Post-Game Talk: Devils @ Leafs

[Cheddabombs]

Still feel bad for Bambisi

Potential game-winner on his stick, in front of his friends and family, and that happens.

Maybe I'd be more pissed about the outcome of last night if I hadn't already accepted the fact that this team will most likely miss the playoffs. We're simply not that good of a team compared to those that we're fighting against for the final few spots. But that's okay! Even if they miss it this season has done wonders to give me faith in the team moving forward. There would be plenty to build off next year.

 

[Devils Dominion]

The quick whistles and face off losses were infuriating last night.

I mentioned that in the game thread.

I counted 4 quick whistles when Reimer did not have the puck.
All blown by the same arrogant ref who had a smirk on his face a number of times last night.

Reimer was there for the taking last night, the Devils did not take advantage.

 

[Billdo]

Still feel bad for Bambisi

Potential game-winner on his stick, in front of his friends and family, and that happens.

Maybe I'd be more pissed about the outcome of last night if I hadn't already accepted the fact that this team will most likely miss the playoffs. We're simply not that good of a team compared to those that we're fighting against for the final few spots. But that's okay! Even if they miss it this season has done wonders to give me faith in the team moving forward. There would be plenty to build off next year.

The general consensus going into this year was that we'd be a bottom barrel team. I'm pleasantly surprised where we are at this point of the "rebuild" and the future looks a lot brighter if you look at the additions of Zacha, possibly Wood, Quenneville, Blandisi as full time, Boucher as possibly full time. On a different note, the subtractions are just as bright in my mind as there won't be, or at the very least shouldn't be, the Ruutus, Tootoos, Giontas, Kennedys, etc that have plagued us for a few years.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I never wanted Schlemko signed in the first place, because I knew it would make Gelinas the odd man out on most nights. And it turns out that it has.

But somehow Schlemko has managed to outproduce Gelinas this season by quite a bit, and has been a much better defensive player. Most of Schlemko's points have come on the power play this season.

^this exactly.

I thought the same with Stempniak - and I was dead wrong there...

I thought the same with Kennedy, and I think I'm right there. Matteau and Boucher are being stunted with him.

 

[Devils Dominion]

^this exactly.

I thought the same with Stempniak - and I was dead wrong there...

I thought the same with Kennedy, and I think I'm right there. Matteau and Boucher are being stunted with him.

Don't forget about Gionta and Tootoo taking spots.

I've had enough of both of them.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Still feel bad for Bambisi

Potential game-winner on his stick, in front of his friends and family, and that happens.

Maybe I'd be more pissed about the outcome of last night if I hadn't already accepted the fact that this team will most likely miss the playoffs. We're simply not that good of a team compared to those that we're fighting against for the final few spots. But that's okay! Even if they miss it this season has done wonders to give me faith in the team moving forward. There would be plenty to build off next year.

I fully accept we are in this and while it annoyed me, I'm still ok over it. We played like ****, our key guys were not good, and we had our back up in and still got a key point.

Maybe its because I actually trust this team to bounce back quickly and get points from the next three that I'm not worried.

 

[Zippy316]

Don't forget about Gionta and Tootoo taking spots.

I've had enough of both of them.

Gionta and Tootoo are fine in their role. Matteau has not played well enough to deserve a spot.

They play hard, they play fast, they play physical, and more often than not, they are buzzing around in the offensive zone. They're not the problem.

Our problem right now is the disappearance of some of our top six -- Palmieri, Henrique, and Zajac mainly -- and our third line carrying on with it's inability to produce. I like Josefson, but he really needs to be pushed down to the fourth line in even strength. He just doesn't have any ability to create good scoring chances 5-on-5.

Kennedy has been playing well lately. I don't mind him as a filler on the third line here and there; he generates offense pretty well in that spot. If it were up to me, when Cammalleri comes back, I would roll with this. I feel like this is our best shot at getting a productive third line. Josefson will likely look better on the fourth line with their erratic cycling and simple game. They just battle hard, get the puck to the point, and go to the front of the net.

Cammalleri - Henrique - Stempniak
Blandisi - Zajac - Palmieri
Boucher - Kalinin - Kennedy
Farnham - Josefson - Gionta

 

[Bologna 1]

i always go by whether i currently have a positive or negative gut feeling towards the team. it comes instinctually and is basically a constant rollercoaster between the two (never a combination of the two, always one or the other). right now, i am positive.

 

[Emperoreddy]

i always go by whether i currently have a positive or negative gut feeling towards the team. it comes instinctually and is basically a constant rollercoaster between the two (never a combination of the two, always one or the other). right now, i am positive.

It is hard not to be I feel.

We are 6-1-1 out of our last 8. That is pretty damn good. Team is gaining traction. Ya you could go the negative route and say we are due for another dip, but I don't feel it. Especially with how Cory seems so locked in.

We do need to tighten up defensively. Last two games we played way to loose.

 

[JK3]

We had a nice little run there but I can't be happy at all losing to that team. These are the games they HAVE to win.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Big picture I'm happy with where the team is certainly relative to pre-season expectations. Small picture, last night's game was not going to make me happy. Maybe the next couple of games will make me happy again.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The loss sucks, but I don't think it should spoil any positive thoughts for the big picture here IMO.

