New Jersey

New Jersey Devils Lose Penalty-Fest, 3-0, To Montreal Canadiens

Published

1 year ago

September 24, 2024

New Jersey Devils Lose Penalty-Fest, 3-0, To Montreal Canadiens

Tuesday night in Montreal was the Justin Kea and Garrett Rank show, as the New Jersey Devils fell to the Canadiens, 3-0. It was a game packed to the brim with penalties, with New Jersey taking a whopping eight of them, and the Canadiens countering with six of their own. Michael Pezzetta scored twice for the Canadiens, including an empty-netter to seal it, and Nick Suzuki found the back of the net as well.

If there was a silver lining to the parade to the sin bin, it was the penalty kill putting up one of the more impressive performances you will see. The Devils’ penalty kill unit went a remarkable 8-for-8, including killing off a 5-on-3 for a full two minutes! It was a full team effort too, as 16 of the 18 skaters in the lineup this evening all saw time on the kill. The only exceptions were Kurtis MacDermid and Mike Hardman (although Xavier Parent only got four seconds of PK time).

Of course, a penalty kill can’t pitch a shutout without some quality goaltending behind it, and that’s exactly what the Devils got this evening. Jake Allen started the game and played until roughly halfway through the second period. Allen made 12 saves on 13 shots, including a couple grade-A chances in the first period particularly. After that it was Nico Daws taking over the crease, and he gave New Jersey a terrific effort with 14 saves on 15 shots. He too needed to make some five-alarm stops tonight, so it was an overall stellar game for the Devils goaltenders.

But alas, the offense could not match the performance of their netminders. It was a lineup heavy on players we will (hopefully) not be seeing much of in the NHL this season, so an anemic performance wasn’t all that surprising. Nathan Bastian, Nolan Foote, and Simon Nemec tied for the team lead with three shots apiece tonight.

This was an overall sloppy, frustrating game to watch between the lack of offense and New Jersey taking about nine hours worth of penalties. The Devils are now 0-2 in the preseason, apparently bent on righting the wrong of going undefeated in the exhibition slate a year ago. Onto the next.

The Game Stats: The NHL.com Game Summary | The Natural Stat Trick Game Stats

We Finally Found Nemo

The most notable thing about this contest to me was the preseason debut of Simon Nemec. It was great to see the young blueliner after his scary looking injury a few weeks ago. The Devils were cagey with Nemec’s status for a while, which concerned many around these parts. But it appears Nemec is just fine after all.

Overall I thought Nemec looked fine. There was some rust, but that’s to be expected in his first taste of preseason action. Paired together with Santeri Hatakka (which might just be a preview of some October games to come), Nemec put up a 5-on-5 Expected Goals For% of 39.87%, which sounds bad until you hear that was seventh best mark on the team tonight. And as previously mentioned he did put up a team-leading three shots on net, so it’s hard to blame the lack of offense tonight on him.

With Luke Hughes out for at least the first few weeks of the season and Brett Pesce’s status up in the air, it will be imperative for Nemec to provide some stability and production in a depth role.

Another Notable Debut

Apart from Nemec, another young blueliner making his preseason debut tonight was Seamus Casey. Aside from the recently drafted Anton Silayev, Casey is probably the defenseman in the Devils’ system (as in, with no NHL experience thus far) with the highest ceiling. He comes to New Jersey with a reputation for being an offensive dynamo and a surprisingly good defender for his size, though obviously that will not be a big part of his game.

Casey lined up with another prospect, Topias Vilen, and overall the advanced metrics were not kind to him. Per NST, Casey finished with a team-worst 19.38% xGF% at 5-on-5 tonight. He did see 4:33 of power play time, which makes sense given the makeup of the roster tonight as well as Casey’s skillset being tailormade for the man advantage.

I honestly did not think he looked as bad as the fancy stats would indicate, but I did think he looked a little overmatched out there. But for a kid getting his very first taste of NHL action, preseason or otherwise, I thought he had his moments as well. Here’s hoping he builds off of tonight and comes out stronger next time he suits up.

Lineup Consistency

In the Devils’ preseason opener Sunday night against the Islanders, new head coach Sheldon Keefe deployed a line of Paul Cotter-Curtis Lazar-Nathan Bastian, as well as a defensive pairing of Jonas Siegenthaler-Johnathan Kovacevic. Well we saw those same combinations tonight up in Montreal. Clearly Keefe wants to give these combos a long look with I assume the intention of seeing if these are viable options to start the season with.

