Lichtenstein: Devils' Unexpected Rise Aided By Unexpected Scoring Surge From Blandisi
By Steve Lichtenstein
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When you're as offensively challenged as the Devils, a player with skill tends to stand out.
Even if such player was passed over and disregarded by every other NHL team, like New Jersey left winger Joseph Blandisi.
Blandisi's speed is quite apparent on the plodding Devils, whose 2.23 goals per game rank last in the NHL.
The Devils are also not particularly big, which was noticeable in their games over the weekend against the Flyers and Kings. New Jersey was soundly out-hit in both contests and struggled to create scoring opportunities.
The Devils won both those games, however, thanks in part to the (generously listed) 6-foot Blandisi's willingness to go into the dirty areas around the net to wreak havoc.
In the two victories, New Jersey produced a grand total of three goals. Blandisi was directly responsible for two of them.
Blandisi scored a play-of-the-week-worthy goal in the first period of the Devils' 2-1 overtime win in Philadelphia on Saturday and then provided the screen (if not the deflection) for defenseman David Schlemko's power play wrister from the point that eluded Kings netminder Jhonas Enroth in a 1-0 shutout on Sunday afternoon at the Prudential Center.
Hockey players like Blandisi are selfless and don't actively lobby for rewards, though he did say afterward that he believed he got a piece of Schlemko's shot.
"I actually didn't see the puck go in," said Blandisi. "I thought I felt it touch my stick, but I think at the end of the day, we're just happy to get the goal, and whoever gets credit for it, it's a key help to us winning the game."
Even if the box score doesn't change after further review by the league (as of this writing, it remains Schlemko's career-high seventh of the season), Blandisi still has recorded nine points (four goals, five assists) in the Devils' last 10 games.
In New Jersey, that's rarefied air.
The Devils have earned points in all but two of those 10 games (6-2-2) to jump back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Their 65 points currently merit third place in the Metropolitan Division, though the three teams just a point or two behind them in the standings all have three games in hand.
"It's not about where it's going," said Devils coach John Hynes of his club's postseason chase. "It's about focusing on the present. When you focus on the present, then you don't stumble. So for us, we try not to get carried away with that. There's a lot of hockey left."
Going into the season, few predicted the Devils would be this competitive. Even fewer expected big things from Blandisi.
The 21-year old was never offered a contract after he was taken in the sixth round by Colorado in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Nor was he selected by any team when he re-entered the draft in 2014, forcing Blandisi to play additional junior hockey before former Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello signed him to an entry-level free agent deal a little over a year ago.
Blandisi failed to make the big club out of preseason training camp, but he certainly has played with confidence since his call-up from the Devils' minor league affiliate in Albany on Dec. 11.
"The more comfortable you get, the slower you see the game," said Blandisi. "I'm watching the plays, and they're just happening the way I'm seeing them. I think a lot of it is anticipation and thinking the game properly."
As proof, check out the highlight of Blandisi's goal against the Flyers on Saturday: https://www.nhl.com/video/blandisis-awesome-goal/t-277990248/c-41295903
On a Devils' power play, Blandisi picked up a loose puck on his backhand just behind the goal line to the right of Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth's post. In one quick motion, Blandisi put the puck and his stick between his legs to his forehand and flipped the puck into the net.
"That was a nice goal," said Hynes in an understatement. "When you look at Joe, one of the things we've liked about him is you can see that skill set where he can score a goal like that. But it wasn't showboating — it was just an offensive player who couldn't get around to the net. But again, he scores that goal right at the post. He's a skilled player that plays hard in the hard areas, and that's why he continues to have success."
It was the kind of move few Devils have in their repertoire, even if you include injured forwards Mike Cammalleri and Patrik Elias.
Of course, it's way too soon to put Blandisi on the fast track to greatness. I can freely admit that the last Devil I gushed over this way was Eric Gelinas, the tantalizing 24-year old defenseman with a slap shot like a missile.
Gelinas just happened to have the misfortune of seemingly always being on the ice when the opposition scored. Hence his current stint in Hynes' doghouse.
Blandisi got a small taste of Hynes' wrath when he was benched for the final five minutes of the second period Sunday.
"I made a couple of errors there in the second period," said Blandisi. "Coach gave me a chance and then I went out again and made the same mistake — turned the puck over at the blue line. So that's why I missed a couple of shifts there."
Blandisi returned to his line with Adam Henrique and Lee Stempniak in the third period, where the Devils turtled and needed a sterling performance from backup goalie Keith Kincaid to secure the victory against the Pacific Division-leading Kings.
The Devils move on to face five consecutive Metropolitan Division opponents, all of which harbor postseason aspirations with the exception of Columbus. They will likely be tight affairs — all seven games this month have been decided by one goal.
New Jersey, though, now has a player who could be on his way to establishing himself as a game-breaker. If that happens, the Devils could become a dangerous team in April.
For a FAN's perspective of the Nets, Jets and the NHL, follow Steve on Twitter @SteveLichtenst1
