakes do not. A potential Stanley Cup Final matchup.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 1), vs. DAL (Nov. 2), vs. NSH (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 61.54%
Nov. 12, 14 at the Panthers. The Panthers represent the standard to which all top Eastern Conference contenders are comparing themselves. So this pair of games in Sunrise will be critical for the Devils, a team that wants to count itself in that cohort.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 1), @ EDM (Nov. 4), vs. MTL (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 59.09%
Nov. 5 vs. the Bruins. No matter which team is higher in the standings — or favored in the playoff series — the Maple Leafs have had major trouble beating the Bruins in recent seasons. As the Bruins’ season is off to a tepid start, it could be time for a statement victory for the Leafs.
Next seven days: @ STL (Nov. 2), @ MIN (Nov. 3), vs. BOS (Nov. 5)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 61.11%
Nov. 9 vs. the Oilers. There’s nothing like a heated playoff series to throw more fuel on a rivalry’s fire. So after the players (and fans) got after one another in the second round this past spring, what can we expect in the opening clash between these Pacific contenders?
Next seven days: @ SJ (Nov. 2), @ ANA (Nov. 5), @ LA (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 63.64%
Nov. 29 at the Ducks. This SoCal rivalry isn’t as heated as it was when both teams were contenders, but there is always a little extra juice when they match up. And, with two of this season’s best uniform redesigns, it will be aesthetically pleasing, too.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 2), @ NSH (Nov. 4), @ MIN (Nov. 5), vs. VAN (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 55.00%
Nov. 3 vs. the Oilers. Few rivalries in professional sports are as consistently nasty as the Battle of Alberta. The Flames had to watch their cross-province antagonists get to within a game of a Stanley Cup this past spring. Will they continue their pursuit of derailing another Edmonton playoff run by taking another W from them, as they did back on Oct. 13?
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 1), vs. EDM (Nov. 3), @ MTL (Nov. 5), @ BOS (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 55.56%
Nov. 12 at the Maple Leafs. The Battle of Ontario is another excellent NHL rivalry — the most recent flare-up occurring in February when Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly took umbrage to Ridly Greig‘s enthusiastic empty-net goal. Will this next bout feature similar fireworks?
Next seven days: @ NYR (Nov. 1), vs. SEA (Nov. 2), @ BUF (Nov. 5), vs. NYI (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 50.00%
Nov. 20 vs. the Predators. It was quite a low-scoring affair on Oct. 15 as the Seahawks beat the Titans 7-3 … oh wait, it was a hockey game. As it turns out, the total of 10 goals in that game has been matched twice since in Kraken games, both of which Seattle has won. Will it be another offensive onslaught in this return match against the Preds?
Next seven days: @ OTT (Nov. 2), @ BOS (Nov. 3), @ COL (Nov. 5)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 54.55%
Nov. 2, 15, 30 against the Golden Knights. The Golden Knights set the benchmark for early success as an expansion team, getting all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Utah Hockey Club isn’t technically an expansion team, but as the NHL’s newest club, they hope to chart a similar path of early success. A win (or three) against Vegas in November would signify they’re well on their way.
Next seven days: @ VGK (Nov. 2), @ WPG (Nov. 5), @ STL (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 61.11%
Nov. 5-12, against the Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Kraken. To the surprise of some, the Blue Jackets remain on the (early) playoff bubble in the Eastern Conference. An extended West Coast trip can help bring a team together, and grabbing some Ws doesn’t hurt either.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 1), @ WSH (Nov. 2), @ SJ (Nov. 5)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 45.45%
Nov. 29 at the Stars. Enjoy watching elite puck-moving defensemen? Circle this game on your calendar, as Colorado’s Cale Makar will visit Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen.
Next seven days: @ NSH (Nov. 2), vs. SEA (Nov. 5), @ WPG (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 45.45%
Nov. 12, 16 against the Bruins. Goalie goals are a thing of beauty. Goalie fights are a thing of beauty … in another way. Jordan Binnington has been on the verge of one for years — and nearly got in one against the Senators this week — while Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman also has the fighting spirit, as one might say.
Next seven days: vs. TOR (Nov. 2), vs. TB (Nov. 5), vs. UTA (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 40.91%
Nov. 9 vs. the Senators. It’s Linus Ullmark-Jeremy Swayman reunion night! Though Ullmark didn’t play for the B’s as long as Steven Stamkos did for the Lightning, he did win the Vezina Trophy for a team that set an NHL record for regular-season dominance. What will the reception be like at TD Garden?