 

[mtnet]

Hated seeing last night go to a SO, just knew that meant 1 point only
Boosh had a sweet move there though just couldn't put it away

Our defense was a shambles all night
Lars looked good as did Schlemko, both seem pretty darn steady (occasional flubs aside)
Both teams overall though looked like a flying circus of suck...The difference is I expect that from the laffs!

Kinkaid had his absolute best effort of the season though and deserved a win
Then again you could say the same of Cory in countless games as well so...yeah
At any rate Kinky did a good job, he was hung out hard many a time last night

Bambisi was a riot out there
I think the friends and family factor went to his head he tried to do just a bit too much at times and his feet couldn't keep up
So glad seeing him back though because I noticed him a lot in preseason and even more so now, he's always in on something and his effort level is surely admirable

Aside from somehow squeaking out assists in the last two games Gelly had a lot of cringeworthy moments ...poor decisions often and has a hard time holding the line too
I think our opponents can smell blood in the water when he's out there and pressure him with zero respect to frequently force turnovers in both ends
I'm not one of his harshest or most frequent critics but I don't see him gaining requisite confidence anytime soon this late in the season so he's due to be warming a seat up in the box

Moore looked to be playing a bit scared out there last night
I acknowledge he was just coming back but he noticeably lacked his usual confidence so hopefully he will shake it off
Mostly just seemed to be doing his best punching bag impression by taking hard hits behind our goal line

To say Henrique has lacked impact would be an understatement
And Zajac's 2-way needs some balance, great on the D (as usual) while the O is out to lunch
Kalinin looking unsteady and not in on the play recently, what's up?
Palmieri must be sick or something, he was not himself
Josefson...what can I say not much coming to mind here

I'm not even going to comment on the 4th line except to say Farnham always brings the laughs out there what a spitfire

If nothing else I'm glad the devs showed all the talking heads they weren't going to roll over into the bottom 5 all season like everyone predicted, in fact they've never been near as bad as some of the bottom dwellers that give us fits (tor and cbj to name a couple)

The fact that they've been in and out of a spot much of the season is a testament to coaching and a few other things, they've exceeded expectations
Makes it all the more difficult seeing us play down to scrubs again for a gratuitous pond hockey exhibition like last night
The upcoming schedule is rough and with our closest divisional rivals still having 2-3 games to go yet things are getting pretty precarious

 

[Emperoreddy]

JJ had a good game. PP goal. Cross bar on another and he did tuck a loose puck in but didn't count because the ref blew the whistle way to fast.

 

[mtnet]

true, I think I'm so used to JJ not doing much I forgot he potted one last night for a change (3rd all season)
reimer looked pretty sad on that one too

there were a few quick whistles, that one was the most noticeable

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

JJ had a good game and actually produced. Main problem with him is just that I don't see his production ever really rising much more. He's in his prime now. Does some useful things but mostly a pretty bland and unproductive player. He seems like a nice and hard-working guy, though. That I won't take away from him.

 

[mtnet]

Yeah I think this is the year I finally wrote JJ off for good
Hence my glaring oversight on his goal last night

We've got enough guys that have a good game out of every 5 as it is
Or out of every 10

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Yeah I think this is the year I finally wrote JJ off for good
Hence my glaring oversight on his goal last night

We've got enough guys that have a good game out of every 5 as it is
Or out of every 10

I'm with you on that. He got too much opportunity and did too little with it for me to really feel that he's ever going to contribute much to this team. A shame, but at least we have a guy like Palmieri to pick up the slack. (Let's just pretend Palmieri was our pick that year...)

 

[Devils Dominion]

Got dominated in puck possession
Destroyed in faceoffs.

Struggled to clear our zone all night.

But, still didn't lose a hockey game.
Lost the skills thang.

Hopefully Hynes has them ready from the get go tomorrow.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Zajac & Henrique were terrible last night. Big reason we lost.

 

[AfroThunder396]

The Leafs feed was complimenting Josefson on the power play last night. They mentioned he has an excellent release from the top of the circle and it's hard to stop those shots when there's traffic in front.

 

[Cheddabombs]

The Leafs feed was complimenting Josefson on the power play last night. They mentioned he has an excellent release from the top of the circle and it's hard to stop those shots when there's traffic in front.

Basically goes with the theme that the Canadian media is generally out of touch with the Devils and their players

 

[glenwo2]

^ yeah but it's nice of them to compliment YaYo like that anyway.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Got dominated in puck possession
Destroyed in faceoffs.

Struggled to clear our zone all night.

But, still didn't lose a hockey game.
Lost the skills thang.

Hopefully Hynes has them ready from the get go tomorrow.

Kind of hope Hynes rips into them a bit. Effort really wasn't where it should've been. Toronto shouldn't have dominated so much of the play and gotten the two points, but it happened because only about 3-5 Devils players played well. At least we did get a point out of an ugly game, but I wish it hadn't been so hideous.

 

[Zippy316]

Kind of hope Hynes rips into them a bit. Effort really wasn't where it should've been. Toronto shouldn't have dominated so much of the play and gotten the two points, but it happened because only about 3-5 Devils players played well. At least we did get a point out of an ugly game, but I wish it hadn't been so hideous.

On the bright side, even these games where we are outplayed, we never give up any glorious scoring chances.

War-on-ice maps out high, medium, and low quality chances, by the location to where the majority of goals occur. I believe the Leafs only had one more high quality chance than us and one more medium quality chance than us.