The last two games the New Jersey Devils played exemplify how their season has gone. The Devils turned an early deficit around to win on March 22 against the New York Rangers before dropping a potential victory on March 23 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Devils have shown glimpses of the success they are capable of when they play without mistakes.

However, on too many occasions, the Devils have been their own worst enemy. The flaws they are committing represent what teams do that find themselves at the bottom of their division standings. If the Devils are going to become a contender, they need to fix the inconsistencies in their play. Let’s take a look at what the team needs to fix in order to be better.

Devils Allow Too Many Goals in Consecutive Games

Once Nico Daws started in goal on a continuous basis for the Devils beginning on Feb. 28, the team did not allow several goals for a stretch of seven games. The 21-year old performed well enough to keep them in games. The Devils looked like a competitive team with reliable goaltending and better defensive play from the forwards and defensemen.

However, the Devils’ slip-ups are still evident. They allowed six goals in three straight contests — March 15 against the Vancouver Canucks, March 16 vs. the Calgary Flames, and March 19 against the Edmonton Oilers. Daws did not finish the games against the Canucks and Flames.

After the loss to the Flames, head coach Lindy Ruff commented about Daws’ difficult game, “We’ve asked a lot of him, probably unfairly, I’ve asked a lot of him. Tonight he just didn’t have it, and that can be a product. He’s played a lot of games. He’s prepared for a lot of games. He’s developing as a young goaltender. He’s given us good games. But the test has probably been a little bit too big for him.”

The Devils have had stretches of games when their opponents have tallied too many goals (five or more) against them on several occasions. The offense is put at a disadvantage as a result of the team’s poor defensive play or goaltending. The team defense and goaltending need to improve for longer stretches during the season in order for the Devils to be in playoff contention.