GDT: Devils vs. Islanders - 7:00 PM MSG+

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Attended the game tonight. Happy to see a win in an overall exciting and chippy game that the Devils let get too exciting in the final ten minutes. Cory was good, Hall was less so, DSP actually did something useful, Zacha had a great shot on his goal, and Rico did well because I thought the call against him was pretty bogus. Also impressed by Hynes having the nerve to hold a veteran like Cammy accountable by having him sit out for a game. Anyway an overall fun game at the Rock.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

Those pairings are fine. I like that with Quincy, he's not used in a role greater than his capabilities, which is great. We've never really over-used him. Unlike some of the other guys on D and at forward.

I wouldn't mind Santini up there, but I understand them keeping him dialed back right now, as it's his first year as a pro.

Yeah I understand they don't want to overwhelm him, but I don't think he's the type that gets overwhelmed. I think he's got that type of personality that doesn't need to be shielded or comforted. Like Adam Larsson, is the type of guy who needs to hear "you're doing a great job" every now and then, but not Santini. He's very sure of himself. I'm more like Adam lol. Does that make sense? Lol

 

[NJDevs26]

You have to start kinkaid tomorrow, Cory will be dead by the 2nd if he starts tomorrow, less then 24 hrs from now

He was dying in the third period tonight really

Problem is tomorrow could be the swing game for the season - they could either be still a good distance out of it or really in it by Monday, they might have to chance Cory having a breakdown cause it's pretty much a must-win now.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

I think you're probably right, he isn't terrible at offense and has scored a few nice goals from the point.

I think he's probably close to the end of the line and I think there's a good chance he doesn't play in the NHL next year. It's kind of hard to be too upset with him though, as he's a #6 defenseman that has been used as a #5 at the most.

Yeah he was cheap and useful but next year we move on from him and maybe he squeezes out another season or two of NHL hockey, somewhere else. I hope he does he's a good guy.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

That Zacha rip (even though it was deflected) was Kovalchuk-like. He was electric tonight.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

On Cory I would probably start him. Got to take the chance on our star goalie being good enough to bring some meaning to the end of the season. Kind of a damned if you do or don't situation though. Would understand the choice either way.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Solid win though to close for comfort.

Win tomorrow and show us fans you're serious.

 

[VoidCreature]

That Zacha rip (even though it was deflected) was Kovalchuk-like. He was electric tonight.

Definitely has the best wrist shot on the team.

 

[Devil X]

Missed the game but saw the highlights. Love that Zacha rip! I hope the kid starts to realize he can beat NHL goalies with it and starts using it more.

 

[Dialamo]

Zacha will score 20 next year IMO

 

[NjDevsRR]

I thought Hall had a strong game but it seemed like the puck would just never settle for him. But still he set up a ton of guys and again should have had a few apples, and a goal. He is a fantastic player.

 

[Wingman77]

These last 2 games have been at completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

Thursday was among the more uninspired, boring performances of the year and tonight was among the more enthusiastic fun games. Good crowd tonight for a change as well.

Zajac's assist on DSP's goal was a thing of beauty as was his 2v1 short handed snipe.

 

[NjDevsRR]

These last 2 games have been at completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

Thursday was among the more uninspired, boring performances of the year and tonight was among the more enthusiastic fun games. Good crowd tonight for a change as well.

Zajac's assist on DSP's goal was a thing of beauty as was his 2v1 short handed snipe.

Ridiculous how he wasn't the first star let alone A STAR. What were they drinking in the press box tonight....

 

[Wingman77]

Ridiculous how he wasn't the first star let alone A STAR. What were they drinking in the press box tonight....

DSP surprised me a bit too he picked up a good heap of speed there and it was solid timing as Hall had just missed on his breakaway that was poked away a few minutes earlier.

 

[Zippy316]

Would like to see the Devils start cycling in players on that fourth line.

Seems like every game a guy gets back after a 4-5 game rest he looks phenomenal. DSP played very well tonight, Kalinin's first game after Fiddler was traded was pretty solid, Josefson was flying when he first came back, Blandisi/Wood both have had some great games since when they were first called up.

On a side note, Blandisi at center looked miserable tonight. He had some good energy and made some nice plays but he seems way too sporadic positionally. He starts scrambling in the defensive zone and the rest of the team does as well; I don't think he will be a center long-term.

 

[Bleedred]

I feel like Thursday, we looked like trash while trailing for most of the night.

Tonight was like we looked like trash while leading for most of the night. I feel like this is the kinda game where we could lose 5-3 tomorrow if we start Cory again. This looked like a November-December of 2016 special, only with a few goals scored and top notch goaltending.

