Post-Game Talk: Devils 3 - Islander 0: The Bernier and Hedberg Story

[Uli Hiemer]

If NBC takes Steve it means we've fallen on some terrible times. He's not bad, but he's not good.

He doesn't understand hockey at all. He constantly has to guess why play was stopped. Yesterday the puck hit a player on the bench, and he guessed hand pass. Streit deflected a puck out of play and he claimed Nabakov had it.

he needs to learn the game. when chico is correcting you constantly, that's a problem.

he's not terrible, but he messes up a lot on simple plays. i can imagine someone watching for the first time would be confused with those two commentating.

 

[Zippy316]

I'm sorry, could you rephrase it please, I don't understand.

Greene's first penalty in the last game.

If I recall correctly, Kovalchuk made a stupid pass across to Greene where Grabner was already waiting. Greene had to make up for Kovalchuk's gaffe and tripped Grabner trying to poke the puck away. Who looked bad on that play? Greene. Who was really at fault? Kovalchuk.

It's happened way more than once.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I don't remember it going like that. I'd have to look but I'd claim that as revisionist history. Additionally, there were so many penalties there might have been more than one.

It was a pass to Greene and he didn't handle the pass clean. Grabner attacked with pressure and took the puck before greene had to dive and fall to stop the break.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Just two examples off the top of my head, plus the one yesterday.

Last season ? One more time, last season NJ gave up 2 SHers for 1 PP goal scored without Kovalchuk on the point. Kovalchuk will give you 20 PP points for 1 shorthander. With this line-up I don't think he's going to be moved anytime soon anyway, for better or worse.

 

[MartyOwns]

they ruined Doc

I said something similar in a different thread, I don’t remember where..

but yeah. I think the way I look at doc now is how other fans looked at him when he called our games. a bit over the top, says the same things over and over etc…its kinda hard to listen to. not Matt-and it’s a goal!-Loughlin hard to listen to, but even so. I never considered it was NBC who ruined him…idk if that’s true, but something happened.

I really don’t mind steve at this point…it could be worse.

 

[AfroThunder396]

If Zidlicky isn't on the point on the PP, he shouldn't even bother dressing up at this point.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

he needs to learn the game. when chico is correcting you constantly, that's a problem.

he's not terrible, but he messes up a lot on simple plays. i can imagine someone watching for the first time would be confused with those two commentating.

Chico better be careful if he's correcting Steve, because if Steve starts correcting Chico we may never hear the game's play by play.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Greene's first penalty in the last game.

If I recall correctly, Kovalchuk made a stupid pass across to Greene where Grabner was already waiting. Greene had to make up for Kovalchuk's gaffe and tripped Grabner trying to poke the puck away. Who looked bad on that play? Greene. Who was really at fault? Kovalchuk.

It's happened way more than once.

We shouldn't act as if situations like this would never happen without Kovalchuk. Let's be honest, he makes dumb pass time to time ? Yes. But he also makes game breaking plays with his risky passing game more often than not. Take the bad with the good.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

If Zidlicky isn't on the point on the PP, he shouldn't even bother dressing up at this point.

Zidlicky brought a aspect of the game we didn't have last year but this year, he's playing some real poor hockey and looks like M-A Bergeron more then anything else.

I'm not a fan of having PP specialist and PK specialist, who can't play 5 on 5. Granted, those guys aren't easy to find but it just seems that we have 8 guys who can't play all 3 areas of a game (even strenght, PK and PP).

It would be nice to have a guy that we can rely on, regardless of the situation on the ice. Maybe Larsson, or Merrill , is that guy.... who knows.

 

[NJDevs26]

If NBC takes Steve it means we've fallen on some terrible times. He's not bad, but he's not good.

He doesn't understand hockey at all. He constantly has to guess why play was stopped. Yesterday the puck hit a player on the bench, and he guessed hand pass. Streit deflected a puck out of play and he claimed Nabakov had it.

Honestly we were spoiled with Doc, he made it look so easy. It's really not that easy to follow the action and what's happening with twelve players, three-four refs and a puck simaltenously all the while having to maintain a constant conversation.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Devils made half the league look silly last season by picking up errant passes at the point.

It happens.
I agree, though, I'd like Kovalchuk to not be on the point one day - but we don't have that luxury right now.

