New Jersey Devils lose 9-0 in ‘flat-out embarrassing’ effort

ELMONT, N.Y. — The New Jersey Devils, struggling for nearly two months after a scorching 8-1 start, are now searching for answers after a puzzling 9-0 loss to the rival New York Islanders on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.

The Devils have lost two in a row, and four of six, and are behind the Eastern Conference playoff cut line after an October that saw them in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

“Giving up nine, that’s flat-out embarrassing. We’ve got to rinse this as quick as possible and I’m in charge of that,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. “I’m expecting myself to have a big response game and I’m expecting my team to have the same thing.”

The Devils recently welcomed their best player back from injury, when Jack Hughes returned Dec. 21 after sitting out a little over a month following finger surgery from cutting his right hand at a team dinner. But it hasn’t shown in the standings. On Tuesday, though they outshot the Islanders 44-24, including 15-7 in the first period, veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom could not keep the puck out of his net.

Markstrom gave up goals on the first two shots he faced — from Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair — and three on five, finishing with nine on 24. His teammates had little bounce back after losing at home to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in a game in which young defenseman Luke Hughes twice put the puck into his own net.

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“We want to apologize to the Devils fans. I’ve got to be better,” Markstrom said. “We put up 40-plus shots, and they put up 20? Scored nine. I’m embarrassed of myself. Not good enough. I’ve got to be better.”

New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe, who has watched his club drop six of its past eight games, surprisingly chose to keep Markstrom in for the entirety of the game, even amid his struggles.

“I didn’t like the quality of chance that we had given up, and Marky has been playing quite well for us, and I thought deserved the opportunity to stay in through the first period and decided to go back out with him again in the second,” Keefe said. “Once that next one goes in, for me now, it’s just [he’s] got to own it. He’s just got to battle through the rest of the game.”

The Devils, who will visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, ended Tuesday night with only three teams below them in the Eastern Conference: New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.