Post-Game Talk: Devils drop another one in shootout to Tampa -Blowing leads is our specialty edition.

[NJDevs26]

And the other thing that really chaps my hyde is we're 7-8-3 against non-playoff teams since the great twelve-game start. That's a TON of dropped points. But keep making excuses that we're 'not good enough'.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

This is interesting

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 13m

Brodeur blamed himself for not practicing shootout more. He said team has to start doing it whether it's for him or the shooters.

Marty letting Deboer know that maybe they should do some shootout practice? but i don't know if you can fix elias and zajac not attempting shots.

 

[Devs4L]

Marty didn't play well at all tonight...pretty much the main reason for the loss. The first 3 were very stoppable.

Also, heading into the deadline, our defense should be more the focus than our offense. It just looks too shaky too often back there.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Have you seen the lineup Ottawa is icing? Because they have an even worse lineup, yet also managed to make us look silly.

There is no excuse for what we saw tonight. They were in control and blew it due to unforced errors. The team was flat out humiliated.

They had no business losing this game at any point tonight.

Get over yourself.

Ding Ding Ding Ding. Correct answer

 

[guitarguyvic]

Stop being so full of yourself and acting like you're better than everyone here, to me there is nothing more pathetic than that.

Like I said, don't dish out what you can't take. I have as much of a basis to convey my opinion as you do.

If anyone wants to get back to talking about the actual hockey being played on the ice, I have to say that our team D is the biggest weakness. I honestly don't give a crap about the forwards. If this team was playing Devils hockey, we'd have a lot more points.

Still, significant injuries to our top players for most of the season and we are still in a playoff spot. I'll take it for now. Not going to act like this is the Maclean Devils in 15th place.

 

[StvBroDan]

LOL. I don't think anyone is telling anyone else how to be a fan. But if you are going to bash the team you claim to be a fan of, don't be shocked when other fans call you out for it.

People like to call the team garbage and pathetic when they lose, or are not playing up to their perceived standards. Well, I think fans that do that are pathetic.

Don't dish it if you can't take it.

You know you put down the team by saying WE are nuts for reacting so badly when the team Lou has on the ice is not very good. You want your cake and eat it too, it doesn't work that way.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Marty didn't play well at all tonight...pretty much the main reason for the loss. The first 3 were very stoppable.

Also, heading into the deadline, our defense should be more the focus than our offense. It just looks too shaky too often back there.

I fully agree.

Marty made some good stops, absolutely.

But he also just did not look right, very tentative, deep in his net and slow to react on most shots. The defense was putrid but he did not bail them out enough like he could have to steal the road win. And I'm referring to regulation play and not the shootout flop.

 

[StvBroDan]

Like I said, don't dish out what you can't take. I have as much of a basis to convey my opinion as you do.

If anyone wants to get back to talking about the actual hockey being played on the ice, I have to say that our team D is the biggest weakness. I honestly don't give a crap about the forwards. If this team was playing Devils hockey, we'd have a lot more points.

Still, significant injuries to our top players for most of the season and we are still in a playoff spot. I'll take it for now. Not going to act like this is the Maclean Devils in 15th place.

They had more heart at times BAD EXAMPLE

 

[guitarguyvic]

Have you seen the lineup Ottawa is icing? Because they have an even worse lineup, yet also managed to make us look silly.

There is no excuse for what we saw tonight. They were in control and blew it due to unforced errors. The team was flat out humiliated.

They had no business losing this game at any point tonight.

Get over yourself.

First off, Ottawa's lineup is severely under-rated.

Second of all, I'm not sure why you are taking my comments so personally. My opinions are about the folks that don't offer any kind of smart analysis of what actually happens on the ice, and instead their posts consist solely of name calling and bashing.

 

[Lou is God]

Like I said, don't dish out what you can't take. I have as much of a basis to convey my opinion as you do.

If anyone wants to get back to talking about the actual hockey being played on the ice, I have to say that our team D is the biggest weakness. I honestly don't give a crap about the forwards. If this team was playing Devils hockey, we'd have a lot more points.

Still, significant injuries to our top players for most of the season and we are still in a playoff spot. I'll take it for now. Not going to act like this is the Maclean Devils in 15th place.

What the hell are you talking about? You're being pompous, judgmental and are totally full of yourself if you think you have the right to call out others on how they should act. I'm telling you don't have that right. End of story.

