GDT: Devils vs. Blackhawks - 7:30PM MSG+

[Edmonton East]

I'm starting to think FMASC might be right about DSP ending up in the press box. He has not looked good so far.

Just 5 or so months ago the majority of this board was locking him in as a top 9 forward with quite a few saying top 6. While others like myself insisted he was a 4th with 3rd line upside.

Still hope the former are correct, but not looking good early on.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

They deserved two points last night. Better team for 50 minutes and that's what happens when u can't finish. Rico and Palimeri need to get going. Real bad penalty by Fiddler and Auvitu coughs up the puck in ot. I was impressed by Bennett and most of team played well. It would be nice to beat a very good
Team in Tampa and forget last night's game.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm starting to think FMASC might be right about DSP ending up in the press box. He has not looked good so far.

Just 5 or so months ago the majority of this board was locking him in as a top 9 forward with quite a few saying top 6. While others like myself insisted he was a 4th with 3rd line upside.

Still hope the former are correct, but not looking good early on.

After his finish last season with us he deserved a chance to at least start in the top nine, that was my only bone of contention with the people putting him on the fourth line before the season even started. Clearly there was a possibility his production wouldn't be there this year and he'd prove once and for all he was a fourth-liner, but he earned the chance to sink or swim first.

 

[Devilswede]

It's the same old story with this team. I don't care how you play if you keep losing games you should've won. It'd a loser's mentality and something this team just can't shed.

And I also can't believe we kept Kinkaid as backup over Wedgewood. Kinkaid sucks and just doesn't instill confidence in his teammates and us fans.

Our players are underperforming this year unlike last season and it will lead to another playoff-less spring.

 

[Bleedred]

It's the same old story with this team. I don't care how you play if you keep losing games you should've won. It'd a loser's mentality and something this team just can't shed.

And I also can't believe we kept Kinkaid as backup over Wedgewood. Kinkaid sucks and just doesn't instill confidence in his teammates and us fans.

Our players are underperforming this year unlike last season and it will lead to another playoff-less spring.

I don't think Wedgewood helped his cause with two stoppable goals at MSG. They were both worse than anything Kinkaid allowed tonight, even if one the goals on Wedgewood was a backdoor one timer.

That said, I will lose patience with him really quick if he serves up a few duds. I will give him a pass with this game. I couldn't really find much wrong with his game, other than not battling through screens which was a recurring problem last year. The rebound was real sloppy before the OT winner. Almost looked like the puck went through him and laid in the crease. But it was one of 3 or 4 reasons we got scored on in that sequence. There was more than enough time to get the puck out after that happened.

 

[Bleedred]

The Record needs to get AG a new laptop or something!

 

[Devils Dominion]

For you Friday the 13th fans.

Chicago was Jason and NJD was the teen who hit him with a 2 by 4, knocked him down and thought he was done but really didn't finish him off.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I took a decent amount of heat around here last year for fuming over Kalinin playing with Zajac and Palmieri, to ''Shut down the other top lines''.

And Kalinin sucks at offense, he's terrible at it.

And people here are complaining about Zajac playing with Hall and Palmieri? Zajac is one of our leading scorers this year.

There's a small but vocal amount of people on this board that exaggerate how badly Zajac's offensive game is, as much as some fans and writers around the league still claim that Pekka Rinne is an elite goalie.

There is nothing wrong with Travis and the frustration is not about him or really any player. What it comes down to is this: You are at home. You have the last change. You can keep Zacha with Hall, keep Zajac on his previous line, and just match the Zajac line against the Toews line. That way you don't lose the chemistry Zacha and Hall have, you don't force Zacha to play against Toews and Kane, and you keep the same lineup that has won the previous 3 home games. If this game was on the road I would at least understand what Hynes was thinking. But at home I'm really at a loss to explain it. His line shuffling right now is like a nervous tick akin to JMac's "Ya know".

Jim made a good point. The Devils aren't good enough to make a couple big mistakes, and they made a couple big mistakes. It's just frustrating because it doesn't feel like they were put in the best position to succeed.

