Post-Game Talk: Devils beat CBJ 3-1

[Hisch13r]

With all the points Jack had lately what amazes me the most is that he could have way more. The way he sets up people there will be a day when people convert all these great passes and Jack will have an 8 point game or sth crazy like that.

Yeah one day he could be Sam Gagner

 

[Goptor]

lol we got 33.3% PP since the break, and 8pts, good enough for 2nd in the league since that break

The PP% is deserved. They completely revamped their breakout and showing multiple looks that weren't there before the break.

 

[Hisch13r]

The PP% is deserved. They completely revamped their breakout and showing multiple looks that weren't there before the break.

I mean their chance generation numbers are still really bad. This isn't going to sustain.

 

[Goptor]

I mean their chance generation numbers are still really bad. This isn't going to sustain.

They dont have a funtional pp2 so of course it will drop. I'm just pointing out that they did put in a lot of work to improve it over the break.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

What's that line from Moneyball?

Something along the lines of "the guy walks into the room and his dick has already been there for 2 minutes."

 

[theoptimist]

With all the points Jack had lately what amazes me the most is that he could have way more. The way he sets up people there will be a day when people convert all these great passes and Jack will have an 8 point game or sth crazy like that.

Guy is messi

 

[bigd]

Great win. Top line was dominant and the Nico line with a solid, sound all around game. There’s something about Bastian. He’s been real good since his return.

Also, Graves and Siegenthaler were monsters tonight. Graves with a huge block leading to the Hughes empty netter and Siegs made a great defensive play on Voracek late when he had a step just inside the blue line.

I think most agree Graves is a legit top 4 shutdown type LHD. Siegenthaler’s play has certainly been at that level all season. What a coup for Fitz to have brought in these two guys for virtually peanuts. Two top 4, big, physical dmen and both are still young.

Top pairing getting big boy minutes, playing nearly half the game.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I think Tatar has been underrated this season, generally I think he's played pretty well but hasn't really gotten the breaks. You saw that last night, he could have easily had a hat trick if he just hit the net.

I was kind of shocked to look at his 5v5 numbers and saw how little he was playing last month, he was consistently posting huge positive shot differentials while getting like only 9-11 minutes a night. Fewer minutes than guys like Zacha and Sharangovich for a while.

I don't think he's the kind of guy that's going to thrive on the 3rd line, at least not our 3rd line. Having so many forwards out gives him an opportunity for more ice time and better quality linemates. He's looked great with Bratt and Hughes (although who wouldn't), I think he's going to take advantage of that and put up some good numbers.

 

[TBF1972]

sounds like this guy has an agenda.

 

[glenwo2]

I think this should put to bed any discussion of whether Bratt is a core piece and a legit top line player. He is both. It can't be an accident that Bratt has consistently succeeded when played with any of our top 3 centers.

Somebody let this guy know that :

 

[Mgd31]

I think Tatar has been underrated this season, generally I think he's played pretty well but hasn't really gotten the breaks. You saw that last night, he could have easily had a hat trick if he just hit the net.

I was kind of shocked to look at his 5v5 numbers and saw how little he was playing last month, he was consistently posting huge positive shot differentials while getting like only 9-11 minutes a night. Fewer minutes than guys like Zacha and Sharangovich for a while.

I don't think he's the kind of guy that's going to thrive on the 3rd line, at least not our 3rd line. Having so many forwards out gives him an opportunity for more ice time and better quality linemates. He's looked great with Bratt and Hughes (although who wouldn't), I think he's going to take advantage of that and put up some good numbers.

He's honestly the 2nd best winger on the team next to Bratt.

 

[Better Call Sal]

He's honestly the 2nd best winger on the team next to Bratt.

To your point of him meshing chemistry wise with everyone, I think that's been the result in his play time throughout the year. I thought he started off well with Mercer, but then they seemed to go through that phase of needing an offensive spark when Hughes went down and we stopped scoring for a few games. Couple that with the PP struggles that occurred all year and it's certainly hindered his overall ice time with Ruff having done so much juggling to find something that can work consistently. Once Johnsson-Mercer-Bratt started taking off, then they struggled to find anything else.

I would love to see him get consistent time with Jack or Nico going forward. It'd be great if they can find a combination to get the 2nd PP unit going too, but PP1 is red hot right now so they're going to dominate the majority of that ice time share until they cool off.

 

[TBF1972]

This statement will become true by the mere fact of a continuing inflation of 5-10% for the next few years

jack's contract has a cap hit percentage of 9.82%. mackinnon's was 8.63%. similiar and the extra year of term could be gold.