It makes sense for that forward trio at least, as I think a lot of us had Cotter-Lazar-Bastian penciled in as a potential fourth line. I’m not exactly sure about Siegenthaler-Kovacevic though. Assuming Pesce will be good to go for the beginning of the campaign, if Kovacevic draws in over someone like Hatakka until Hughes returns, would they really go with, for example, a second pairing of Nemec-Pesce? It feels more likely that Siegenthaler gets lined up with Pesce as a shutdown pair, with Nemec skating with Kovacevic or Hatakka on the third pairing. It also tells me that, after not playing them together in the preseason opener, Keefe really might think the longstanding Siegenthaler-Hamilton pairing has run its course.

Or, in the worst-case scenario, Keefe and the Devils are convinced Pesce won’t be ready for the start of the season, so their go-to shutdown pair out of the gate will be Siegenthaler-Kovacevic. I sure hope that’s not the case, but that thought did cross my mind as I watched this game.

I’d be curious to hear what you think the season-opening pairings should be, as Siegenthaler’s deployment is an under-the-radar big storyline to me this preseason.

Next Time Out

No rest for the weary, as the Devils play tomorrow in Newark against the Washington Capitals. Puck drop is slated for 7pm.

Your Take

What did you make of tonight’s game? Who stood out to you? What were your thoughts on Nemec’s preseason debut? What about Casey? Were you encouraged by the goaltending performances from Allen and Daws tonight? As always, thanks for reading!

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New Jersey

New Jersey didn’t wait for trends — this is what 2026 feels like here

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

New Jersey didn’t wait for trends — this is what 2026 feels like here

Every year comes with its own personality, but New Jersey doesn’t wait around to see what the rest of the country decides is “in.” We move fast here. We adapt. We complain loudly — and then we make it part of our routine. Somewhere between a jughandle turn and a diner refill, 2026 developed a very Jersey personality. You may not have noticed it happening, but you’re already living it.

Here are 10 things that feel unmistakably so 2026, Garden State edition.

The way New Jersey talks now (and what it really means)

Calling every inconvenience “a situation.”
Traffic? Situation. School drop-off? Situation. The coffee machine acting up? Full-blown situation.

Quietly flexing about not pumping gas.
We don’t brag. We just casually mention it… often.

Errands, routines and the New Jersey sense of time

Planning an entire weekend around one errand.
Costco, Home Depot, or MVC — choose wisely and clear your schedule.

Checking Dan Zarrow’s forecast on the NJ101.5 app religiously.
Because if you’re going to trust the weather, it might as well be someone who knows New Jersey.

Having a “favorite small town” you don’t live in.
You’ve “been a few times.” You “get the vibe.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Roads, tolls and the daily traffic psychology of NJ

Treating tolls like a personal betrayal.
Every increase feels targeted, and we all do the same mental math at the booth anyway.

Explaining traffic circles and roundabouts like a survival skill.
Somehow we all know exactly what to do — except when we don’t.

Money stress, comfort food and Garden State coping mechanisms

Treating diners as emotional support buildings.
Coffee refills fix things. It’s science.

Complaining about taxes while never actually leaving.
Because deep down, we know better.

Comparing energy bills like it’s a competitive sport.
Nobody likes the numbers, but everyone wants to know if theirs is worse.

The truth is, 2026 in New Jersey isn’t about trends you see online. It’s about habits, shortcuts, shared frustrations, and small victories we all pretend are normal. And if you read this nodding along, congratulations — you’re not behind the times. You’re just right on schedule… in New Jersey.

Best New Jersey Diners For Breakfast and Lunch

Thank you to our New Jersey listeners for these recommendations.

Gallery Credit: Bill Spadea

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New Jersey

Though down from previous month, New Jersey online casinos post November revenue record in 2025

Published

16 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Content on this page may include affiliate links. If you click and sign up/place a wager, we may receive compensation at no cost to you.

While online casinos in New Jersey fell short of another revenue record, November was still the state’s second-best month ever with over $253 million.

ByGrant LucasPublished: Jan 04, 2026 6:19AM UTC . 2 min read

They’ve been around for over 12 years, yet online casinos in New Jersey continue to find ways to set revenue records. After posting the industry’s largest single-month total in October, NJ online casinos last month combined for $253 million to set a November record and ranks as the second-biggest single-month total in Garden State history.

