Despite a devastating overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, the New Jersey Devils are still second in the Eastern Conference. However, the team is suffering from familiar issues, specifically giving up the first goal and being unable to string more than three wins together. Consistency might still be a problem, but the Devils’ defense remains crucial to the team’s success.
Specifically, the defensive line of Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce has had a surge in recent games. Pesce is an all-around quality veteran defenseman, while Hughes is quickly developing into one of the Devils’ best blueliners. By having both experience and talent, this line has been able to send the puck out of the defensive zone and showcase their playmaking abilities.
Success In Recent Games
Hughes has had an offensive surge in recent games. In his last nine games, he has scored seven points, including his first goal of the season against the Seattle Kraken. Hughes also had a two-point night in the Devils’ 5-1 win against the New York Rangers. Pesce has only scored one assist this season, but he has blocked 46 shots and fired 34 shots on goal. His high level of poke-check accuracy disrupts the opponent’s puck possession, making him a high-quality defensive defenseman.
Together, the defensive pair has recorded ten goals for, but their impact goes far beyond the score sheet. Their talents complement one another, which explains why 81.99% of Pesce’s ice time has been spent paired with Hughes. Pesce shuts down opponents’ shot chances by blocking shots, while Hughes can skate the puck through the neutral zone and create a passing lane.
This means that Hughes and Pesce make an impact at both ends of the ice. According to Natural Stat Trick, 43.83% of the scoring chances this pairing creates are high-danger opportunities. In fact, they record an average of 63.74 shot attempts for the Devils every 60 minutes.
Hughes and Pesce: Better Together
It’s no secret that these two play better together than apart. On a pairing with Hughes, Pesce has a 55.56 goals for percentage (GF%), compared to a 25 GF% without Hughes. Likewise, his scoring chances for percentage (SCF%) is 22.05 higher when paired with Hughes. This duo has all the ingredients for an elite defensive pairing, something that the team lacked last season in the absence of Dougie Hamilton.
Now, let’s take a look at expected goal totals. During 5-on-5 situations, the Hughes-Pesce combo has an expected goals for percentage (xGF%) of 58.19. According to MoneyPuck, this line has 3.22 expected goals per 60 minutes of play and 16.7 expected goals for.
Hughes’ speed is part of the reason why the Devils can make plays off their defensive maneuvers. Pesce blocks shots that create rebound opportunities, and Hughes remains in the 98th percentile for top skating speed, so he can race up the ice with the puck. Hughes and Pesce have taken on a lot of defensive responsibility, creating both turnovers and takeaways that the team can immediately capitalize on.
Positive Puck Possession
Across 22 games, this duo has a 336 Corsi For (CF) count, which represents the total number of shot attempts. This line also has a 55.72 Corsi for percentage (CF%), meaning that they generate more scoring chances than their opponent on a given night. All of these statistics mean that the Hughes-Pesce pairing has a net-positive impact on puck possession and beneficial defensive tactics.
Related: Devils Dominating With 3 High-Scoring Lines
Goaltending typically does very well when this pairing is deployed, maintaining a 93.22 save percentage (SV%) with Hughes and Pesce on the ice. They also have a .995 PDO, also known as the combination of save and shooting percentages.
By limiting the other team’s chances of scoring on the rush, Hughes and Pesce are able to help send the puck into the offensive zone, creating prime scoring chances for the Devils’ top lines. Even though the Devils fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime, the Hughes-Pesce line still made valuable contributions. For example, Hughes fired three shots on goal while Pesce created one rush opportunity. This line also generated one high-danger scoring chance, a takeaway, and a rebound opportunity.
Devils’ Defense Moving Forward
The combination of Pesce and Hughes has provided an all-around improvement in the Devils’ defense. They possess a healthy amount of on-ice chemistry, especially since they spent time rehabbing together at the beginning of the season. The Hughes-Pesce line has been phenomenal. Having a Calder Trophy finalist and an established veteran on the same pairing is helping define a new era of Devils’ defense.