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 2), vs. SEA (Nov. 3), @ TOR (Nov. 5), vs. CGY (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 45.00%
Nov. 2, 5 against Red Wings, Senators. For the past few seasons, we’ve been waiting for one of these three rising Atlantic Division teams to take the next step and qualify for the playoffs. Is this the season? These two games for the Sabres will be a good barometer of where they stand in particular.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 1), @ DET (Nov. 2), vs. OTT (Nov. 5), @ NYR (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Nov. 30 at the Avalanche. The Oilers and Avalanche are not exactly where many predicted they’d be in the standings. And the loss of Connor McDavid for the next two to three weeks doesn’t help matters for Edmonton. But with McDavid back in time (hopefully) for this matchup, this should be a good measuring stick for both clubs.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 3), vs. NJ (Nov. 4), vs. VGK (Nov. 6)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 45.00%
Nov. 9 vs. the Rangers. At some point, the Red Wings have to turn a corner back toward contention. Will this Original Six matchup be that turning point, following two losses to the Blueshirts in October?
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 2), @ CHI (Nov. 6)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Nov. 3, 19 against the Blackhawks. There was no uncertainty about who should be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft; and sure enough, Connor Bedard was selected by the Blackhawks. However, the Ducks’ selection of Leo Carlsson at No. 2 raised some eyebrows at the time. Not anymore, as the Swede is second on his team in scoring this season. This pair of matchups will be a showcase for two of the league’s brightest young stars.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 3), vs. VAN (Nov. 5)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Nov. 3 at the Rangers. Perhaps this Sunday matinee against their archrivals will stir something in the Isles, who haven’t gotten off to the best start in the first full season with Patrick Roy behind the bench.
Next seven days: @ BUF (Nov. 1), @ NYR (Nov. 3), vs. PIT (Nov. 5), @ OTT (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 35.00%
Nov. 2, 11 against the Avalanche. The truth is, we could list all 15 games in November here; high preseason expectations have led to underwhelming early results, making every game count from here. But we’ll pick this pair against the Avalanche, as Nathan MacKinnon & Co. have been in that upper tier of contention (to which the Preds aspire) for the past handful of seasons.
Next seven days: vs. COL (Nov. 2), vs. LA (Nov. 4), @ WSH (Nov. 6), @ FLA (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 40.91%
Nov. 26 vs. the UHC. At the 2022 NHL draft in Montreal, the Canadiens shocked many of their fans in attendance by selecting Juraj Slafkovsky first overall. Two picks later, the Coyotes took Logan Cooley. Much has happened since then — including the Coyotes transforming into the Utah Hockey Club — but this game will another showcase for two rising stars from that class.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 2), vs. CGY (Nov. 5), @ NJ (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 31.82%
Nov. 6 vs. the Red Wings. Two iconic franchises. One of the most aesthetically pleasing uniform matchups in pro sports. No, they’re not exactly on top of the standings as they once were, but there’s something special about this old-school Norris Division showdown.
Next seven days: @ LA (Nov. 2), @ ANA (Nov. 3), vs. DET (Nov. 6), @ DAL (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 40.91%
Nov. 7 at the Lightning. Matvei Michkov, the Flyers’ first-round pick in 2023, has taken the NHL by storm, with nine points through 10 games. In this matchup, he’ll be sharing the ice with two of the best Russian players in recent history, winger Nikita Kucherov and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Next seven days: vs. BOS (Nov. 2), @ CAR (Nov. 5), @ TB (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 37.50%
Nov. 19 vs. the Lightning. Jake Guentzel lost his first game as a non-Penguin in Pittsburgh (with the Hurricanes, after last season’s trade deadline). Will his second trip back to the visitors locker room go any better — and how will fans greet him?
Next seven days: vs. MTL (Nov. 2), @ NYI (Nov. 5), @ CAR (Nov. 7)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 33.33%
Nov. 16 at the Penguins. In 2016, these two teams met in the Stanley Cup Final. This season, they’re meeting in the basement of the standings — with one of their appearances more shocking than the other’s. Can the Sharks punctuate this mini East Coast trip with a win against Sidney Crosby & Co.?
Next seven days: vs. VAN (Nov. 2), vs. CBJ (Nov. 5), vs. MIN (Nov. 7)
Sports
Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Senators on the brink, while Avs, Knights, Bolts try to punch back
All but one NHL team will end the season on a bitter note, as there can be only one Stanley Cup champion. But on Saturday, we could have our very first playoff elimination of the 2025 playoffs.
The Ottawa Senators are on the brink heading into Saturday’s game. Despite taking the heavily favored Toronto Maple Leafs to overtime twice in a row, the Atlantic Division champs have scored the game winner each time in the extra session. Can the Senators win one in front of the home crowd to extend the series to five games?
Elsewhere in the Atlantic bracket, the Florida Panthers won both of the first two games in the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s building. Will this be a shorter series than many expected? And out West, the Minnesota Wild will look to extend their shocking series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Clash of the Western Titans continues in the Centennial State, as the Colorado Avalanche look to even things up with the Dallas Stars.
