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

[Bleedred]

A series with the Rangers obviously favors Shesterkin in nets, as would a series against the Islanders favor Sorokin.

But I can't see a series with Carolina favoring any of their guys. I might even favor Vitek, but it's a wash at the absolute best for them.

Andersen is a joke at this point, a broken down has-been, that was really good 4 years ago and had an up year last season, but he isn't any good anymore. Andersen can't be taken seriously anymore. It doesn't mean he can't win a series, but he shouldn't be taken seriously like he was 4+ years ago.

Kochetkov is probably their best hope, but he's struggled as of late and has been brutal in the two games against us.

I don't even think they bother dressing Raanta's sorry ass anymore. They probably still have PTSD over what the Rangers did to him in games 6 and 7 last year.

 

[jkrdevil]

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%.

Adding to this, when you are just chipping it out in the third period you get in the death cycle of getting hemmed in, chipping out, changing and then getting hemmed in again to lead to another chip and change. That is hard to sustain for 20 minutes without giving one up (unless you have a Vezina caliber goalie in net).

They have been at their best in the third periods
when they have gotten offensive zone pressure
and time.

I generally thought they did a decent job overall
last night in the third. the last 5 minutes was chip and change, but that is going to be the final 5 of any one goal game. At that point you are trying to get to the empty net situation.

 

[Bleedred]

Vitek has been pretty solid lately since that skid that last 2-3 weeks, a couple of weeks back.

He's not a great or even a particularly good goalie, but he's definitely an average goalie, maybe slightly better than average.

No one remains consistent over a full season. No goalie, nor player at any position.

 

[Mgd31]

Vitek has been pretty solid lately since that skid that last 2-3 weeks, a couple of weeks back.

He's not a great or even a particularly good goalie, but he's definitely an average goalie, maybe slightly better than average.

No one remains consistent over a full season. No goalie, nor player at any position.

5 of his last 6 starts (all against playoff teams) have been good

 

[Guttersniped]

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.

Losing Svechnikov ended the Canes chances of making a serious run, they simply don’t have the goal scoring.

They brought in Pacioretty as a short term solution and got 5 games out of him. They to a gamble on Ondrej Kase and got 1 game out of him.

Us getting Meier over them was huge, they can have the puck all game long but if they have two guys who mainly put in the net they aren’t going to win much.

The Rangers know what side their bread is buttered, they have skilled shooters who kill you on rush chances, broken plays and their PP. It works often enough.

Their defensive depth is brutal though, I like playing them a lot more with Lindgren out.

 

[New Jersey]

Is Vitek elite? Nah.

Is Vitek good enough to backstop us to a first round victory? God, yes.

 

[Saugus]

I'm not sure I believe him when he says he doesn't drink.

 

[britdevil]

Had to miss this one, gutted. Sounds like I missed a great game.

Devils in 5.

 

[New Jersey]

I'm not sure I believe him when he says he doesn't drink.

I do.

He does those cool undetectable designer drugs that well-dressed delivery boys bring to his loft in Chelsea instead.

 

[Saugus]

I do.

He does those cool undetectable designer drugs that well-dressed delivery boys bring to his loft in Chelsea instead.

This is... oddly specific, but I know better than to pry further.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Timo cooking just in time for the postseason

 

[New Jersey]

This is... oddly specific, but I know better than to pry further.

I changed a lot since college graduation in 2017.

I've accidentally walked into an apartment party with a mutual friend in Hoboken once, I'll leave it there.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

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.

I'm not sure I agree here, Carolina was better than us in the game that Vanecek got a shut out in and the game we won back in January when Kotchekov gave up 3 bad goals in that game. Sure you can say that their goaltending is a massive downfall but who's to say they don't get the finishing they were lacking in some of those games too against us? The Rangers don't scare me as much as they have a top flight goalie, the defense is utterly atrocious. Miller has regressed since being hot in his January stretch and Trouba is literally a pylon as shown by last night. Most Rangers fans don't even think Lindgren will be back as I was looking over their post game thread and think he sustained an injury when he came back to the spot he already hurt so that's another minus on their roster. Not to mention, Fox has looked like utter dogshit since being paired with Mikkola. Carolina is a far worse matchup than the Rangers for us than NYR, I don't really care about the superstar argument much either.