Cory gave up a few weak rebounds tonight, which was surprising, as he was standing on his head all game. I would have expected that from Greiss, who barely had to do anything for large portions of the game and probably should have fallen asleep at some point.

 

[Zippy316]

I feel like Thursday, we looked like trash while trailing for most of the night.

Tonight was like we looked like trash while leading for most of the night. I feel like this is the kinda game where we could lose 5-3 tomorrow if we start Cory again. This looked like a November-December of 2016 special, only with a few goals scored and top notch goaltending.

Cory gave up a few weak rebounds tonight, which was surprising, as he was standing on his head all game. I would have expected that from Greiss, who barely had to do anything for large portions of the game and probably should have fallen asleep at some point.

Islanders were just throwing everything at the net. Seemed like their game plan through two periods was to take advantage of the Devils coming down so low in the defensive zone and just fire shots from the points. Devils were doing a solid job of boxing players out and denying second chance opportunities.

Islanders started to switch it up and try to cut in through the middle of the zone and push to the middle of the ice on the breakout which is when the Devils started breaking down defensively in the third. Devils gaps weren't as strong and Islanders were also a lot more desperate with their play.

Islanders are a team that just loves to go to the net and throw the puck on net. It's always been an issue with the Devils defensively the last few years.

 

[mike30]

every game zacha improves.. love it

 

[MadDevil]

I could understand giving Kinkaid the start tomorrow. I think goalies tend to struggle on the end of a 3 game in 4 day stretch if they play all 3 games.

 

[Bleedred]

Islanders were just throwing everything at the net. Seemed like their game plan through two periods was to take advantage of the Devils coming down so low in the defensive zone and just fire shots from the points. Devils were doing a solid job of boxing players out and denying second chance opportunities.

Islanders started to switch it up and try to cut in through the middle of the zone and push to the middle of the ice on the breakout which is when the Devils started breaking down defensively in the third. Devils gaps weren't as strong and Islanders were also a lot more desperate with their play.

Islanders are a team that just loves to go to the net and throw the puck on net. It's always been an issue with the Devils defensively the last few years.

I just feel like it was a poor defensive game, one of the worst in quite a while. Since we had a lead, I can excuse it a little. Whereas when we looked like this in November and December, we were losing in those games and didn't have a lead (other than 1-0 early) very much at all in them.

 

[Zippy316]

I just feel like it was a poor defensive game, one of the worst in quite a while. Since we had a lead, I can excuse it a little. Whereas when we looked like this in November and December, we were losing in those games and didn't have a lead (other than 1-0 early) very much at all in them.

I disagree on poor game defensively. They played well defensively. Boxed out well, took away high scoring chances, were strong on the puck, kept players out of high-danger areas, etc.

They couldn't seem to move the puck out of the zone quick enough and sustain offensive pressure, which has been a big problem for the last couple months. You can't fault the team's defensive effort. If you look on the scoreboard and see 42 shots to 21, you might say that looks bad. But if you can't sustain pressure against a team like the Islanders that seem to be volume shooters, you're going to be dominated on the shot differential.

Might just be difference of opinion on how we define the defensive game, but earlier in the season everything in that first group (boxing out, etc.) was atrocious. Now it's much, much better. I don't think it's fair to compare this game to some of those awful games in Nov/Dec.

EDIT: Definitely weren't as strong defensively in the third, but again it was far far from what we saw earlier in the year.

 

[Bleedred]

I disagree on poor game defensively. They played well defensively. Boxed out well, took away high scoring chances, were strong on the puck, kept players out of high-danger areas, etc.

They couldn't seem to move the puck out of the zone quick enough and sustain offensive pressure, which has been a big problem for the last couple months. You can't fault the team's defensive effort. If you look on the scoreboard and see 42 shots to 21, you might say that looks bad. But if you can't sustain pressure against a team like the Islanders that seem to be volume shooters, you're going to be dominated on the shot differential.

Might just be difference of opinion on how we define the defensive game, but earlier in the season everything in that first group (boxing out, etc.) was atrocious. Now it's much, much better. I don't think it's fair to compare this game to some of those awful games in Nov/Dec.

EDIT: Definitely weren't as strong defensively in the third, but again it was far far from what we saw earlier in the year.

I don't agree whatsoever.

If Cory allowed 3 or 4 goals in this game, this is the kind of game where people would either be ripping Cory, or talking about how terrible we played. This was on par with the game against Washington where we played awful and Kinkaid allowed one goal.

The goaltending kept this from looking worse than it could have otherwise been. Was it terrible all game? Not in the 1st period, but it got progressively worse the further we got into the game.