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Friday’s games, and the Three Stars of Friday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
Game 3 (FLA leads 2-0) | 1 p.m. ET | TBS
Having served his suspension for performance-enhancing substances, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is eligible to return for this game. The well-rounded blueliner skated 23:30 per game during the regular season, scoring three goals and 30 assists in 56 games.
The Panthers have another defenseman who has been delivering this postseason; Nate Schmidt scored a goal in Games 1 and 2, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history with two game-winning goals in a single postseason — and they’re only two games in!
All eyes will be on the status of Aleksander Barkov, who was knocked out of Game 2 via a hit from Brandon Hagel; Hagel was assessed a five-minute major penalty for the play and suspended for Game 3.
Tampa Bay needs its stars and its scoring depth to get rolling to charge back into this series, with just two goals total in two games. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has not been up to his typical, superhuman standards thus far, allowing seven goals on 39 shots (.821 save percentage).
In Stanley Cup playoff history, teams that start 2-0 in a best-of-seven series have won 86% of the time; that number rises to 98% if a team starts 3-0.
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild
Game 4 (MIN leads 2-1) | 4 p.m. ET | TBS
If nothing else, this series has been a unique one from a starting-time perspective; each of the first four games will have had a different scheduled start time once the puck is dropped Saturday — 10 p.m. ET for Game 1, 11 p.m. ET for Game 2, 9 p.m. ET for Game 3 and 4 p.m. ET for this one.
Most observers didn’t believe the Wild were going to win this series. Nor did many predict that Minnesota players would be all over the scoring leaderboard midway through Round 1. Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the playoff scoring lead with Adrian Kempe and Cam Fowler (seven points), and is tied with teammate Matt Boldy for the goal-scoring lead, with four. The current playoff assists leader? Wild blueliner Jared Spurgeon.
This has been an uncharacteristically rough opening round for Adin Hill. He’s allowed 10 goals on 57 shots, generating a .825 save percentage and 3.78 goals-against average. Those rates were .932 and 2.17, respectively, in Hill’s 16 games played during the Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup run.
While “Playoff” Tomas Hertl has shown up this series — to the tune of two goals and an assist — some of the Knights’ other offensive standbys have been quiet. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev — who combined for 212 points in the regular season — all have a goose egg thus far.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators
Game 4 (TOR leads 3-0) | 7 p.m. ET | TBS
The Maple Leafs have been led by a consistently strong performance of their Core Four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares; the quartet leads Toronto in scoring through three games. Perhaps a narrative is being rewritten before our eyes, after years of playoff disappointment for that group?
One specific area where Toronto has been dominant is the power play; their 55.6% conversion rate is tops in the league this postseason (and makes up, somewhat, for a penalty kill that is just 77.8% effective).
The Senators have had five different goal scorers this series, including Brady Tkachuk, who has been giving his all in his first playoff experience. Ottawa’s captain has two goals — and four penalty minutes, as he has kept himself in the mix whenever the action has gotten rowdier.
Will Ottawa stick with Linus Ullmark in goal for Game 4? The veteran has an .815 save percentage through the first three games — and an .874 mark in his postseason career.
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche
Game 4 (DAL leads 2-1) | 9:30 p.m. ET | TBS
Game 3 was all about the return of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog after an absence of 1,032 days. Landeskog skated 13:16 in the game, but did not record a point or a shot on goal.
While other teams are generating historic numbers on the power play this postseason, the Avs have struggled to a 15.4% conversion rate (fourth worst). This is in stark contrast to the regular season, when the Avs’ 24.8% rate was eighth in the league.
Tyler Seguin‘s overtime goal sealed the deal for Dallas in Game 3. it was just the second OT game winner in his career, after a span of 13 years (April 22, 2012).
The other good news on the Dallas front is that Mikko Rantanen — former Av, who was acquired on March 7 — finally picked up his first point of the series, an assist on the OT game winner. Have the floodgates opened?
Arda’s three stars from Friday night
1. The Oilers-Kings series
LA up 2-1 | 30 goals in three games
The first three games have been bonkers. Game 1 almost had an all-timer comeback, then the Kings rocked Edmonton in Game 2, while Game 3 saw multiple lead changes, quick back-to-back goals, a failed coaches challenge by L.A. on an Edmonton goal — which led to an Oilers’ power-play goal to take the lead. Just incredible.
Nemec scored the overtime winner in Newark to win the game for the Devils over the Canes — and avoid going down 0-3 in the series. This came after stints in the AHL this season, and being a healthy scratch earlier in the series.
“Goal” Caufield had a goal and an assist in Montreal’s emphatic 6-3 win over Washington in Game 3.
0:46
Cole Caufield scores with a one-timer for Montreal
Cole Caufield scores on a one-timer to give the Canadiens the lead late in the second period.