 

[guitarguyvic]

They had more heart at times BAD EXAMPLE

They had more heart? Are you serious? Maybe once Lemaire took over and they went troll on the league, then yeah that was awesome to watch. But before that, it was a total **** show.

You are trying to tell me this current team is worse than that first half 2010 version?

I think the run to the Finals last year has people's perceptions and expectations all out of whack.

 

[guitarguyvic]

You know you put down the team by saying WE are nuts for reacting so badly when the team Lou has on the ice is not very good. You want your cake and eat it too, it doesn't work that way.

I have no idea what you are saying here. Can you clarify?

 

[Sir Fenwick Corsi]

This team plays hard for the most part, but they also play very stupid way too often and that's a big no no when you're icing a lineup without two of your best players. I mean take Tampa's second goal for example. I am not exaggerating in saying that was easily one of the worst hockey plays I have watched in 20 years. It was THAT bad.

The sad part is that the team seemed to be kind of rounding into form the last week or so but they can't stay healthy. Overall though, too many games like tonight have been played this season. Maybe the losses didn't occur the same way, but just these types of games have been played too often. Soft and dumb play against lousy opponents. This is why this season has been so frustrating, especially after they set the bar so high last year.

I mean whatever, it is what it is. Some years they'll have and others they won't. This doesn't look like one of the have it years and I've been feeling that way about them for a good six + weeks now. It doesn't make you a bad fan to think that way either.

 

[Devils Dominion]

How many regulation wins in the last 25 games?

Not many at all and yes we have injuries, a major one now and to our goaltender for a long while. But, they find too many ways to lose.

The staple of a Devils team is to do anything you can to win the game, effort and execution, smart team play.

They have lost that so far this year and need to get it back somehow, with this group of players or others.

Marty talked about chemistry being an issue for the Penguins after the trades.
With so many lineup & line changes here I'm not sure they have much of it themselves.

Biggest problem is the defense corps and poor hockey smarts/sense teamwide.

 

[StvBroDan]

I have no idea what you are saying here. Can you clarify?

You say we have high expectation of the team that Lou has on the ice. That is a direct slap on the team. Not sure what you don't get.

 

[AfroThunder396]

First off, Ottawa's lineup is severely under-rated.

Second of all, I'm not sure why you are taking my comments so personally. My opinions are about the folks that don't offer any kind of smart analysis of what actually happens on the ice, and instead their posts consist solely of name calling and bashing.

You mean like this?:

There's high standards, and then there is just complete unrealistic expectations. And then there is acting like a toddler who just had his ice cream cone taken away when those impossible standards are not met.

People need to get a ****ing grip. We're not going to with the Cup every season. And even in the seasons that are successful, things are not always going to go well. Possibly for long stretches. It's called reality.

People are saying it was a disgusting game BECAUSE IT WAS A DISGUSTING GAME. If this reaction was after a 3-2 loss in week one of the season, yeah, I would agree with you. One game, whatever. But after a month of uninspired hockey the rage from tonight's disgraceful performance is 100% justified.

And then you come in here saying we're being self-entitled children for voicing our frustrations. Not cool.

 

[Sir Fenwick Corsi]

How many regulation wins in the last 25 games?

Not many at all and yes we have injuries, a major one now and to our goaltender for a long while. But, they find too many ways to lose.

The staple of a Devils team is to do anything you can to win the game, effort and execution, smart team play.

They have lost that so far this year and need to get it back somehow, with this group of players or others.

Marty talked about chemistry being an issue for the Penguins after the trades.
With so many lineup & line changes here I'm not sure they have much of it themselves.

Biggest problem is the defense corps and poor hockey smarts/sense teamwide.

I think you really nailed it with this post. Imo, this is just a real honest and spot on view of the club, especially in bold.

They're really running out of time to get things straightened out.

 

[StvBroDan]

They had more heart? Are you serious? Maybe once Lemaire took over and they went troll on the league, then yeah that was awesome to watch. But before that, it was a total **** show.
Total **** show because of the coaching
You are trying to tell me this current team is worse than that first half 2010 version?
Now your picking parts of the season. Yes it was when the coaching changed.

That total **** show as you call it almost pulled it off.=HEART

I think the run to the Finals last year has people's perceptions and expectations all out of whack.

Sigh. Done with this LGD!!!

 

[MadDevil]

Marty talked about chemistry being an issue for the Penguins after the trades.

With so many lineup & line changes here I'm not sure they have much of it.

