Dan Girardi's terrible defense on the Henrique OT goal

[JT Kreider]

Since NBCSports was replaying this game I figured this was worth posting. Is this the most careless lazy defensive coverage you've ever seen in such an important moment?

Wtf you doing G?

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[Rhaegar Targaryen]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Since NBCSports was replaying this game I figured this was worth posting. Is this the most careless lazy defensive coverage you've ever seen in such an important moment?

Wtf you doing G?

Definitely odd looking, Girardi definitely shoulda tried popping back to his feet or knees or somethin, but ultimately he covered the guy in front of the net well enough to stop that dude from scoring. Then there’s a second dude, a third, and his teammates never recover either. G definitely coulda played it better, but it’s an understandable move when the play breaks down and there’s a scramble like that- a lot of dmen stay down if they fall, it just looks extra ridiculous because the rangers never regain control and he probably shoulda gotten back up halfway through. Ah well.

 

[CanadienShark]

Tried to give the goalie a clear view of the goal.

 

[CanadienShark]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Parise was still a great player, coming off an injury season. They had awesome depth. But yeah, they've got to be one of the worst teams. Kind of like Arizona (Phoenix?) at the time, who made the WCF.

 

[Balance]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Meh, they certainly were better than the 2014 Rangers and 2010 Flyers

 

[MoreMogilny]

Definitely odd looking, Girardi definitely shoulda tried popping back to his feet or knees or somethin, but ultimately he covered the guy in front of the net well enough to stop that dude from scoring. Then there’s a second dude, a third, and his teammates never recover either. G definitely coulda played it better, but it’s an understandable move when the play breaks down and there’s a scramble like that- a lot of dmen stay down if they fall, it just looks extra ridiculous because the rangers never regain control and he probably shoulda gotten back up halfway through. Ah well.

You’re talking about McDonagh. Girardi was the one inexplicably abandoning the front of the net to float behind it to the other side that was already covered.

Neither of them looked great on that goal but Girardi’s play was absolutely atrocious.

 

[Nick0930]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Perfect mix of a superstar Kovalchuk, prime Parise, Zajac and Clarkson and veterans like Elias and Brodeur. That and all the others showing a ton of heart (especially the CBGB line) every night made for a fun playoff team to watch. Too bad they ran into one of the hottest teams in playoff history or they could've won it all.

 

[aufheben]

Meh, they certainly were better than the 2014 Rangers and 2010 Flyers

The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy the following season lol

That Flyers team was pretty dope too. They had Richards-Carter-Briere-Laperierre down the middle, Hartnell, Giroux, Gagne, Timonen, Pronger. They were stacked (until you got to goaltending).

 

[Langdon Alger]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Parise.

 

[hockeyisgud]

Has about 5 feet on him, gets beat clean then gives up.

 

[1specter]

I remember when the Rangers won game 1 and their news outlets were declaring a finals trip after that lol, there were some cringy articles out there. NJ had rained on their parade since expectations went sky high with the Richards signing the previous summer. Crazy to think though where the Devils have ended up in the 8 years that have passed since.

Lou not forfeiting the pick that year was incredibly stupid.

 

[Hisch13r]

The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy the following season lol

That Flyers team was pretty dope too. They had Richards-Carter-Briere-Laperierre down the middle, Hartnell, Giroux, Gagne, Timonen, Pronger. They were stacked (until you got to goaltending).

Why are you using the following season as if that matters? That season they had 96. The Flyers had 88 in 2010 and made it in on the last day of the season. The Devils had 102.

Parise.

Elias was top 10 in scoring that year too with 78 points. It was also the famous Clarkson 30 goal year lol

 

[MtoD]

Why are you using the following season as if that matters? That season they had 96. The Flyers had 88 in 2010 and made it in on the last day of the season. The Devils had 102.



Elias was top 10 in scoring that year too with 78 points. It was also the famous Clarkson 30 goal year lol

I believe the Devils tied for league lead that year in 30 goal scorers with 3 in addition to 2 top 10 scorers.

They may have been the 6th seed but they were tied with Boston for 4th in the Eastern Conference + 7th in entire league..

 

[Agent Zub]

Has about 5 feet on him, gets beat clean then gives up.

uhh maybe he was gassed?

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

I'll always wonder the sense of deja vu Devils fans of a certain age had watching that game.