Friday’s scores
Montreal Canadiens 6, Washington Capitals 3
WSH leads 2-1
The Bell Centre was electric for the Canadiens’ first home game in quite some time — and the fans were sent home quite happy on Friday night after a wild game. The two teams traded goals through most of the first two periods before Cole Caufield put Montreal up one at the end of the second — and a brawl ensued that spilled into the Washington bench. Although Alex Ovechkin scored 2:39 into the third to tie the game 3-3, the Habs poured it on thereafter with three straight goals, sending the “Olé!” chants to unforeseen decibel levels. Recap.
0:45
Christian Dvorak helps Canadiens regain the lead
Christian Dvorak finds the net in the third period to help the Canadiens to retake the lead vs. the Capitals.
New Jersey Devils 3, Carolina Hurricanes 2 (2OT)
CAR leads 2-1
Down 0-2 in the series, the Devils went up 2-0 in their first game back home, on goals from Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. But a pair of third-period, power-play goals — from Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho — knotted things up, and the game went to overtime. Scoreless after one extra period, the game was ended by Simon Nemec, the second overall pick in the 2022 draft, who had been a healthy scratch previously in the series. Recap.
1:02
Simon Nemec’s wrister wins it in 2OT for the Devils
Simon Nemec finds the winning goal as the Devils outlast the Hurricanes in double overtime.
Edmonton Oilers 7, Los Angeles Kings 4
LA leads 2-1
It takes a full-team effort to get up off the proverbial canvas when down 0-2 in a series, and that’s just what the Oilers got on Friday. Ten different Oilers hit the scoresheet in this one, including superstars like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, as well players further down the lineup like Connor Brown and Evander Kane. The Oilers also made the switch in goal to Calvin Pickard for this game, and he responded with 24 saves on 28 shots. On the Kings’ side, Adrian Kempe had his fourth goal and fifth assist of the playoffs, putting him into first in the points race and tied for first in the goals race. Recap.
0:44
Connor McDavid’s empty-netter secures Game 3 for the Oilers
Connor McDavid notches the empty-netter to secure a Game 3 win for the Oilers.
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Greg Wyshynski
NEWARK, N.J. — Simon Nemec hasn’t had an ideal start to his NHL career. But in Game 3 of the New Jersey Devils‘ Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, he finally had his career highlight.
The 21-year-old defenseman scored an unassisted goal at 2:36 of double overtime on Friday night to give the Devils a 3-2 win and new life, cutting the Hurricanes’ series lead to 2-1.
In the process, Nemec, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL draft, had the most impactful moment of his pro career with his first playoff goal.
“I was so happy,” he said. “Amazing feeling. It’s been a tough season for me, and that’s a really big win for us.”
A native of Slovakia, Nemec spent his first season after the draft in the American Hockey League. He split time between the AHL and the Devils in Year 2, thrust into action because of injuries to the New Jersey defense. He split time between the NHL and the minors again this season. Nemec has played 87 games in the NHL, with five goals and 18 assists while skating to a minus-17.
He was a frequent healthy scratch in New Jersey, including Game 1 on Sunday, and his lackluster play caused many to wonder if Nemec would live up to his lofty draft position. Nemec was last on the Devils in goals above replacement at minus-8.7, according to Evolving Hockey.
Thanks to injuries to defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon, Nemec was called upon in Game 2 against Carolina and was back in the lineup for Game 3, in which the Devils lost defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic to injury after just 10 shifts. That injury, plus the multiple overtimes, meant massive increases in ice time for veterans such as Brian Dumoulin (36:29) and Brett Pesce (32:25), as well as more responsibility for Nemec.
“You just need guys to step up at the right times,” Dumoulin said. “He knew he was going to be going out there, we’re going to be relying on him, and we needed him. You could see that he took that moment. He wasn’t scared of it, and he took the reins of it.”
Nemec said the overtime goal, which beat Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen (34 saves), was the kind of boost he needs in his career.
“Yeah, it helps me a lot,” he said. “I feel like my confidence is back the last couple games. I’m just trying to play my game and do this stuff. I have to play offense a little bit, too, so my confidence is higher, and I just feel good about myself.”
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe admitted that he dreamed about defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 4 and played 27:09, being the Game 3 hero.
“But if I was really thinking, I would have said, ‘Wouldn’t this be something if the young guy who just stepped up so big for us here, if he ended the game?'” Keefe said.
The message the coach gave his team in the overtime intermissions was one of aggressiveness. That apparently wasn’t lost on Nemec.
“We’ve got to go win this hockey game. We don’t want to sit back, we don’t want this game to go on forever,” Keefe said. “Credit Nemo with doing that. To have the mindset to do it, not just sitting back and conserving energy. He was on the front foot. You love to see it and love to see him get rewarded.”
Game 4 of the series will be Sunday afternoon in New Jersey.
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