GDT: Devils @ Blues - 9:00 PM - ESPN

[theoptimist]

Nico Houdini

 

[Blender]

Woof from Bratt.

Nico and Bratt together just isn't working right now.

Wood and McLeod pretty bad as well.

Zetterlund with a beast game, Bratt looking like Wood out there.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Nico and Bratt not elevating their games in the absence of Jack is concerning.

I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to watch the game last night. Was it more of the same and it just finally but us? I guess it's not surprising. On this road trip so far they have played two decent teams and lost to both.

 

[NJDevs26]

This season is starting to smell like ‘09-10…wildly overachieve in the first half after an 0-2 start, then run out of gas in the second half with an old school coach who has no answers. Which I guess is good for our odds of getting Timo at least (a la Kovy that year) but not great for actually expecting anything in the playoffs.

 

[NJDevs26]

Nico and Bratt not elevating their games in the absence of Jack is concerning.

I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to watch the game last night. Was it more of the same and it just finally but us? I guess it's not surprising. On this road trip so far they have played two decent teams and lost to both.

The Blues are not even a decent team (they’re a game under NHL .500 against the rest of the league), we just suck against them - and Binnington.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The Blues are not even a decent team (they’re a game under NHL .500 against the rest of the league), we just suck against them - and Binnington.

They are definitely better than CBJ.

 

[guitarguyvic]

This season is starting to smell like ‘09-10…wildly overachieve in the first half after an 0-2 start, then run out of gas in the second half with an old school coach who has no answers. Which I guess is good for our odds of getting Timo at least (a la Kovy that year) but not great for actually expecting anything in the playoffs.

This is way more about coaching than that 09-10 team was. That team was winning well above their actual talent level in the first half, and Lemaire was 10x the coach Lindy is. But there was only so much he could do with the lineup he was given. What we have now is the opposite - I think this team has been winning in spite of him and their mediocre underlying play in the last 6 weeks is a symptom of bad coaching.

 

[Lou is God]

Woof from Bratt.

Nico and Bratt together just isn't working right now.

Wood and McLeod pretty bad as well.

I didn't notice Bratt until late in the second period.

And Nico has got to be hurting right now, that's the only thing that makes sense.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Fell asleep before the 3rd period. I will say that the start of the 2nd period was absolutely dreadful. Horrible in transition, multiple failed clears, getting bullied along the boards, awful defensive play in front of the net.

It got better as the period went on, but that first ~5 minutes kind of sank us after we had a pretty good 1st and battled back to tie it. Siegenthaler had another rough game and a pretty uncharacteristic bad game from Marino really hurt us on the back end.

IMO this was the first genuinely bad game Bratt and Nico have had since Hughes went down. Watching the game it just felt like the Blues were hungrier and wanted it more all night. Our lack of intensity was disappointing.

 

[billingtons ghost]

This is way more about coaching than that 09-10 team was. That team was winning well above their actual talent level in the first half, and Lemaire was 10x the coach Lindy is. But there was only so much he could do with the lineup he was given. What we have now is the opposite - I think this team has been winning in spite of him and their mediocre underlying play in the last 6 weeks is a symptom of bad coaching.

I haven't been a big Lindy fan but I don't know if I can agree, unless you're talking in terms of just motivation or general sloppiness?

It seems like alot of young players doing young player things at inopportune moments.

There's also the general issue of our offense trending to disappear against physical teams and I think that's more team makeup than anything.

We're in a part of the season after the break where there's some wear and tear on guys and not any terrific reason to put yourself in jeopardy to make a play unless you're fighting for a lineup spot.

That's why I think a guy like Zetterlund is out best player last night and nobody else was really too dangerous.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

Nico and Bratt not elevating their games in the absence of Jack is concerning.

I decided I needed sleep more than I needed to watch the game last night. Was it more of the same and it just finally but us? I guess it's not surprising. On this road trip so far they have played two decent teams and lost to both.

To be honest I'm a little more concerned about Nico, and it started before Jack even went down. he has been struggling for the past few weeks now, we can't have him play like this going into the playoffs. Hopefully he snaps out of it real soon! Maybe he is waiting for his buddy Timo!

 

[Homedresser]

I don't know if you guys are just emotionally hedging or whatever, but the prevailing "ohhhh it's okayyyy they'll just make the playoffs and lose in the first round but it's progresssss and I'll be prouddddd" thing gives me actual, physical, get-me-a-bottle-of-tums heartburn.

This team is on pace to break the franchise record for wins in a season. They're doing so on the back of one of the greatest offensive seasons in team history. They're getting timely goaltending. They're even getting the bounces and breaks they seemingly haven't gotten in a decade.

This was a game against a deadline-seller. This is a game they have to win if they're going to catch Carolina or stave off New York. This is a disappointing loss, capping off an inordinately lucky stretch of 10 games where the Devils truly have played some hideous hockey.

