Jacob Markström Finds His Groove Again as Devils Near the Postseason
Five games remain for the New Jersey Devils, who look to clinch a spot any day now. With the postseason close, key players have stepped up in the absence of superstar Jack Hughes. As the offense and defense must step up, fans can’t forget one of the main keys to going on a run: goaltending. If goaltending isn’t at its best, much will fall apart quite fast; there can be no error. In the span of a few weeks, backup goaltender Jake Allen has kept this Devils team's hopes alive as Jacob Markström continued to recover from injury with a rough 1-4-0 stretch. However, after a previous win against their New York rivals, hope for New Jersey may have just increased. At long last, the New Jersey goaltender has gone back to his usual self and, indeed, looks ready for this upcoming postseason.
The 31-year-old goaltender has just come off a strong shutout victory over the New York Rangers, his second against them this season as well, on Saturday, and is looking to keep the momentum going against Boston on Tuesday. With the shutout, Markström puts himself at 4-0-1 in his last five starts, it’s safe to say he’s at long last recovered. Recording himself a goals-against average of 1.94 and a save percentage of .924 in his last five, Markström looks to finish this season strong, momentum like that most certainly helps transitioning into the postseason. Though Carolina may have the greater odds, more often than not, the goaltender is the biggest difference. Many can surely say the Hurricanes still have yet to fix their goaltending situation, with many of their past seasons ending tragically due to poor goaltending. As Markström continues to end the season strong, can he overcome the pressure and do his duty in the postseason?
Like plenty of goaltenders, Jacob Markström has seen his fair share of postseason games in his career. In his days with Vancouver and Calgary, Markström brings postseason experience to the Devils with 26 playoff starts, 14 with Vancouver and 12 with Calgary. With a record of 13-13 in the playoffs, including a 2.90 goals against average and a save percentage of .911, Markström looks to laugh in the face of pressure and give this Devils team a fighting chance. No doubt Markström will need to step it up even more, with defenseman Dougie Hamilton most likely missing the first round entirely. Just days away from their playoff berth, Markström is likely to start at least four more of their remaining five games, four games that would certainly keep his confidence up if all goes right. Twelve days remain until the Stanley Cup Playoffs return, and 12 or more days remain to see if New Jersey, at long last, has another goaltender worthy of a postseason run.
