Post-Game Talk: Devils vs. Isles. Still winless but Brunner rules. Now hit the road Jack!

[NjDevsRR]

I already LOVE Clowe. But thats just me.

 

[Jossipov]

I thought they looked better, that's for sure.
Not as worried if they are looking better, as opposed to looking worst....means they are moving in the right direction.

 

[Holtz My Bahls]

I just watched the Harris interview, was he drunk?

"what's the next big thing?" placey questioning.

He seemed absolutelty ****faced. However, when he said "InLouWeTrust", I thought that was pretty awesome.

 

[BrodeursCups]

I already LOVE Clowe. But thats just me.

Guy hits everything that moves, goes into the dirty areas and will stick up for teammates. We're going to love him...

 

[Emperoreddy]

Ya no one can really hate on Harrold tonight. He played really well.

I had no problem with Clowe. Jagr looks a bit off (though not THAT bad, he definitely tried a few things and I saw a few flashes, but he is still off sync). I just don't think the idea Jagr Elias and Clowe on one line was a good idea. To much slowness on one line. Also rather see Elias back on the wing. I've never liked him at center, he seems more invisible there to me personally.

Larsson was bad, but this won't be a trend so I am not worried. Also with the D I think we need to understand just because they don't play on lines with the forwards doesn't mean they aren't affected by the forwards lack of chemistry and cohesion. With the passing being so messy, break outs being slow because the forwards don't know where each other are yet, the amount of mistakes and errant passes go up and the more the D has to cover their *****.

We already know lots of our D is slow so asking them to pick up extra slack, especially when they are still a bit rusty (and they are clearly, they all look more hesitant then they normally would). Team works best as a full unit, if one part is sucking it up the whole thing falls apart.

Honestly it was a fun game to be at, and there were lots of positives. New forwards like Brunner and Ryder were wheeling. Loki was too, I know we all want JJ to play, but I see no reason why it should be at Loki's expense. Kid looked dynamic (I laughed pretty hard. On the goal he got the assist for, Loki took the zone and one guys screams "you suck you aren't with Kovy anymore". Almost like Loki heard him as his play almost immediately set up the goal that I think Ryder scored). Really outside of Jagr (who I think just needs some time to get into the groove) all the forwards looked loads better.

Think of it this way, last night everyone was petrified the offense would be completely stale, but I think tonight showed there is plenty of potential for an effective offense that can score a good amount of goals. We just need to clean our game up.

 

[Bleedred]

I just watched the Harris interview, was he drunk?

"what's the next big thing?" placey questioning.

Someone else asked that in the GDT. Then they played Roadhouse Blues, and I figured it was probably his choice cause that's his kinda song.

 

[kiwidevil]

Henrique was unlucky not to have a couple too.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

How many breakaways did Grabner have? over 9000????

 

[Bleedred]

I thought Loktionov was good. Definitely don't want him removed from the lineup at all. I would like to see Olesz in there at some point. I liked what I saw from him in the preseason.

I have a feeling we're gonna like Olesz a lot more than Dagostino and Butler.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Henrique was unlucky not to have a couple too.

You are right, I liked Henrique tonight as well. Was definitely annoyed he didn't come out for the shoot out. That REALLY felt like Pete wanted to just experiment and see how guys looked and not go with the guys he knows can perform in shootouts (outside of Elias). I mean it is what it is, thing is kind of a crapshoot either way.

 

[Tundra]

Just got back from the game. Some observations:

- Zajac looks done as a scoring line center, as absurd as it sounds. He's so limited without a birddog winger like Parise to retrieve pucks. That contract is going to look even more uglier after this season.

- Jagr showed some flashes, especially the trademark power move in the third, where he shielded and turned his back to the defender before narrowly missing the far post.

- Loktionov is the most skilled forward on the team. Plus, it's amazing how Zubrus is the ultimate Swiss Army knife linemate that can be plugged onto a line and make it hum.

- Marty played pretty well, other than that one questionable misread on Nielson.

- Clowe can never replace Clarkson's rare skills, but he moves the puck better. I'd be shocked if he scores twenty, but he'll accumulate assists.

 

[Devils Trap]

I love Clowe already, he has been great

Zajac looked really good today too. Created solid chances . I hope Henrique-Zajac-Ryder stay together

 

[R8Devs]

Henrique, Elias, and Zajac really have to start putting up points tho, playing well is not good enough.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I thought Loktionov was good. Definitely don't want him removed from the lineup at all. I would like to see Olesz in there at some point. I liked what I saw from him in the preseason.

I have a feeling we're gonna like Olesz a lot more than Dagostino and Butler.

That is where depth is tough. i want Olesz and JJ to play too, but outside of Gio I guess I don't want anyone else to sit. There definitely isn't two forwards I'd take out right now to plug them in. Sucks because I think they would be good.

