GDT: Devils vs. Penguins - 1:00 PM - MSG+

[NJ Fan 12]

Not sure the Gusev hate, this game and last has been the best he's looked for NJ this season. Johnsson too.

With all the time they had in the offensive zone, how did neither of them have a shot on goal?

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

With all the time they had in the offensive zone, how did neither of them have a shot on goal?

The most memorable shift was Gusev and Smith dancing around the perimeter for about 2 minutes it seemed, just Pitt kept their attack to the outside I guess.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

Really young centers are usually poor at it and develop the skill last.

 

[Blender]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

He's 19 and slim, it's expected that he's bad at them right now. Do you remember how dreadful Crosby was at them as a young player?

 

[Auto Pilot]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

Face offs are pretty useless and not indicative of controlling play.

not worried about him being amazing at them. Some of the leagues best centers suck at them.

he’s driving play is the most important thing

 

[Captain3rdLine]

The most memorable shift was Gusev and Smith dancing around the perimeter for about 2 minutes it seemed, just Pitt kept their attack to the outside I guess.

That was 90% smith 10% Gusev, Gusev just didn’t mess it up even tho he came close a couple times

smith was dancing

 

[Maine Fan]

Too bad, I thought today would be different. Not so.

GF was good start

1st GA was a result of sloppy play by our team especially the D. Never should have scored.

2nd GA, guess what, another score because of sloppy play by our team.

3rd GA was a beautiful goal by Pittsburgh set up perfectly by Crosby.
The game started out good for the Devils but that only lasted for the first period.

My prediction of 2 points for the Devils in the two games is going to be tough. Pittsburgh going home, they know to just rattle the Devils they have the talent to do that. Sorry to say it doesn't look good for the Devils tomorrow.

Then the schedule sets the Devils up for 5 straight failures playing Flyers, Washington twice and Boston twice and the month is over.

Time to sell the veterans all of them. Zajac won't go because he has a No Trade clause and he deserves to stay as a result of his play. The defense has players to sell, doing so will weaken the Devils for next season, as long as they have a mind set not to buy FAs, but it won't matter. Next season will be a non playoff year as well because of their rebuild plan with youth.

 

[Woncka]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

They should just have guys take them for him. Have him line up on wing for faceoffs and play center

nothing wrong with that. Giroux does it in Philly for centers

 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Hughes is dreadful in the faceoff circle. Hopefully he improves at that because if he is going to a be a center in this league winning 1 out of every 4 faceoffs isnt going to cut it.

I’m one of the biggest Hughes defenders out there, but yeah he sucks at FO’s. I remember Nico being pretty bad at them his first year though, and he’s greatly improved since then. Hopefully Jack can, too.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They should just have guys take them for him. Have him line up on wing for faceoffs and play center

nothing wrong with that. Giroux does it in Philly for centers

He won't get better that way.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

It takes 20+ seconds for our power play to gain the zone, it’s an absurd system for zone entry. Then we have two many soft players who can’t puck retrieve

Think your second point is a far bigger issue - though the entries are agita inducing too.

It also seems like players are thinking rather than playing free when they move the puck. It's not something that will be fixed right away but with time and experience should steadily become more refined.

But it's not fun to watch while going through the process.

 

[Woncka]

He won't get better that way.

Im willing to go that route as well

though in years of watching, I have a strong feeling he wont ever be good at them. And besides, Id rather Jack be flying off the wing slot during a faceoff instead of having our (soon to be) best skater in the history of the team being tied up in the dot

 

[Nocashstyle]

We were outshot, outchanced and outscored at 5 on 5.

Not really what I was saying. They basically had a 4 minute power play which was clearly a gigantic opportunity to tie it. They didn’t.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Sorry guys I kind of nitpicked at something I already knew the answer too. Just frustrating looking st the boxscore stats to this game as it was watching it live on TV. Hopefully tomorrow we play better. Just want to move the useless players off this roster and land that star D man this summer in the draft. Let's hope the young guys keep picking it up.

 

[Devils731]

Another example of a goal after a whistle.

The NHL has too many conflicting rules in the rule book. It allows them to pick and choose which to enforce based on “feel”. This effectively means the written rules are pointless as the league can make the call either way and justify it with the rule book.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Understandably so. Lindy's not pleased.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Honestly, Jim Rutherford is an unbelievable Gm. Having Crosby and Malkin helps but he has kept them as a solid playoff team for quite a while now even when people think they might fall off or Crosby or Malkin are injured. Every time I watch them I think that they have so many underrated players that maybe don’t put up a ton of points or get a ton of attention but are effective players. He seems to have a great eye for underrated players in my opinion. I know he’s gone now.

 

[Bleedred]

Honestly, Jim Rutherford is an unbelievable Gm. Having Crosby and Malkin helps but he has kept them as a solid playoff team for quite a while now even when people think they might fall off or Crosby or Malkin are injured. Every time I watch them I think that they have so many underrated players that maybe don’t put up a ton of points or get a ton of attention but are effective players. He seems to have a great eye for underrated players in my opinion. I know he’s gone now.

Remember when he was the GM in Hartford/Raleigh for 20 years and they missed the playoffs all but like 5 times?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I’m one of the biggest Hughes defenders out there, but yeah he sucks at FO’s. I remember Nico being pretty bad at them his first year though, and he’s greatly improved since then. Hopefully Jack can, too.

Nico was bad but not this bad
43% first year
45% second
52% third
58% so far this year
Did improve a lot and hopefully Hughes can too but Jack is much worse in his first two seasons
36% last year
Around 34% this year I believe

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Merkley looked good today

Him, Kuok, McLeod, Bastin Maltsev are all pretty decent bottom 6 players.

You don't watch hockey much do you?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Remember when he was the GM in Hartford/Raleigh for 20 years and they missed the playoffs all but like 5 times?

Nope honestly my post had more to do with the fact that I always like so many players on penguins that I think are underrated. No clue how much credit Rutherford should get for that or exactly what kind of moves he’s made. Just kind of attributed it to him because he was the Gm for so long and they have been a good team for a long time.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

Who does Chris Westcott think he is and what does anyone care what he thinks of Jack Hughes' game?

 

[NJ Fan 12]

The most memorable shift was Gusev and Smith dancing around the perimeter for about 2 minutes it seemed, just Pitt kept their attack to the outside I guess.

One of Ruff's harshest comments post-game was how guys free lanced (my word not his) rather than moving the puck to where the plan was to move it.

One of the few games where he seemed visibly disappointed with an effort.

 

[StevenToddIves]

They had a lot of possession, Gusev and Johnsson just never finished their chances, as usual. Maltsev's line is almost always the best or 2nd best in possession.

Give Maltsev some better wingers and the goals will come. Gusev is weird because he'll make a great play and then a head-scratcher in succession. But he's not a kid, there's no excusing his general inconsistency this season. Johnsson is becoming increasingly boring to talk about. His painfully low ability to process the game led to the Bryan Rust goal, and he passed up one of the Devils best shooting attempts of the game ten feet from the net for a low-percentage pass attempt to a double covered teammate. I can't see how you can write his name into the line-up over some of these youngsters who are regularly outperforming him on the ice.