GDT: Your New Jersey Devils vs. Them (Hudson River Rivalry, 7 pm)

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

that guy still rocks. For all his ridiculousness

It's all about the Benjamins line was actually funny lol

And our two goals were: a shot pass deflected in on a nice tip, and a PP one-timer after sustained passing. Both skill goals, not lucky.

I guess the best possible interpretation from their perspective is that a few of their shots hit posts, or that Vanecek got lucky in saving a few of their prime chances. But that's a strange thing to be arguing when their team gets routinely caved on possession and only gets bailed out by the PP and Shesterkin.

Timo's shot got deflected by a Ranger I believe but either way, leaving Meier wide open there was a death sentence regardless.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Another thing too, Rangers fans keep saying that we've only played them in 3 1 goal games but fail to realize they've arguably got caved in 2 out of the 3 of them which probably should've been bigger wins in the first place. Our finishing needed to be better obviously last night but being able to beat them in a 2-1 game or 4-3 game is very encouraging.

 

[Mgd31]

I still don't feel very confident in a series going up against Igor and especially so with how dog shit the finishing has been. On the other hand we should have no issues at all carrying the play against them. This honestly reminds me a lot of the Canes/Rangers matchup from last year. I do feel more confident in our chances than I did the Canes. We have the talent they don't. It's just a matter of if our talent actually steps up and produces. They haven't done nearly enough recently and that's likely going to need to turn around. Loved how we were defensively. We're going to need a lot of that to shut down their talent and especially so if our finishing doesn't turn around.

I hear you about the finishing problems. I do think our top talent of Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Meier, Hamilton is better than last year's Carolina's - Svechnikov, Aho, Trocheck, Teravainen, DeAngelo (lol) - so I feel better about our chances than Carolina's.

 

[New Jersey]

Best fans in the world

Glass seats at Madison Square Garden are nothing but a f***ing "I'm rich, look at me!" status symbol.

I bet that clown couldn't name half the Rags' roster in the game he was watching.

EDIT: I didn't watch before I posted. Now I *KNOW* he couldn't name three players on the Rags.

That shit was almost satire. Wild that it was totally real.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I really don’t want to hear anything about how bad at finishing we are. We aren’t. I don’t care about some slice of the season you want to cherry pick. Look at the players on the team, we can score with anyone. There isn’t a team in the league that hasn’t hit a cold stretch.

 

[New Jersey]

We scored seven at altitude against the defending champs but "we can't finish."

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Yeah I couldn't give a shit about the finishing meme, that's not something you can control or even mock unless it becomes Carolina esque and we're in year 1 of our timeline versus year 3-4 of theirs. If we shoot like 5-6% on Shesty or Sorokin in the playoffs. You're probably tipping your cap to them stealing a series, I can't see how a team like this will have issues with finishing.

 

[PWiz30]

Ed Wuncler III in the house.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Never saw this before, made my day.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

We scored seven at altitude against the defending champs but "we can't finish."

Finishing is something that comes and goes. How many 30 goal scorers do we need to qualify as being able to finish? Obviously if you pick the last 15 or 20 to emphasize it wont look pretty considering Jack’s dip and working in a new player (who’s on the top line and top PP).

 

[glenwo2]

Guarantee you he had "help" in paying for that seat.

 

[New Jersey]

Guarantee you he had "help" in paying for that seat.

Either that or he's independently wealthy.

Even if I was loaded, for prices like that I'd be up in a suite hiding from television cameras and inviting only Devils fans to watch with me.

 

[Triumph]

Except when you try to carry it out and turn it over before leaving the zone…

There’s a time and place. Sometimes it’s best to just read the situation and get it out.

If there's support this shouldn't be a huge issue. Turning it over without support is a problem. Knowing that you will have turnovers and supporting the play will lead to better outcomes in the long run than just throwing the puck out, in most situations - obviously when protecting a lead very late in the game, throwing it out is better.

 

[Triumph]

It depends on the situation. Yes, a controlled breakout and possession going the other way is better. But sometimes when you're hemmed in and likely to give up scoring chances if the puck stays in your zone, then chipping it out by any means necessary is the correct play.

It just requires the hockey sense to know when it's one situation, vs the other.

I think we might have different definitions of controlled, but nonetheless, the critical part here is that chipping the puck out doesn't end the scoring chances. It's unlikely that a team can get set up and prevent a zone entry on the next wave when that happens, and so the onslaught doesn't stop. I think the Devils playing this way is a big reason why they just don't get beaten like this very often - they're more likely to make a big mistake, but they won't get dummied for a period very often.

The Devils have 5 games where they have posted an xG below 40% and 34 above 60%.