DAT Depth.

I remember that Jagr play Tundra mentioned. That was definitely a good flash. I think we will see more of that, and see it be more effective as he gets back into game shape and develops chemistry.

I liked the Henrique-Zajac,-Ryder line too, but I'd prefer to split them up because I think Jagr-Elias-Clowe can't stay a line. Way to slow, and I'd really prefer Elias back on the wing (which would require Henrique at center).

 

[Bleedred]

One thing that drives me crazy is in the last two years (11-12 to present) it's like we're contractually obligated to not score a goal in the overtime period. We've been to overtime at least 30 times since 11-12 started and have only scored like 4 OT goals.

The team had some good stuff tonight in the extra period, but we just seem so unlucky in OT. Always get a prime scoring chance that goes wide, hits a post, or goes a couple inches over the net.

I remember at one time Marty had a ridiculously high number of OT wins in the regular season. Just OT wins, not including shootouts. That showed we used to win a lot of games when we went to OT.

 

[kiwidevil]

Elias - Zajac - Ryder
Clowe - Henrique - Jagr
Brunner - Loktionov - Zubrus
Carter - Josefson - Bernier

Switch Jagr and Zubrus if Jagr still struggles.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 3h

DeBoer agreed with Elias' assessment that team played better in some ways in Pittsburgh than it did tonight.

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 3h
Consensus is sloppy play in neutral zone, leading to too many rush chances against.

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 3h
Having new players learn system is contributing to some of the the counterattack chances.

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 3h
Elias cited a situation where all three players on his line were forechecking at same time. Not in right positions.

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice 3h
Anyway, they though their neutral zone play was much better in last 2 periods in Pittsburgh than it was tonight.

Some good insight by Patty I think. Mistakes like that with the new forwards puts extra strain on the D which leads to more mistakes. They and Marty did cover up some, especially in the 3rd, but can't get them all if it keeps happening (especially against a team as fast as the Isles with the lead foots we have on D).

 

[kiwidevil]

I get some of that, but not when Grabner is basically cherry picking and it working every time. That's on the D men, who are not new to the system.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I get some of that, but not when Grabner is basically cherry picking and it working every time. That's on the D men, who are not new to the system.

I think it is more the the forwards being so out of sync is magnifying the flaws with the D. It isn't the whole story, some of the guys on D (Larsson, Volch) did not play well at all.

Point being the forwards aren't doing them any favors though.

 

[JackHughes86]

Good to see you guys not getting so mad after 2 games.We played alot better tonight i don't think we played bad in the 1st game we just had some bad puck luck.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Our defense is scary bad.
Needs major improvement in personnel and in the gameplan.

In their defense, (if that is at all possible)...

The Grabner breakaways are almost entirely on the forwards - on the first one, Jagr is just puttering back down the ice, Patty is along the boards and Slowe was I think glued to the offensive blueline as Grabner is accelerating. No one slowed him down.

doesn't help that Greene/Larsson are completely flatfooted- but on many of tonight's debacles (especially with Grabner) you NEED to have a wing backcheck and get at least a stick on the guy to slow him down.

Patty said it himself... all three forwards were caught forechecking and out of position.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I get some of that, but not when Grabner is basically cherry picking and it working every time. That's on the D men, who are not new to the system.

Grabner wasn't cherry picking, he had the puck and passed it at his own blueline and then BLEW past both Elias and Jagr and split the defense when he received the pass to break in alone...

Should Larsson/Greene have at least something coming and get in better position - yeah - but the guy had the jets on from his own blueline and not only could none of our ultra slow forwards SKATE with him, they couldn't even take a swipe at obstructing or interfering with him... it was pretty disgusting, actually.

 

[kiwidevil]

What goal are we talking?

 

[billingtons ghost]

What goal are we talking?

Grabner's first - it wasn't Greene - actually Salvador was on the ice...

watching it again on the highlights - Clowe and Jagr are both out of position and that's what makes it easy for Grabner to blast up the middle.

Grabner's other one was completely on Marty...

The botched poke check is partially on Marty, but all 3 forwards are forechecking and that springs the 3-on-2 that causes the whole problem.

 

[manilaNJ]

Faceoff% from TG's blog:

Steve Bernier: 1-0 (100 percent)
Patrik Elias: 8-5 (62 percent)
Stephen Gionta: 3-2 (60 percent)
Dainius Zubrus: 1-1 (50 percent)
Travis Zajac: 9-10 (47 percent)
Andrei Loktionov: 2-3 (40 percent)
Adam Henrique: 0-6 (0 percent)
Ryane Clowe: 0-1 (0 percent)

Can't help but get a few chuckles out of this one.