New Jersey Devils Are Hot Following the NHL All-Star Break

After being represented by no players in the NHL All-Star game, the Devils have found a groove and have won four straight games.

Three out of these four games have been against Atlantic division rivals, and the Devils have exploded for 20 goals during this stretch.

Missing Adam Henrique for the first three games did not effect the production of the first line; Danius Zubrus was excellent as a top three player, and now with Patrik Elias centering Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise the offense has been the best it has been all year.

Kovalchuk has scored 10 points since the break (not including his shootout goal against the Rangers), David Clarkson has seven, Parise has six, Elias has five, and Zubrus has five.

If these numbers are not enough, the Devils have found scoring from their depth players and their defense as well. Three goals scored have been from their defensemen in the last four games, compared to only seven in the first 48, and the third line of Alexei Ponikarovsky, Jacob Josefson, and Steve Bernier have combined for seven points over the four game stretch.

I would also like to point out that Bernier was a first round draft pick back in 2003. He obviously has not played up to the expectation of a 16^th overall pick, but being drafted that early means that he has some kind of potential. It is nice to see him get an opportunity to play in the NHL and maybe provide some depth for the Devils if they decide to keep him in the lineup.

Speaking of depth, the Devils have three players with 20 or more goals and seven players with 10 or more goals this season. That's some more proof that if a player has an off game, the team can still find a way to produce.

Looking ahead, the Devils do not have an easy schedule at all. These next three games against the Rangers, Blues, and Panthers will really prove if this four-game streak is a fluke or if the Devils are the real deal.

With 12 more Atlantic Division games remaining on the Devils' schedule, and the playoff race tightening, anything can happen.

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