Hell we made the Isles look silly yesterday in the 2nd with those. We could of easily been up 1-0 or even 2-0 with the quality chances we got on the PK.

 

[Devils Insiders]

The Devils got back to their winning ways yesterday on Long Island. Hopefully a performance to improve upon. Jeff O'Connor has more...

http://wp.me/p347yn-gB

 

[glenwo2]

If NBC takes Steve it means we've fallen on some terrible times. He's not bad, but he's not good.

He doesn't understand hockey at all. He constantly has to guess why play was stopped. Yesterday the puck hit a player on the bench, and he guessed hand pass. Streit deflected a puck out of play and he claimed Nabakov had it.

apice, that's nothing compared to the utter fail of Chico when he thought there was a penalty on the Devils when it was the Islanders. Remember that?

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Zidlicky brought a aspect of the game we didn't have last year but this year, he's playing some real poor hockey and looks like M-A Bergeron more then anything else.

I'm not a fan of having PP specialist and PK specialist, who can't play 5 on 5. Granted, those guys aren't easy to find but it just seems that we have 8 guys who can't play all 3 areas of a game (even strenght, PK and PP).

It would be nice to have a guy that we can rely on, regardless of the situation on the ice. Maybe Larsson, or Merrill , is that guy.... who knows.

Ideally we'd like to have great all-around defenders, but Zidlicky's positives outweigh his flaws.

No one else on the defense makes the pass to Kovalchuk for the OT game winner earlier in the year.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Ideally we'd like to have great all-around defenders, but Zidlicky's positives outweigh his flaws.

No one else on the defense makes the pass to Kovalchuk for the OT game winner earlier in the year.

I hope Larrson soon will, but at the moment you are 100% correct.

 

[apice3*]

apice, that's nothing compared to the utter fail of Chico when he thought there was a penalty on the Devils when it was the Islanders. Remember that?

I don't blame him for it. Nabakov left the net and the Islanders had possession and the play continued. Whistle came when the Devils touched it. It was really bizarre. I thought we were going to the box too.

 

[Classic Devil]

I don't blame him for it. Nabakov left the net and the Islanders had possession and the play continued. Whistle came when the Devils touched it. It was really bizarre. I thought we were going to the box too.

Yeah, I did too. The whistle blew when the Devils touched it, I was convinced we were going on the PK again. But then we weren't.

 

[Saugus]

I don't blame him for it. Nabakov left the net and the Islanders had possession and the play continued. Whistle came when the Devils touched it. It was really bizarre. I thought we were going to the box too.

I agree, that is a bad example to use. But there are plenty of times when Chico will think it's a penalty when they're going to a commercial break, and then they come back and he says, "sorry folks, just an offsides" or something like that. When he gets it wrong it is very noticeable.

 

[manilaNJ]

THE STATS GUY ‏@TH2NSTATSGUY
The New York Islanders are 7th in the East despite not having a single player with a plus rating

Don't have anything else to add, just thought it was interesting. Since we've played them so damn much already.

 

[Saugus]

THE STATS GUY ‏@TH2NSTATSGUY
The New York Islanders are 7th in the East despite not having a single player with a plus rating

Don't have anything else to add, just thought it was interesting. Since we've played them so damn much already.

That will happen when you have the best special teams units in the league.

 

[Bleedred]

Larsson had a good game yesterday. Hope he's back in the lineup again.

 

[Getzo5]

That will happen when you have the best special teams units in the league.

Not surprised about their PP (and they should add Visnovsky later this week).

Very surprised about their PK.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Last season ? One more time, last season NJ gave up 2 SHers for 1 PP goal scored without Kovalchuk on the point. Kovalchuk will give you 20 PP points for 1 shorthander. With this line-up I don't think he's going to be moved anytime soon anyway, for better or worse.

How have not seen Kovy set up for a one-timer like this once this season (it seems like...)? Granted he'll miss the net more than he hits it, but damn. We need that shot.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Not surprised about their PP (and they should add Visnovsky later this week).

Very surprised about their PK.

They got some guys with serious speed who attack the PP pretty relentlessly, which I've always thought was the best way to kill penalties if you have the horses for it. Then again they were trash last year with similar personnel, so who knows? I don't remember their PK style from last year, did they have any coaches change?

 

[The Devil In I]

Re: Steve - I cringe every time he says something like "And a save by Moose Hedberg"