If your expectations for this team haven't changed since the season started, I feel bad for you. I don't want to emotional hedge. I want to win the Stanley f***ing Cup, because I think this team is good enough to do that. So I'm going to get emotionally invested in weekday losses to mediocre opponents.

"Good is not good where better is expected." - Lou.

If your expecations for this team is to win the cup this year, that's a shame. Majority of this team hasn't had much if any playoff experieince so to burden them with cup expectations is not realistic regardless of what they accomplish in the regular season. The playoffs is a whole different season unto itself. Enjoy the progress my friend and take a 1st round victory over the rangers.

 

[Billdo]

To be honest I'm a little more concerned about Nico, and it started before Jack even went down. he has been struggling for the past few weeks now, we can't have him play like this going into the playoffs. Hopefully he snaps out of it real soon! Maybe he is waiting for his buddy Timo!

I think Nico needs to be back with Tatar and Zetterlund. He was playing his best with them. Once Jack is back I'd like to see

Tatar-Hischier-Zetterlund
Bratt-Hughes-Holtz
Palat-Haula-Mercer
Sharangovich-McLeod-Bastian

 

[Devs3cups]

I feel like there’s once more a system issue at work.

After the first two games of the seasons, adjustments were made, and the team came out flying for the next 2 months. What suddenly happened? All the guys, to quote Lemaire, forgot how to play the game? I don’t buy that.

The guys are throwing the puck around in the D-zone because they’re panicking, there are no adjustments made on the breakouts and it’s killing us. The offense is fine, the defensive play is rough, especially when it comes to exiting the zone.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

It was one of those games like we had in Nashville, turn the page and move on to a big weekend.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Nico Houdini

Him and Bratt both, with Jack out of the lineup, have shrunken to tadpoles and been complete non-factors. Disappointing.

This team desperately needs a jolt in the arm. I want Meier bad, but I worry the worse the team falters the more Fitz will be willing to overpay with a guy like Mercer.

 

[Guttersniped]

They are definitely better than CBJ.

Who beat the Jets 3-1 last night.

 

[guitarguyvic]

If your expecations for this team is to win the cup this year, that's a shame. Majority of this team hasn't had much if any playoff experieince so to burden them with cup expectations is not realistic regardless of what they accomplish in the regular season. The playoffs is a whole different season unto itself. Enjoy the progress my friend and take a 1st round victory over the rangers.

We aren’t getting even that if they play like this in the playoffs.

 

[Devs3cups]

Who beat the Jets 3-1 last night.

And beat Toronto Saturday. Taking games and opponents one by one to make an analysis is always the way to go!

 

[guitarguyvic]

I haven't been a big Lindy fan but I don't know if I can agree, unless you're talking in terms of just motivation or general sloppiness?

It seems like alot of young players doing young player things at inopportune moments.

There's also the general issue of our offense trending to disappear against physical teams and I think that's more team makeup than anything.

We're in a part of the season after the break where there's some wear and tear on guys and not any terrific reason to put yourself in jeopardy to make a play unless you're fighting for a lineup spot.

That's why I think a guy like Zetterlund is out best player last night and nobody else was really too dangerous.

It’s not just the young players though. If it was then I’d agree with you.

Also I don’t believe there’s a lot of evidence that our offense disappears against physical teams. Production has not really been an issue with this squad, a couple of weeks in December when they were snakebitten and unlucky notwithstanding. They are seventh in the league in GF, I’m not sure what more people want in that department.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Are you serious? He didn't have a single shot. Had a penalty. Was a -2.

As some on here can tell you, I haven't always been his biggest defender.

But singling out Bratt when there were several culprits isn't really accurate.

And to his credit he was below the dots defending in his own zone far more than I can remember.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

As some on here can tell you, I haven't always been his biggest defender.

But singling out Bratt when there were several culprits isn't really accurate.

And to his credit he was below the dots defending in his own zone far more than I can remember.

edit nm wasnt you

 

[theoptimist]

Him and Bratt both, with Jack out of the lineup, have shrunken to tadpoles and been complete non-factors. Disappointing.

This team desperately needs a jolt in the arm. I want Meier bad, but I worry the worse the team falters the more Fitz will be willing to overpay with a guy like Mercer.

More Nico than Bratt.

I don't get it, it's probably because he's short or his name is emasculating, but Bratt is a consistent producer on this club. It's been 9/10 games that Nico hasn't scored. Still at 99 for his career.

 

[BostonDevil]

Missed the game last night but in catching up a bit, looks like 13 and 63 did too.

 

[Clam Jensen]

And beat Toronto Saturday. Taking games and opponents one by one to make an analysis is always the way to go!

My dad always ingrained in my head as a youngling, “on any given night, one team can beat another”.