 

[Camille the Eel]

They deserved two points last night. Better team for 50 minutes and that's what happens when u can't finish. Rico and Palimeri need to get going. Real bad penalty by Fiddler and Auvitu coughs up the puck in ot. I was impressed by Bennett and most of team played well. It would be nice to beat a very good
Team in Tampa and forget last night's game.

Auvitu's play showed maybe continuing adjustment to the NHL. On a larger ice surface he would have skated away from the Chicago check along the boards. Then physically he just got knocked off the play and threw it out to center ice.

Physicality on a smaller surface - he's going to have to learn to cope with that reality, to swim in that sea.

That said, the goal was even more an issue of Hall getting trapped out there. That was a numbskull play by him. Technique wise he has to be aware. If I'm Cammy or Palmieri sitting on the bench, I am pissed at this guy. Take your shift and get off the ice.

Finally, Henrique has got to hit the net fifteen seconds in. It could have been game over for us once again on the first rush. As in Tampa, Henrique shows why he's not Hall. Two missed nets in overtime on two brilliant set ups.

 

[Camille the Eel]

also Hynes takes some heat for it too. Quenneville out coached him in the last five minutes of the game and in o.t.. Their getting the extra guy on at the end of the power play, when he came straight from the bench and scored, took us by surprise. And in OT Hynes personnel decisions were faulty and he's got to manage the changes to get Hall off.

Live and learn.

 

[Wingman77]

Zacha had one of the best games of his career thus far last night, looked fantastic was all over the place creating plays and chances.

Really not understanding some of Hynes decision making so far this year. From having Santini up here and not playing (understand there is some value in having him watch from above, but it only reaches a certain point where he should have at least seen a game or so while he was up), to the handling of DSP and other guys in roles they should or shouldn't be in to the bingo balling of the lines.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Auvitu's play showed maybe continuing adjustment to the NHL. On a larger ice surface he would have skated away from the Chicago check along the boards. Then physically he just got knocked off the play and threw it out to center ice.

Physicality on a smaller surface - he's going to have to learn to cope with that reality, to swim in that sea.

That said, the goal was even more an issue of Hall getting trapped out there. That was a numbskull play by him. Technique wise he has to be aware. If I'm Cammy or Palmieri sitting on the bench, I am pissed at this guy. Take your shift and get off the ice.

Finally, Henrique has got to hit the net fifteen seconds in. It could have been game over for us once again on the first rush. As in Tampa, Henrique shows why he's not Hall. Two missed nets in overtime on two brilliant set ups.

Yep, last night and in Florida.

He basically has not scored a goal yet this season that he meant too.

The Terrible Trio needs to start playing hockey tonight.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Tough loss, but I am feeling pretty good after last night. When was the last time we dominated a team like Chicago for two periods like that?

NJ is now top 10 in Fenwick close percentage:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/teamstats.php?disp=1&db=201617&sit=5v5close&sort=FFPCT&sortdir=DESC

We're actually top 5 in shots close percentage:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/teamstats.php?disp=1&db=201617&sit=5v5close&sort=SFPCT&sortdir=DESC

 

[Balance]

Tough loss, but I am feeling pretty good after last night. When was the last time we dominated a team like Chicago for two periods like that?

NJ is now top 10 in Fenwick close percentage:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/teamstats.php?disp=1&db=201617&sit=5v5close&sort=FFPCT&sortdir=DESC

We're actually top 5 in shots close percentage:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/teamstats.php?disp=1&db=201617&sit=5v5close&sort=SFPCT&sortdir=DESC

Agreed, Chicago had a lot of luck in that game.

A 4 minute PP at the end of the game is just an unlike scenario, and 3 on 3 is too random to predict.

 

[Brick City]

Only read the last few pages of this thread, but not sure why people seem down on Kinkaid. Obviously he's no Cory, but I thought he did just fine in the backup role. A number of great glove saves, and of the two goals allowed, the first appeared to be a laser and the second was at the end of a 4 minute double minor. We have to be winning games where the backup only gives up 2 goals. Sort of like the 4th or 5th pitcher in the rotation giving up 3 runs in 6 innings - that is a satisfactory performance imo.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Only read the last few pages of this thread, but not sure why people seem down on Kinkaid. Obviously he's no Cory, but I thought he did just fine in the backup role. A number of great glove saves, and of the two goals allowed, the first appeared to be a laser and the second was at the end of a 4 minute double minor. We have to be winning games where the backup only gives up 2 goals. Sort of like the 4th or 5th pitcher in the rotation giving up 3 runs in 6 innings - that is a satisfactory performance imo.