I mean, won Game 5 at the Garden, 3-2 series lead, score two first period goals in Game 6, Rangers come back with the tying goal coming from the captain of the team...for quite a while, the script was eerily similar.

 

[Machinehead]

It's bad but it's not even in Girardi's top 3 in the playoffs.

 

[JT Kreider]

I'll always wonder the sense of deja vu Devils fans of a certain age had watching that game.

I mean, won Game 5 at the Garden, 3-2 series lead, score two first period goals in Game 6, Rangers come back with the tying goal coming from the captain of the team...for quite a while, the script was eerily similar.

Yes. I was at the game and it was all anyone was talking about the 2nd intermission.

 

[bleedgreen]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Kovalchuk never got enough credit for carrying that team offensively. He was on a mission and unstoppable.

 

[maroon 6]

How about McDonagh going for a nap

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

You’re talking about McDonagh. Girardi was the one inexplicably abandoning the front of the net to float behind it to the other side that was already covered.

Neither of them looked great on that goal but Girardi’s play was absolutely atrocious.

Lol well I feel dumb, just assumed that had to be the worst play, didn’t even notice Girardi consistently moving away from the puck.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

On another note, are the Devils the worst team to make it to the SCF since the 2005 lockout? Other than Kovalchuk and a very old Brodeur, not a lot there.

Elias had 78 points that year. And they had Parise. The team had 102 points in the regular season.

They were probably a bit below average, but were pretty solid with a lot of depth - they had seven players with 44+ points and five 20 goal scorers.

Plenty of star power (albeit on the wings):
Kovalchuk
Parise
Elias

They lacked a true 1C, but essentially had three 2C's:
Henrique
Zajac
Zubrus

And some nice complimentary offensive pieces:
Clarkson
Ponikarovsky
Sykora

Plus an excellent fourth line of Stephen Gionta, Ryan Carter, and Steve Bernier

Brodeur was on his last legs, and I've been one of his biggest critics (certainly overrated IMO), but he was excellent in the playoffs.

Our D was solid but didn't have a ton of star power. But like our C depth, we had like 6 #3/4 defenseman

Greene
Zidlicky
Salvador
Volchenkov
Fayne (was pretty good back then)
Larsson (grossly underutilized)

I'd rank this team ahead of the 2006 Oilers, 2014 Rangers, and 2010 Flyers. Probably on par with the 2016 Sharks and 2017 Predators.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Elias had 78 points that year. And they had Parise. The team had 102 points in the regular season.

They were probably a bit below average, but were pretty solid with a lot of depth - they had seven players with 44+ points and five 20 goal scorers.

Plenty of star power (albeit on the wings):
Kovalchuk
Parise
Elias

They lacked a true 1C, but essentially had three 2C's:
Henrique
Zajac
Zubrus

And some nice complimentary offensive pieces:
Clarkson
Ponikarovsky
Sykora

Plus an excellent fourth line of Stephen Gionta, Ryan Carter, and Steve Bernier

Brodeur was on his last legs, and I've been one of his biggest critics (certainly overrated IMO), but he was excellent in the playoffs.

Our D was solid but didn't have a ton of star power. But like our C depth, we had like 6 #3/4 defenseman

Greene
Zidlicky
Salvador
Volchenkov
Fayne (was pretty good back then)
Larsson (grossly underutilized)

I'd rank this team ahead of the 2006 Oilers, 2014 Rangers, and 2010 Flyers. Probably on par with the 2016 Sharks and 2017 Predators.

Not for nothing, but Salvador played out of his goddamned mind that whole run. He, Kovalchuk, and Brodeur were the three big reasons the Devils got to the finals that year.

 

[HughJazz3dg]

Not for nothing, but Salvador played out of his goddamned mind that whole run. He, Kovalchuk, and Brodeur were the three big reasons the Devils got to the finals that year.

Can’t forget the misfits on the fourth line.

 

[vtdevils2k]

Kovalchuk never got enough credit for carrying that team offensively. He was on a mission and unstoppable.

A healthy Kovy would have made a big difference. Guy's back was shot the entire playoffs. When he had that jump where you'd see dynamic Kovy, it was due to cortisone shots I believe he received the day before playing.

LA was absurd that season though. Quick was insane. Remarkable postseason he put up that year.