 

[TBF1972]

There’s no one that said he’d fail. There’s a difference between crowing someone as a star when he hasn’t proved anything and saying the kid will fail.

Everyone here could see he had the wheels and smarts that made him the #1 overall pick but the production just wasn’t there. His game is at another level and that’s what everyone was expecting and they’re getting it in the past couple of weeks.

Good on him and that’s nothing but great news for the Devils.

if you don't visit the main board, you live in a better world.

 

[TBF1972]

Yeah one day he could be Sam Gagner

We better trade him, when his value is up.

 

[TBF1972]

I think Tatar has been underrated this season, generally I think he's played pretty well but hasn't really gotten the breaks. You saw that last night, he could have easily had a hat trick if he just hit the net.

I was kind of shocked to look at his 5v5 numbers and saw how little he was playing last month, he was consistently posting huge positive shot differentials while getting like only 9-11 minutes a night. Fewer minutes than guys like Zacha and Sharangovich for a while.

I don't think he's the kind of guy that's going to thrive on the 3rd line, at least not our 3rd line. Having so many forwards out gives him an opportunity for more ice time and better quality linemates. He's looked great with Bratt and Hughes (although who wouldn't), I think he's going to take advantage of that and put up some good numbers.

on the other hand it is really difficult to record a hat trick, if you don't hit the net.

 

[Buck Dancer]

if you don't visit the main board, you live in a better world.

Well yeah, I don't consider the main board as a reference lol

 

[SJinNewJersey]

How does Mercer only have one vote when he struck iron twice and carried that 3rd line on his back?

Same reason Nico didn't even make the poll as a selection. No respect.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

lol we got 33.3% PP since the break, and 8pts, good enough for 2nd in the league since that break

 

[Bankers Box]

Why has it taken this long for a coach to pair Bratt and Hughes together? They look dynamite out there. Hughes finally starting to look like a first overall.

The only thing I'll disagree about is the praise for Blackwood tonight. Yeah he only gave up one, but I credit that more to the team defense. The Jackets got very few excellent scoring chances. The rebounds Mack was giving up were god awful, and the only reason it appeared to get better after the first is because Ruff shook up the bottom 6 and they stopped getting caved in possession and shots against. Against a better team I'm fairly confident Mack would have given up a 1-2 more goals just off those rebounds he was spitting out repeatedly.

I agree. Mack was giving up some awful rebounds all game. He didn't have a bad game but I think teams know now that they need to pepper him with shots and go for the delicious rebounds he gives up regularly.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Sometimes I like to check other team's threads to see if there is anything posted about our team after a game. Most time folks really only talk about their team.


This Jersey team is going to be good. They have a goalie. They have centers. They have defensemen. They have no bad contracts. (Subban is in the last year of his contract.) They could use better wings, but you can’t have everything. In three years they might be the best team in the Metro if guys like Hughes, Mercer, Holtz, and Hughes develop and they are smart with free agents.

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

Jack has captain material written all over him unfortunate he won’t get to wear the C. At least he will get to wear it for team USA

We can bring in Brent Sutter for a coupla weeks.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Mack deserves credit for bouncing back after giving up what I thought was a softie, and not allowing anything else.

However, CBJ isn't very good, and IMO a better team probably would have gotten 2-3 past him in the first. After the big save at the end of the 1st the Jackets kind of just gave up.

Definitely a step in the right direction, and he made the saves he needed to, but I don't think it was a statement game or return to form or anything like that. A positive and something to build off. He really needed a tomato can to get his confidence up.

 

[The Devil In I]

He's honestly the 2nd best winger on the team next to Bratt.

Well to be fair that's a very low bar to set.

 

[Triumph]

Why has it taken this long for a coach to pair Bratt and Hughes together? They look dynamite out there. Hughes finally starting to look like a first overall.

They played together last year with Johnsson and were electric. In 193 minutes together with Bratt and Hughes on the ice, the Devils got 62% of the shots and 70% of the goals. I suspect they were only split up because it meant Zacha would have to carry his own line with Nico injured.

The only thing I'll disagree about is the praise for Blackwood tonight. Yeah he only gave up one, but I credit that more to the team defense. The Jackets got very few excellent scoring chances. The rebounds Mack was giving up were god awful, and the only reason it appeared to get better after the first is because Ruff shook up the bottom 6 and they stopped getting caved in possession and shots against. Against a better team I'm fairly confident Mack would have given up a 1-2 more goals just off those rebounds he was spitting out repeatedly.

He got lucky that Columbus shot some wide, yeah, but he made some decent initial stops. Laine in particular got some good chances.