GDT: Game 2 - New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers - 7:30pm MSGSN, TBS

[NJDevs26]

For one nugget of positivity:

I thought Haula played fine. Even aside from the goal. I hope he stays.

Goddamnit, and that celebration too. I really thought that would help be a tide turner.

It did for ten minutes, then they started the second period the way they started every other period so far

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Zero offense. Not a single 5v5 goal in two games. A penalty shot and a second unit mucking opportunistic PP goal...

Adjustments? How do you "adjust" nothing?

View attachment 693300

If you see the team struggling to get any transition going, you don’t insert a useless plug instead of an extremely talented puck mover. And you don’t promote the penalty machine when you’re getting bent over on the PK.

The team is getting outclassed in every way, but Lindy is picking a bad time to make his worst decisions of the season.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Listen to Larry, video starts at his statements. There is a stark difference to this type of presser vs. the one Lindy had last night. That speaks to me that the team is doing what Lindy and his staff are asking them to do. No talk whatsoever of not playing their game.

This shouldn't shock anyone. That's the job of the coaches and players. And that is why they ALL, every single one of the people on or behind the bench, have to shoulder the responsibility.

The game isn't that easy. To act like there are no adjustments that can be done by anyone is just beyond comprehension.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Listen to Larry, video starts at his statements. There is a stark difference to this type of presser vs. the one Lindy had last night. That speaks to me that the team is doing what Lindy and his staff are asking them to do. No talk whatsoever of not playing their game.

This shouldn't shock anyone. That's the job of the coaches and players. And that is why they ALL, every single one of the people on or behind the bench, have to shoulder the responsibility.

The game isn't that easy. To act like there are no adjustments that can be done by anyone is just beyond comprehension.

“If the game was that easy, we wouldn’t need coaches, just players”.

There ya go.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Listen to Larry, video starts at his statements. There is a stark difference to this type of presser vs. the one Lindy had last night. That speaks to me that the team is doing what Lindy and his staff are asking them to do. No talk whatsoever of not playing their game.

This shouldn't shock anyone. That's the job of the coaches and players. And that is why they ALL, every single one of the people on or behind the bench, have to shoulder the responsibility.

The game isn't that easy. To act like there are no adjustments that can be done by anyone is just beyond comprehension.

If it was all about players, a guy like McDavid would already have multiple Cups.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Yeah and the point is ruff hasn’t taken them anywhere and in several aspects appears to actually be handicapping them. What exactly is he contributing? The devils have by far been the worst of the 16 playoff teams so far. They could have no coach at all, it wouldn’t look any different cuz this is basically the absolute worst it can get. You’re telling me these players are so bad they can’t even be coached to look like they belong in the playoffs?

You guys are nuts.

Yep and that’s why coaches get fired with 8 games left in the season - Lou

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I don't know why people feel the need to have to dig their heels on one side of an argument vs. another. This falls on everyone right now. No one is saying that any of our top players are playing well, by any means. They're not. Jack, Nico, Bratt, Timo, Dougie, you name it. Shesterkin has hardly been challenged over the course of these first two games. Credit where credit is due, Gallant has clearly prepared his team defensively and it has flustered us completely.

But how you can just gloss over coaching at the same time and act like that isn't the overlying problem to everything is beyond me. Larry Robinson infamously said it best when we went down to Philly in 2000 when he chewed the team out, the team has to get it through their thick skulls that our way is the right way and if the game was that easy, we wouldn't need coaches, we'd just need players.

Ruff's press conference last night made it painfully evident that they have put an onus on needing to be physical, specifically his comments on adding Smith into the lineup. It's clear by the statistics from last night that the team has tried to match this physicality, and succeeded. It's also clear it has allowed them to completely deviate from the style of play that brought them here. This isn't anywhere remotely close to what we have seen all season long. If you think that doesn't have something to do with the message from the coaching staff, then I don't know what to tell you.

I'm not saying it's over. I know the statistical probabilities, I don't need to be told them again. I know this team has a hell of a lot more to offer than what we've shown. I hope that we respond with our style of play tomorrow night. There truly is no reason we should be getting hemmed in 5 on 5 by this team the way we have.

The Larry Robinson-Lindy Ruff comparison is a fairly poor one. The team that he was coaching featured a number of veterans who had previously won Stanley Cups - either with the Devils or elsewhere.

