Nico Daws Allows Six Goals as Devils Lose to Islanders

The New Jersey Devils suffered a 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday, with goaltender Nico Daws allowing six goals on 32 shots in his first start of the season at UBS Arena. The defeat extended New Jersey's struggles against the Islanders. According to RotoWire, Daws stopped 26 of 32 shots after keeping the game scoreless through the first period.

The Islanders scored three goals in each of the final two periods to secure the shutout victory. According to Pucks and Pitchforks, the Devils entered the game after a 3-2 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers, but their momentum disappeared against New York. The team failed to score while surrendering six goals.

The performance raised concerns about Daws' role in New Jersey's goaltending plans. Pucks and Pitchforks reported that Jake Allen started the season opener and remains the current top option, while Daws faces competition from Remi Poirier and David Rittich.

Daws had a difficult second and third period after a strong opening frame. According to Pucks and Pitchforks, he initially stopped every shot he faced and had one goal saved above expected before allowing New York to break through. According to RotoWire, Saturday marked Daws' first appearance of the season after Allen handled the opening game. The outlet noted that the result could keep Daws as the second option for the foreseeable future.

New Jersey received a further update Monday when CBS Sports reported that Daws was the first goalie off the ice during practice, indicating he was expected to start against the Ottawa Senators. The report said Allen was set to play on the road against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. According to Pucks and Pitchforks, the Devils' power play also opened the season 0-for-8, adding another early-season issue for a team adjusting to new lineup pieces.