Timo cooking just in time for the postseason

Also a collective clap for this dumbass who thought this was a smart idea to post. Got absolutely eradicated last night by most Devils fans on my feed since Timo got the GWG. Also you would think a stat page would understand bragging about a guy shooting x2 as well with 1 less goal isn't a flex but it's also Rangers fans so the IQ isn't high

 

[Nubmer6]

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.

I find myself screaming "SHUT UP DANNO" at my TV multiple times per game recently.

 

[Derwood]

I really wish the word "dispossessed" didn't exist.

 

[Basement Cat]

Their fans are so funny - they have another gear or two that they can hit while acting like the Devils played their best game last night. Delusion.

Also, I legit thought that Kakko was a scratch last night until late in the 2nd period. Dude is invisible.

 

[Eggtimer]

Their fans are so funny - they have another gear or two that they can hit while acting like the Devils played their best game last night. Delusion.

Also, I legit thought that Kakko was a scratch last night until late in the 2nd period. Dude is invisible.

Go read the Rags post game thread for a good laugh . It’s all “ I’m glad we lost , it will help them beat the Devils when it matters “ and “ We could have won , we outplayed them amd we had two more gears left , we will beat them in the playoffs “
“ Not scared of the Devils at all . They played their best game all year and we coasted and still almost won “ .

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Their fans are so funny - they have another gear or two that they can hit while acting like the Devils played their best game last night. Delusion.

Also, I legit thought that Kakko was a scratch last night until late in the 2nd period. Dude is invisible.

Not even close to our best game which is the sad part and if the Devils had slight finish in the first it's probably a 5-1 final

 

[DerekDevils30]

Ranger fans change of opinion on us from the start of the season to now is hilarious. But you see a good chunk of their fans are legitimately terrified of us. Weeding through a lot of it and you see quite a few comments about how bad of a matchup the Devils are.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Go read the Rags post game thread for a good laugh . It’s all “ I’m glad we lost , it will help them beat the Devils when it matters “ and “ We could have won , we outplayed them amd we had two more gears left , we will beat them in the playoffs “
“ Not scared of the Devils at all . They played their best game all year and we coasted and still almost won “ .

They keep talking how they are going to physically bully us and I keep looking at their lineup wondering who they are talking about?

Their team is a bunch of soft mercs

 

[Eggtimer]

Ranger fans change of opinion on us from the start of the season to now is hilarious. But you see a good chunk of their fans are legitimately terrified of us. Weeding through a lot of it and you see quite a few comments about how bad of a matchup the Devils are.

Yes , there are some Rags posters that say that the Devils are a bad matchup as our speed is too much to handle. They prefer to play the Canes as they see us as simular to the Canes but we have way more skill.
Then the will say they need to hit us lots to slow us down , but they rightfully say that they don’t have the players and that’s not their game to be physical . Which is true.
Only thing that scares me on the Rangers is their PP, and Sheshterkin. Their D outside of Fox and Miller is trash. Wildcard will be if Miller can play bone head free minutes. He is very good but makes some head scratching reads sometimes.

 

[MauDevils]

They also think we only showed up for the first period despite us winning the xGF handily in all 3.

The third period was the only one that was remotely close and we still doubled their scoring chances. Not sure what game they were watching.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Lmao, Chico going "Yeah!" on Haula's goal. I love him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yes , there are some Rags posters that say that the Devils are a bad matchup as our speed is too much to handle. They prefer to play the Canes as they see us as simular to the Canes but we have way more skill.
Then the will say they need to hit us lots to slow us down , but they rightfully say that they don’t have the players and that’s not their game to be physical . Which is true.
Only thing that scares me on the Rangers is their PP, and Sheshterkin. Their D outside of Fox and Miller is trash. Wildcard will be if Miller can play bone head free minutes. He is very good but makes some head scratching reads sometimes.

Schneider is going to get abused all series

 

[SJinNewJersey]

I really wish the word "dispossessed" didn't exist.

I hate the word "capitalized". Dano uses it at least three times every game and at least 5 times when we are actually playing the Capitals.