 

[Devils Pride 26]

It depends on the situation. Yes, a controlled breakout and possession going the other way is better. But sometimes when you're hemmed in and likely to give up scoring chances if the puck stays in your zone, then chipping it out by any means necessary is the correct play.

It just requires the hockey sense to know when it's one situation, vs the other.

For sure. The steadfast refusal to chip the puck when necessary is one of the things that irks me. That is a major difference between the ice and roller game. Difference is, roller hockey is non contact and you can’t get as physical digging pucks out on the forecheck. You can chip and dump the puck once in a while without being a 100% balls to the wall fc team like Carolina. You have to be able to do both to be successful

 

[NjDevsRR]

It's a shame Daneyko just doesn't understand this and never will - he gets it on an intellectual level but on a base level of reacting to what he sees, he will always emphasize getting the puck out over controlling it. Of course, he played when icing the puck meant you could change lines; changing that rule has really changed some tactics in the NHL for the better.

 

[glenwo2]

Either that or he's independently wealthy.

Even if I was loaded, for prices like that I'd be up in a suite hiding from television cameras and inviting only Devils fans to watch with me.

That's also true.

Rink-side seats are pricey but nothing compared to the amount that Suites go for.

 

[theoptimist]

Trouba is such a f***ing dirtbag, he tried to line up Nico for one of his signature hits even though Nico had gotten rid of the puck seconds before

The play was blown dead and he gave Nico a shin tap. Trouba is finding he can be both sweet and sour

 

[Hisch13r]

The Canes actually have a defense and forwards are legit willing to get consistently back due to the effort that Brindamour asks for, we'd have to be very oppoturnistic versus them in a 7 game series where as the Rangers will bleed chances just based on speed. I also think the Canes swarming style would be tougher as oppose the Rangers globetrotting type of team they've assembled. The Rangers had a few chances last night and during the season series where they tried to one up NJ by making a sick move for a goal. Both series have their pros and cons, I'm taking NYR over CAR and probably the Islanders last in terms of realistic opponents.

I’ll take the Isles over the Rangers. I don’t really put much into the regular season matchups. Both are propped up by their goalies but the Rangers have the talent the Isles can only dream of.

The Canes are an interesting matchup. Our playdriving has been back. Leading the league in xGF% the last month at +60%. I feel confident we can play at least play them to a 50/50 series. I feel confident we can shut them down. They don’t have an Igor or Sorokin but they’ll do a much better job limiting our chances. I kind of like the Canes better than the Rangers. With the Canes I feel like whoever plays the better hockey will win. With the Rangers there’s a much higher chance it’s decided by the randomness of finishing/goaltending.

 

[MauDevils]

I always go back and watch the highlights again the next day and the one thing that always sticks out to me is Dano talking over probably 50% of our goals this season.

Big pet peeve of mine and it seems to be happening a lot around the league this year.

 

[Saugus]

I always go back and watch the highlights again the next day and the one thing that always sticks out to me is Dano talking over probably 50% of our goals this season.

Big pet peeve of mine and it seems to be happening a lot around the league this year.

It's the cardinal sin for the color commentator. Never interrupt or preempt the PBP guy on a scoring call.

I suspect it's what finally got Chico put out to pasture. Dano has been doing it a lot, but Spaulding is pretty good at recovering from it.

 

[Guttersniped]

This is basically a Nick Kroll character.

 

[MauDevils]

It's the cardinal sin for the color commentator. Never interrupt or preempt the PBP guy on a scoring call.

I suspect it's what finally got Chico put out to pasture. Dano has been doing it a lot, but Spaulding is pretty good at recovering from it.

Yeah, just too much stuff happening during live play ... Sal, random interviews, Dano ... Just call the game and keep the color stuff shorter.

Even national games have been weird this year...they just have long, bizarre conversations and talk over all the goals.

 

[NjDevsRR]

One last funny Rag fan moment from last night.

Moron in a Panarin jersey in front of me kept on calling for a penalty by doing a throw the flag motion like in football instead of just raising his arm up lmao.

 

[Bleedred]

Part of me is okay with finishing in 3rd, as long as we don't back in, but I really don't want a game 7 at MSG potentially.

That said, we match up well against the Ranger IMO and we also match up well with the Hurricanes, honestly.

We have a modestly soft remaining schedule, but so do the Rangers.

They got Buffalo tonight and Washington Sunday. Two teams that are already golfing, despite what the pundits and coaches still think. Washington/Lavi are so delusional, to the point where they played Kuemper two nights in a row, because if they won out they could still get 91 points! And now it's down to 89 with last night's regulation (blowout) loss to Tampa.

I expect the Rangers to bend them over on Sunday, but maybe the Sabres can take them with Halak tonight. They should have some adrenaline with Devon Levi's (supposed) debut in goal.