Conversely, the Devils as a group are in the playoffs for the first time in years and the veterans other than Palat have little playoff success from which to draw parallels.

 

[Better Call Sal]

“If the game was that easy, we wouldn’t need coaches, just players”.

There ya go.

If it was all about players, a guy like McDavid would already have multiple Cups.

This was an argument I would always have with my father. He always would act as though it didn't matter who was behind the bench based on who was on the ice. Of course, once you put your players out there, there isn't a whole lot more you can really control. But if you're preaching and teaching one thing as a coach and telling your players to commit to that style of play, and it clearly isn't working, then you have to look at yourself in the mirror as a coach and figure out what works. This team just won 52 games playing a certain way and they haven't played the majority of this series in that same manner. That says a lot.

You would think for those of us who lived through Jacques Lemaire, Larry Robinson, Pat Burns and the John MacLean fiasco could recognize that a coach holds a lot of importance as to how things unfold.

 

[devilsblood]

Maybe a hidden element of Jack calling out the bad penalties last night is Smith is taking one of those penalties while his brother is in street clothes.

 

[Better Call Sal]

The Larry Robinson-Lindy Ruff comparison is a fairly poor one. The team that he was coaching featured a number of veterans who had previously won Stanley Cups - either with the Devils or elsewhere.

Conversely, the Devils as a group are in the playoffs for the first time in years and the veterans other than Palat have little playoff success from which to draw parallels.

You're missing the point I'm making. The point I'm making is that a coach has influence on this, just as much as the players. When you look at what Ruff said in his presser last night, he emphasized physicality multiple times, specifically for why Smith was put in the lineup. When you see what the team has done in these two games, they have not only completely shifted their style of play from the regular season but put an emphasis on being physical.

To me, this speaks to the staff saying that we have to play a certain way for this team in the playoffs. And I think that it has blown up in our faces. And this is not me saying the staff solely deserves the blame. No player has shown enough 2 games in from top to bottom. But the way this team is playing is completely different from the regular season, and I don't think it's simply because of what Gallant and the Rangers are doing.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Maybe a hidden element of Jack calling out the bad penalties last night is Smith is taking one of those penalties while his brother is in street clothes.

Maybe Jack should take care of his own game.

Reminds me of the scene in Miracle...

"Plenty to worry about in your game, Rizzo."

 

[OmNomNom]

you know what we need?

it's what we did after game 4 against the flyers in 2010

did we lose that series? yeah. but at least show some balls

 

[NJDevs26]

you know what we need?

it's what we did after game 4 against the flyers in 2010

did we lose that series? yeah. but at least show some balls

It’d at least be an indicator Lindy is about to be put out to pasture

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I’m little shell shocked myself. It’s like I want this series over as soon as possible. Yet, I want them to win the next game so bad and just put a little doubt in the Rangers head. It’s just been so easy for them, which is amazing to me. I can’t remember back to back playoff games like these two from any team recently. I don’t want them skating away as laughing stocks. It stings.

 

[Devs3cups]

They're taking away our best assets and daring us to dump the puck in and forecheck, which we can't do.

Thing is we totally could though. Switch it up a little. Keep the Rangers guessing. We have the speed and the Rangers defence isn’t all world either. But for some reason, we don’t try.

 

[McDuffz88]

I really don't blame Vtek at all. When you you give arguably the best PP in the league (The Rangers) 7 power plays in a game, there's 0 chance you win. Between that and us having the most horrendous PP I've never witnessed it's obvious why we're losing. Our PP is actually pathetic. Out of 4 power plays not even a single shot on goal. That's just an absurd stat. It's obvious something needs to change. We need to change up our PP & take out a few players. Just because all our best players are on PP1 doesn't make it an effective PP. Time to spread the wealth. Also I never want to see Wood in a NJ uniform again. Bring in Lazar (ya know, the dude you traded for at the TDL). Sit Sharangovich for Boqvist.

 

[Forge]

Maybe Jack should take care of his own game.

Reminds me of the scene in Miracle...

"Plenty to worry about in your game, Rizzo."

