The New Jersey Devils ended 2019 on a 3-0-1 tear. That one loss was because of an own goal that was a devastating end to an otherwise well-played game against a good team. They knew that 2020 would be daunting because of how tough their schedule is to start the calendar year, but they got off to a good start. The New York Islanders are one of the elite teams in the National Hockey League, so the Devils would obviously need their best effort in order to get a win.
They weren’t necessarily giving it early in the game.