Post-Game Talk: Devils beat CBJ 3-1

[tr83]

1st star: MBW
2nd star: Jack
3rd star: Bratt

 

[Hisch13r]

The criticism was definitely over the top at times but so was the premature crowning of him as a star when he was still getting in the neighborhood of .5 PPG. THIS is what a star looks like, these last few games.

It made far more sense to think the guy with his pedigree, how he looked on the ice, the shot contribution microstats, the transition stats, the possession metrics at both ends would be this rather than thinking he’d fail

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think this should put to bed any discussion of whether Bratt is a core piece and a legit top line player. He is both. It can't be an accident that Bratt has consistently succeeded when played with any of our top 3 centers.

Dead and buried. Bratt is a core piece. Pay him and continue on.

 

[njdevils1982]

It's a phenomenon I call a False Friday, and I haven't had one in a long while. Maybe it's because we're getting snow tomorrow. All day long it's felt like Friday.

nice. i call the sunday with a monday holiday 'second saturday' and it's always a great day

 

[billingtons ghost]

Maybe not mentioned much, but Jaros played the role of Tennysononian plug for Smith perfectly.

Mercer with a couple of pipes was outtasight.

Severson has been great for a long long time now.

Bastian added so much I voted for him over Bratt, but that's just because I could vote for Bratt every night.

I know Hamilton is our stud, but I think it is abundantly clear we miss him far less than we missed Graves. Guy is an absolute anchor back there.

 

[Maine Fan]

Last 5 games, the Devils are 4-1. I am impressed. Good for them. The only loss was Blackwood's fault.

These 5 games have been enjoyable, considering they are not a playoff team.

Go Devils

 

[Dialamo]

I ain't writing us out unless we are mathematically eliminated. LFG!

 

[OmNomNom]

lol we got 33.3% PP since the break, and 8pts, good enough for 2nd in the league since that break

 

[Forge]

Guys, the Hughes dude may be pretty good.

Standby, I'll get more info and confirm for you guys

 

[njdevils1982]

Maybe not mentioned much, but Jaros played the role of Tennysononian plug for Smith perfectly.

Mercer with a couple of pipes was outtasight.

Severson has been great for a long long time now.

Bastian added so much I voted for him over Bratt, but that's just because I could vote for Bratt every night.

I know Hamilton is our stud, but I think it is abundantly clear we miss him far less than we missed Graves. Guy is an absolute anchor back there.

kulikov and murray did their job well last season….and now we got siegs and graves doing good time…

solid fitz, solid

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Bcap88]

Jack has captain material written all over him unfortunate he won’t get to wear the C. At least he will get to wear it for team USA

 

[DerekDevils30]

Jack has captain material written all over him unfortunate he won’t get to wear the C. At least he will get to wear it for team USA

We can always strip the C off Nico………………………………………………………………………….

 

[Devils731]

We can always strip the C off Nico………………………………………………………………………….

The words strip and Nico only go together if the Devils are having a Slapshot movie night.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

Jack at $8m is going to look like MacKinnon at 6.

This statement will become true by the mere fact of a continuing inflation of 5-10% for the next few years

 

[Buck Dancer]

It made far more sense to think the guy with his pedigree, how he looked on the ice, the shot contribution microstats, the transition stats, the possession metrics at both ends would be this rather than thinking he’d fail

There’s no one that said he’d fail. There’s a difference between crowing someone as a star when he hasn’t proved anything and saying the kid will fail.

Everyone here could see he had the wheels and smarts that made him the #1 overall pick but the production just wasn’t there. His game is at another level and that’s what everyone was expecting and they’re getting it in the past couple of weeks.

Good on him and that’s nothing but great news for the Devils.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Why has it taken this long for a coach to pair Bratt and Hughes together? They look dynamite out there. Hughes finally starting to look like a first overall.

The only thing I'll disagree about is the praise for Blackwood tonight. Yeah he only gave up one, but I credit that more to the team defense. The Jackets got very few excellent scoring chances. The rebounds Mack was giving up were god awful, and the only reason it appeared to get better after the first is because Ruff shook up the bottom 6 and they stopped getting caved in possession and shots against. Against a better team I'm fairly confident Mack would have given up a 1-2 more goals just off those rebounds he was spitting out repeatedly.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Great game from our top line, mainly Jack and Jesper, again. Poor Nico who had to play with Vesey and Bastian but they made the best of it and I’ll say it again, we have something special in Dawson Mercer. I liked how we played defensively and as for Blackwood, well let’s just say we’re lucky we didn’t play a team with more offensive firepower.

 

[Buck Dancer]

How does Mercer only have one vote when he struck iron twice and carried that 3rd line on his back?

 

[billingtons ghost]

Why has it taken this long for a coach to pair Bratt and Hughes together? They look dynamite out there. Hughes finally starting to look like a first overall.

The only thing I'll disagree about is the praise for Blackwood tonight. Yeah he only gave up one, but I credit that more to the team defense. The Jackets got very few excellent scoring chances. The rebounds Mack was giving up were god awful, and the only reason it appeared to get better after the first is because Ruff shook up the bottom 6 and they stopped getting caved in possession and shots against. Against a better team I'm fairly confident Mack would have given up a 1-2 more goals just off those rebounds he was spitting out repeatedly.

He left some rebounds, he didn't look sharp again -

But he did stop Laine twice in super high danger positions when it mattered, and scrambled around to make a few good rebound saves as well. It's all we can ask of him if we're going to give up 15-20 shots in the first period.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

How does Mercer only have one vote when he struck iron twice and carried that 3rd line on his back?

Because 13C can’t even be selected in the poll. In other words: don’t pay too much attention to it and certainly don’t break your head over it

 

[Buck Dancer]

For those who’ve been saying, for years, that Laine would be a horrible pick up, please help me understand your reasoning?

Can you imagine what kind of damage he would do if paired with Hughes or Mercer!

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

How does Mercer only have one vote when he struck iron twice and carried that 3rd line on his back?

No fault of Mercer. It is quite clear watching the game that Bratt and Hughes were dominant and Blackwood shut the door after his first period softy

 

[Guttersniped]

How does Mercer only have one vote when he struck iron twice and carried that 3rd line on his back?

Too busy voting for Hughes, Blackwood and He-Man Bastian.

 

[NJ07102]

With all the points Jack had lately what amazes me the most is that he could have way more. The way he sets up people there will be a day when people convert all these great passes and Jack will have an 8 point game or sth crazy like that.