NJ online casinos set single-year record with one month left

Since launching in 2013, NJ online casinos have continually set high-water marks – even now, a dozen years later.

With $253 million in November revenue, as reported by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, casino apps in the Garden State now sit at just over $2.64 billion for the year, leading to $455 million in state tax revenue. With one month left in 2025, the industry has already set a single-year record, which previously stood at around $2.4 billion.

To further put into perspective the growth of online gambling in New Jersey, the industry is over 22% ahead of the 11-month pace it set in 2024. Consider the first 14 months of online casinos in NJ, during which time operators combined for a mere $131.2 million in revenue.

While it’s unlikely that NJ online casinos will reach the $3 billion mark by the end of the year, iGaming has proven it can continue to grow after more than 10 years of existence.

FanDuel Casino, DraftKings Casino continue to set pace

While the monthly total is one for the books, the standard brands set themselves apart from the rest of the market.

For example, FanDuel Casino – which new users can sign up with and claim the FanDuel casino bonus – reported $60.2 million. That was well ahead of the second-place DraftKings Casino bonus, which helped drive $49.6 million in November.

Along with the BetMGM Casino app ($30.6 million), Borgata Casino ($20.6 million) and Caesars Palace Online Casino ($19.3 million), the top five revenue-earners in November accounted for more than 71% of the total online casino total in November.

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New Jersey

Ice, freezing rain alerts expand to 10 N.J. counties. Wind advisory issued for 50 mph gusts Monday.

Published

7 days ago

December 29, 2025

Press Room

Ice, freezing rain alerts expand to 10 N.J. counties. Wind advisory issued for 50 mph gusts Monday.

Winter weather advisories have been expanded to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain that could cause a dangerous layer of ice tonight.

The National Weather Service has also issued a wind advisory for 16 counties Monday with up to 50 mph gusts possible.

The more immediate concern is freezing rain already hitting the state Sunday evening.

The National Weather Service has expanded winter weather advisories to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain creating the potential for dangerous ice Sunday night. High winds gusting to 50 mph are expected Monday.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service

Winter weather advisories for Bergen, Essex, Hudson Passaic and Union counties expire between 10 p.m. and midnight.

Winter weather advisories for Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties take effect at 6 p.m. and run through 2 a.m.

As temperatures remain near or below freezing across northern New Jersey this evening, precipitation will fall as freezing rain, particularly in Warren and Morris counties where a glaze to one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation is possible.

N.J. weather: Ice storm alerts expanded to 7 counties. Wind gusts up to 50 mph Monday. — The National Weather Service has expanded winter weather advisories to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain creating the potential for dangerous ice Sunday night. High winds gusting to 50 mph are expected Monday.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service

The National Weather Service warns that even areas outside the advisory that remain near freezing at the onset of precipitation could experience localized icing, especially on shaded surfaces that have remained below freezing for more than 36 hours.

Temperatures will rise above freezing areawide during the pre-dawn hours Monday as a warm front lifts through the region, changing any remaining freezing rain to plain rain.

A brief break in the rain is likely prior to daybreak Monday.

The warm front will be quickly followed by a strong cold front Monday afternoon, bringing another period of rain that may be moderate in intensity at times.

High temperatures Monday will reach the upper 40s along the coast before the cold front passes, bringing high winds to the area.

The wind advisory for 16 counties runs from 10 a.m. Monday to 1 p.m. Tuesday. Just Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties are not under wind advisories.

“Strong westerly winds develop Monday with wind gusts up to 50 mph and a wind advisory has been issued,” the weather service said Sunday evening. “Some tree damage and power outages possible.”

Tuesday will be markedly colder with high temperatures struggling to rise above freezing even at the Jersey Shore.

Wind chills in the teens and low 20s are expected during the day.

Skies will be partly cloudy with continued gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph.

N.J. weather: Black ice, freezing rain alerts issued for 6 N.J. counties — Freezing rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected over the next 24 hours. AccuWeather

Wednesday brings slightly milder conditions with highs in the mid 30s to near 40 degrees, though it remains well below normal for late December.

The extended forecast shows below-normal temperatures continuing through the end of the week and into the New Year.

Thursday may bring a chance of snow showers as a weak cold front passes through, though accumulations are expected to be light.

Friday looks dry with highs in the low to mid 30s.

Another weather system may impact the area late next weekend, potentially bringing a mix of rain and snow, though forecast confidence remains low for that timeframe.