 

[Zippy316]

I don't agree whatsoever.

If Cory allowed 3 or 4 goals in this game, this is the kind of game where people would either be ripping Cory, or talking about how terrible we played. This was on par with the game against Washington where we played awful and Kinkaid allowed one goal.

The goaltending kept this from looking worse than it could have otherwise been. Was it terrible all game? Not in the 1st period, but it got progressively worse the further we got into the game.

Well you might disagree, but playing like we did tonight fits Schneider's game to a T. Schneider doesn't have to worry about east-west action (his kryptonite) or any back-door plays anymore.

There wasn't much east-west action from the Islanders. Kept them to the outside. Pressured the Islanders when they had the puck. Didn't give guys too much time and space with the puck. Islanders moved the puck to the point a lot and the Devils would box guys out pretty well or tie them up (although this did become a big problem in the third).

I'd much much rather them play like they did tonight then play like they did through Nov/Dec. It's not even close. If Schneider sees the puck from any low-scoring area and the Devils defend well enough to limit an opponents options in a high-danger area, Schneider makes those saves 99 times out of a 100. The way we played fit that and it's how we need to play if Schneider is our starting goalie.

 

[Bleedred]

Well you might disagree, but playing like we did tonight fits Schneider's game to a T. Schneider doesn't have to worry about east-west action (his kryptonite) or any back-door plays anymore.

There wasn't much east-west action from the Islanders. Kept them to the outside. Pressured the Islanders when they had the puck. Didn't give guys too much time and space with the puck. Islanders moved the puck to the point a lot and the Devils would box guys out pretty well or tie them up (although this did become a big problem in the third).

I'd much much rather them play like they did tonight then play like they did through Nov/Dec. It's not even close. If Schneider sees the puck from any low-scoring area and the Devils defend well enough to limit an opponents options in a high-danger area, Schneider makes those saves 99 times out of a 100. The way we played fit that and it's how we need to play if Schneider is our starting goalie.

I really just think Schneider was going through a tough stretch of play, one he hadn't seen in his career. He probably wasn't playing as bad as he was on paper, which is being compensated for a little bit lately, with the way he's improved drastically on paper and has let in a few bad goals recently. Like a few in that Detroit game and a couple others here and there.

We didn't allow any backdoor plays tonight. I thought the 3rd period was scary and that first Islanders goal was a BAD goal to give up. Not a bad goal on Schneider, but the way all the skaters looked like as they must have left that whole right side of the ice open. And honestly, we weren't even playing a bad 3rd period until that shift where we were pinned in for a bit and then allowed that goal. Then it seemed like it was all Islanders for the remainder of the game after that. That goal gave them a ton of momentum, and it seemed like one of Moore or Lovejoy were on the ice for about 80% of the game after that, rather than 66% of the time they otherwise would be.

 

[Zippy316]

I really just think Schneider was going through a tough stretch of play, one he hadn't seen in his career. He probably wasn't playing as bad as he was on paper, which is being compensated for a little bit lately, with the way he's improved drastically on paper and has let in a few bad goals recently. Like a few in that Detroit game and a couple others here and there.

We didn't allow any backdoor plays tonight. I thought the 3rd period was scary and that first Islanders goal was a BAD goal to give up. Not a bad goal on Schneider, but the way all the skaters looked like as they must have left that whole right side of the ice open. And honestly, we weren't even playing a bad 3rd period until that shift where we were pinned in for a bit and then allowed that goal. Then it seemed like it was all Islanders for the remainder of the game after that. That goal gave them a ton of momentum, and it seemed like one of Moore or Lovejoy were on the ice for about 80% of the game after that, rather than 66% of the time they otherwise would be.

Wood/Blandisi together on the same line was a nightmare defensively. The shift you're referencing they added Parenteau to it which made it even worse.

Even in the Detroit game though, Mantha's goal the Devils gave him so much space and plenty of options. Schneider didn't know if he would shoot it, dump it around the boards, stop and look for his linemates, etc. Mantha just ripped a laser to the top corner and Schneider wasn't ready. Start looking back at those goals and you'll see what I mean. Was indicative of a lot of the "weak" goals Schneider let in. Devils were way too nonchalant defensively for that stretch. Don't get me wrong Schneider wasn't playing as well as he could have, but I think the defense was getting too soft, Schneider started letting in goals like Manthas, and then both Schneider and the defense fell off the rails.

Lately, they've been forcing the play, pressuring a lot more, and cutting down options which allows Schneider to just read the play and play the odds; he's improved a lot since then.