That's a really good point. The chemistry this team had last year carried them to the Final. They haven't had the same kind of chemistry this season, at least not consistently. The injuries have certainly been a part of that, but even when they've been healthy they haven't looked like they're on the same page.

 

[battlingBard56]

You know when the team is drifting in the wrong direction at the worst time when the board turns into a series of personal arguments.

I'm not going to lie. It looks like the Devils are playing to make our first round draft pick count this season. At least that's how it looks to me. The killer instinct just isn't there right now and though we seem to be playing hard, the mistakes we're making are mistakes born from growing bad habits. Stupid decisions. Lazy mentally. It's not a recipe for success.

 

[BrodeursCups]

Who cares how others react after putrid losses like this one? Everyone has their own way of coping. Doesn't make them any more or less of a fan than any other poster. At the end of the day we all watch the games/go to games/buy gear/etc because we care. I can rage with the best of them but at the end of the day Ill be at the rock Monday night vs the Isles cheering our boys on..

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Have you seen the lineup Ottawa is icing? Because they have an even worse lineup, yet also managed to make us look silly.

There is no excuse for what we saw tonight. They were in control and blew it due to unforced errors. The team was flat out humiliated.

They had no business losing this game at any point tonight.

Get over yourself.

In total agreement. Didn't read back so no clue what Ottawa was about but tonight I agree totally.

Pathetic to lose this game. They should have had 2 points tonight and thats the end of it. Instead they looked awful in their own end and tried to preserve a lead with terrible D play.

Harrold and Volch should not be in the next game or the next few games. Good thing Pete benched Volch so that is at least 1 of them coming out tomorrow.

****in terrible game when it could have easily been a nice regulation win.

 

[Sir Fenwick Corsi]

You know when the team is drifting in the wrong direction at the worst time when the board turns into a series of personal arguments.

I'm not going to lie. It looks like the Devils are playing to make our first round draft pick count this season. At least that's how it looks to me. The killer instinct just isn't there right now and though we seem to be playing hard, the mistakes we're making are mistakes born from growing bad habits. Stupid decisions. Lazy mentally. It's not a recipe for success.

This has been creeping into their game for weeks now. Even when they were winning, this team was always kind of off, if that makes any sense at all.

What's disappointing to me is that I was starting to see some positive trends with their game the last week or so, but they really took a few steps back tonight. This was a very disappointing loss on many different levels.

I'm pretty conflicted about the whole thing to be honest. On one hand I really hope they can make the playoffs, and need to for that matter. On the other hand, I'd hate to see them actually make it playing like this and then get absolutely trounced in the first round. Part of me just wants this to be over because this hasn't been a fun or enjoyable team to pull for this season. They're very tiring. Don't get me wrong, I want to see them do well, but there has just been way too may negative things happening to this team this season. Huge turnaround from the last year and a half.

I'm just hoping tonight was a bad night and that they'll be able to get things straightened out tomorrow, but I don't have a good feeling about the back to back in Florida. I still think they deserve a little bit of a break for tonight because they have been playing better lately, even if the results haven't always been there.

 

[Devils Dominion]

In total agreement. Didn't read back so no clue what Ottawa was about but tonight I agree totally.

Pathetic to lose this game. They should have had 2 points tonight and thats the end of it. Instead they looked awful in their own end and tried to preserve a lead with terrible D play.

Harrold and Volch should not be in the next game or the next few games. Good thing Pete benched Volch so that is at least 1 of them coming out tomorrow.

****in terrible game when it could have easily been a nice regulation win.

Pete should have sat Volch from the start of the 3rd period.
I and other (most) fans called for it on the 2nd.

He instead lets Volch get out there in the 3rd and hooked him too late unfortunately.

If Lou does not buy Volch out this summer you know it's time for a new GM.

 

[njdevil26]

The theme tonight seems to be "No excuse for losing that game" and I agree.

D'Agostini played his best game so far... Loktionov is FANTASTIC. Carter, Gionta, and Bernier were solid. Everyone else was a steaming pile of crap.

The guy that looks the worst right now is Clarkson. He is so ineffective it's hard to watch.

Volchenkov and Salvador looked real bad tonight as well. I'm getting tired of expecting borderline players to play above and beyond their abilities. I would trade for Campbell if I were Lou. Send Fayne, Severson, 2nd rounder. Hell send Tallinder. Florida may take him given the 3.8 mil cap break next season between the two players. Other than that we need to get HEALTHY.