Jack says nothing, "Jack should step up and be a leader, hold people accountable"

Jack says anything, "maybe Jack should shut up and worry about his own game"

 

[NJDevs26]

It’s not like Smith had the only dumbass penalty either, two games in a row of Wood doing it, Bastian with a boarding, Timo with a dumbass penalty too

 

[Nocashstyle]

It’s not like Smith had the only dumbass penalty either, two games in a row of Wood doing it, Bastian with a boarding, Timo with a dumbass penalty too

Bastian should have let up for sure…but he’s not usually one to take dumb penalties. The other three on the other hand…

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Everyone thought we were going to lose because we're not physical enough and the funny thing is we've actually done well in that department so far. Go figure.

Can we go back to the finesse game and win while taking some abuse then? I'd rather win looking fragile than lose looking tough.

The fact Jack has more hits than goals says we're not playing our game at all.

 

[Zacha37]

Watching Dougie is making me impatient for Simon Nemec to arrive. He’s gonna be such a breath of fresh air in the future after having to watch our “#1 defensemen” mail it in all series.

 

[Sdevils42]

I really don't blame Vtek at all. When you you give arguably the best PP in the league (The Rangers) 7 power plays in a game, there's 0 chance you win. Between that and us having the most horrendous PP I've never witnessed it's obvious why we're losing. Our PP is actually pathetic. Out of 4 power plays not even a single shot on goal. That's just an absurd stat. It's obvious something needs to change. We need to change up our PP & take out a few players. Just because all our best players are on PP1 doesn't make it an effective PP. Time to spread the wealth. Also I never want to see Wood in a NJ uniform again. Bring in Lazar (ya know, the dude you traded for at the TDL). Sit Sharangovich for Boqvist.

I don't blame him either outside of Lindgren's goal and Kane's... but wouldn't mind seeing Schmid if just to reset the mood. But VV is not the issue imo

Everyone thought we were going to lose because we're not physical enough and the funny thing is we've actually done well in that department so far. Go figure.

Agree but I think the emphasis the coaches are putting on being physical is def taking them outside of their normal game. If the opportunity is there to make a hit go for it but going so far outside of your norm makes it hard to sustain consistent play.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Can't stand the giving up, gonna get swept comments, I knew I should have just avoided reading anything. It's a 7 game f***ing series, come out tomorrow and win, put some doubt in their heads, pressure is on them to win at home for game 4 then, win that, boom tied 2-2.

f***ing horrifying when my normal negative ass is one of the few positive ones still remaining. They have nothing left to lose, they are gonna go all out tomorrow and grab the win.

Doing a look at teams that got smacked around at home the first two games to see how they did since 2000...

2018

Washington at Tampa conference finals

Tampa smacked around 4-2 and 6-2 at home in games 1/2 and then won the next 3 but then lost 6/7.

2011

1st round

Montreal at Boston

Boston drops the first 2 games at home 2-0 and 3-1. Win the next two and then win in 7. Also win the cup.

2003

1st round

Washington at Tampa

Tampa lost the first 2 games at home 3-0 and 6-3 then Tampa won the next 4.

2000

2nd round

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia

Philly lost the first 2 games at home 2-0 and 4-1 and then won the next 4

Does it happen a lot? Obviously not but this team has shown heart and bounce back all year. Sure they are in a hole but it ain't over till it's actually over.

Maybe they'll come out with some pride tomorrow night and score some f***ing goals, maybe they won't.

Saying you're not gonna watch a f***ing playoff game after nearly a full f***ing decade of absolutely meaningless games is more embarrassing than losing. f***ing grow up and watch the god damn game.

LETS GO DEVILS!!!

 

[glenwo2]

I have a sickening feeling after coming back from the Rock. Our 5v5 play sucks and their PP is godlike. Ruff needs to do something. Get Hughes in there. Get Wood out of there. Get Blacky in there to shake the team up.

You had me until "Get Blacky in there"

"Blacky" isn't even suited up.

Schmid is backing up Vitek.

I wouldn't mind seeing him in game 3.

 

[glenwo2]

We beat them 3 out of 4 in some very intense games this year. We have a very good hockey team but seem to be holding our sticks too hard. Trust me, we need a mental reset and some strategy adjusting. This is not ideal and not what we expected but it is not over.

It only gets harder for the Rangers and easier for the team that is NOW VIEWED AS THE LOSER OF RD 1. In other words, the pressure moves to the Rangers to close this series out.

Watch the game change.

I'm going to hold onto your optimism like a crutch, man.

It's all I have right now.

But make no mistake....

...if the Devils lose game 3, SEE YOU AT THE DRAFT......again.