Agreed. Kinkaid had a great game. A bunch of point blank stops in the third on guys like Kane.

Second goal was most definitely not his fault, nor was the third.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

also Hynes takes some heat for it too. Quenneville out coached him in the last five minutes of the game and in o.t.. Their getting the extra guy on at the end of the power play, when he came straight from the bench and scored, took us by surprise. And in OT Hynes personnel decisions were faulty and he's got to manage the changes to get Hall off.

Live and learn.

Hall couldn't get off because Auvitu turned it over in his own zone

 

[Camille the Eel]

Hall couldn't get off because Auvitu turned it over in his own zone

appreciate that, but Hall needed to get off about 30 seconds earlier. You're looking for about a 30 second shift (at most 40 or 45) in overtime, as in a game, any time you pass the bench get the hell off. Cycle your best guys.

That said it's a hard change in o.t. Still he's got to be aware. Don't be a hog man.

 

[Sascha Goc]

The other top guys need to get going. Henrique/Cammalleri/Palmieri need to start putting pucks in the net regularly. They are playing pretty well otherwise in terms of possession and generating chances but they have to start turning these games into wins.

 

[Brick City]

The other top guys need to get going. Henrique/Cammalleri/Palmieri need to start putting pucks in the net regularly.

I'm not worried yet, particularly with the usually slow starting Hall (per Edmonton fans) off to a hot start. If we are doing this well without them producing (yes, this young squad with a bunch of new faces is exceeding my expectations so far this early in the season), can only hope there will be a clear improvement once those guys actually get going.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Auvitu's play showed maybe continuing adjustment to the NHL. On a larger ice surface he would have skated away from the Chicago check along the boards. Then physically he just got knocked off the play and threw it out to center ice.

Physicality on a smaller surface - he's going to have to learn to cope with that reality, to swim in that sea.

That said, the goal was even more an issue of Hall getting trapped out there. That was a numbskull play by him. Technique wise he has to be aware. If I'm Cammy or Palmieri sitting on the bench, I am pissed at this guy. Take your shift and get off the ice.

Finally, Henrique has got to hit the net fifteen seconds in. It could have been game over for us once again on the first rush. As in Tampa, Henrique shows why he's not Hall. Two missed nets in overtime on two brilliant set ups.

Not trying to say Hall is beyond criticism, however, he was out of gas and was looking to change until Auvitu coughed up the puck.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Zacha had one of the best games of his career thus far last night, looked fantastic was all over the place creating plays and chances.

Really not understanding some of Hynes decision making so far this year. From having Santini up here and not playing (understand there is some value in having him watch from above, but it only reaches a certain point where he should have at least seen a game or so while he was up), to the handling of DSP and other guys in roles they should or shouldn't be in to the bingo balling of the lines.

Zacha has been great, but we need him to bury some pucks.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I'm not worried yet, particularly with the usually slow starting Hall (per Edmonton fans) off to a hot start. If we are doing this well without them producing (yes, this young squad with a bunch of new faces is exceeding my expectations so far this early in the season), can only hope there will be a clear improvement once those guys actually get going.

Not sure it should be a realistic expectation that Camm will get going. Injury prone and aging and hadn't played for a long stretch prior to the start of the season. His decision making and passing has been atrocious, he hasn't gotten into prime scoring areas or gotten his shot off, just bad in all areas offensively. If this level of play continues for another five games I'm not sure we can dismiss it as just him getting off to a slow start.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Really tough not getting two points in that game. I had this bad feeling when they couldn't increase the lead to 2. Real tough break on the Fiddler penalty. Had Kane not been cut, there's a good chance we are 4-2-1.

Overall, I can't complain too much. I thought the team looked fantastic.

 

[Zippy316]

Only watched the first two periods, but the team looked incredible last night.

Curious to see how tonight's game goes. Another big test for the Devils tonight.