from Andrew Gross of Fire and Ice,

Ben Lovejoy has a long history with Devils GM Ray Shero dating to their days together in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

So while the veteran defenseman couldn’t recall an instance when Shero had such forceful comments as he shared on Wednesday, Lovejoy did not dispute the validity of the comments.

Shero, while backing coach John Hynes “100 percent,” said the Devils needed to “play (bleeping) harder,” and spoke of needing to always play with pride and to have “resolve” and pushback” in their game.

The Devils have lost seven straight heading into tonight’s game against the Flyers at Prudential Center. Bruising defenseman Seth Helgeson, recalled from Albany (AHL) today, will be in the lineup and paired with Jon Merrill as veteran Kyle Quincey is a healthy scratch (or out of the lineup for whatever reason) for the first time this season....

“He’s 100 percent right,” Lovejoy said of Shero’s comments after the Devils’ morning skate. “Ray is not one to come out and say something like that unless it’s true. And it is true. Guys in this room, coaching staff, players, management, we agree with him. We need to play better. We need to play a lot harder. We need so much more consistency out of so many more players. We are a team that needs to win every battle we’re in. We need to win the effort battle every night and we don’t do that nearly consistently enough and in order for us to win games, we need that. Ray is right.”

Captain Andy Greene said Shero’s comments did resonate in the room.

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