Pre-Game Talk: Series Preview: Your New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

[EliasFTW]

Had a dream last night Devils tied a game 3-3 to get it into overtime. Then my Dog woke me up so no idea how it finished.

 

[billingtons ghost]

the writing/grammar in that article is atrocious

It is frigging unreadable. I want to track this guy down on the internet and slap the shit out of him and spam his facebook accounts. geeez.. clearly monkeys can bang on keyboards.

 

[FooteBahl]

He'll see a lot of Travis and the Texans, which I think may prove irritating - three guys who are very good defensively and fast.

I want to see them all be a modern day Pandolfo and just hound them the entire series.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Had a dream last night Devils tied a game 3-3 to get it into overtime. Then my Dog woke me up so no idea how it finished.

nice, we got a point

 

[MartyOwns]

It is frigging unreadable. I want to track this guy down on the internet and slap the **** out of him and spam his facebook accounts. geeez.. clearly monkeys can bang on keyboards.

i just shipped the author a box of commas, so hopefully future editions will be better. then again, based on that article he may be allergic to commas. my god don't open the package!!

 

[OmNomNom]

It is frigging unreadable. I want to track this guy down on the internet and slap the **** out of him and spam his facebook accounts. geeez.. clearly monkeys can bang on keyboards.

aw he's just a hockey dad who's not really the type to be into grammar

Hockey and music and finding the game where you least expect it.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Latest Devils All Access Podcast with Coach Hynes

Devils All-Access Podcast

 

[FooteBahl]

i just shipped the author a box of commas, so hopefully future editions will be better. then again, based on that article he may be allergic to commas. my god don't open the package!!

Did you ship it via amazon prime so he’ll have them in time for Saturday’s preview?

 

[AfroThunder396]

Current Devils with playoff games played:

Boyle - 102
Johansson - 69
Lovejoy - 58
Zajac - 52
Greene -45
Maroon - 42
Vatanen - 40
Palmieri - 33
Moore - 33
Stafford - 30
Grabner - 29

Yes we have some important rookies with no playoff experience, but I don't see people claiming that Sergachev, Gourde, and Point will be hurt by their lack of experience.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I heard the Open Practice today was packed.

 

[Missionhockey]

People realize we have like nine or ten guys with prior playoff experience, right?

"lack of experience"

Yes but our best players, Hall, Palmieri, and Nico have never played a playoff game. Those are the guys we really lean on. The first game is going to be the toughest IMO.

Edit: When I was referring to Palmieri I meant in his role as a top 6er.

 

[Devilsgrl35]

Current Devils with playoff games played:

Boyle - 102
Johansson - 69
Lovejoy - 58
Zajac - 52
Greene -45
Maroon - 42
Vatanen - 40
Palmieri - 33
Moore - 33
Stafford - 30
Grabner - 29

Yes we have some important rookies with no playoff experience, but I don't see people claiming that Sergachev, Gourde, and Point will be hurt by their lack of experience.

We really do have the perfect mix of youth and veterans. I'm excited to get going tomorrow.

 

[billingtons ghost]

aw he's just a hockey dad who's not really the type to be into grammar

Hockey and music and finding the game where you least expect it.

Alright alright... it is just a blog - I'll back off. I thought for a sec it was someone who actually got paid to write articles.

 

[Missionhockey]

I think that if the Devils want to make any noise in the playoffs then Pavel Zacha needs to have a coming out party. We have a rough idea of what we will get from Hall-Nico-Palmieri. If Zacha can really solidify that second line they have a chance to do something.

 

[Wingman77]

Yes but our best players, Hall, Palmieri, and Nico have never played a playoff game. Those are the guys we really lean on. The first game is going to be the toughest IMO.

Edit: When I was referring to Palmieri I meant in his role as a top 6er.

Palmieri actually did see some games with the Ducks in the playoffs over the years.

The games we've had most of the month of March have been as close to playoff games as they can get for the guys that haven't seen a playoff game. They handled some of the biggest games of their careers to date pretty well during that stretch so you hope it's a good indicator of how they'll handle similar games coming up now, of course of more importance.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The team has essentially been playing playoff games since the big west coast trip. Pressure didn’t faze them then, I don’t expect nerves to be much of a factor.

 

[Missionhockey]

Palmieri actually did see some games with the Ducks in the playoffs over the years.

The games we've had most of the month of March have been as close to playoff games as they can get for the guys that haven't seen a playoff game. They handled some of the biggest games of their careers to date pretty well during that stretch so you hope it's a good indicator of how they'll handle similar games coming up now, of course of more importance.

Yeah I was a little unclear in that post but I meant to say that Palmieri has a bigger role now then when he did when he was with the Ducks.

 

[Devils Dominion]

The team has essentially been playing playoff games since the big west coast trip. Pressure didn’t faze them then, I don’t expect nerves to be much of a factor.

Agree, though maybe in the opening period on Thursday for a little bit.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Agree, though maybe in the opening period on Thursday for a little bit.

Hall is gonna get one early, I can feel it.

 

[Wingman77]

Yeah I was a little unclear in that post but I meant to say that Palmieri has a bigger role now then when he did when he was with the Ducks.

For sure. Us being in the playoffs for the first time in 6 years aside, what I'm most interested to see is how said guys who have little or no playoff experience handle it. Always love seeing the unexpected guys rise too.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m glad I couldn’t make tomorrow’s game in person anyway. I’m probably more sick than I’ve been in the last 5 years. WTF am I still doing at work?

Glad to see some playoff hockey tonight, so I don’t have to go to sleep at 10:00 PM due to boredom and feeling like shit, then waking up at 3:00 AM and not being able to get back to sleep. Hopefully I’m nice and tired when the games end tonight.

 

[FooteBahl]

Agree, though maybe in the opening period on Thursday for a little bit.

Let's not all jump off the ledge either when Keith lets in his mandatory goal in the first two minutes.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I think that if the Devils want to make any noise in the playoffs then Pavel Zacha needs to have a coming out party. We have a rough idea of what we will get from Hall-Nico-Palmieri. If Zacha can really solidify that second line they have a chance to do something.

For a kid who used to look straight up sheepish, he has certainly turned a corner in the confidence department.

He's finally putting pen to paper, and if he can be one of the guys that finds an extra gear, our depth is that much more impressive.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Especially if they get any significant time on the PP, Tampa should have no problem scoring. Our key has to be the counterattack; we have to use our speed and transition game to keep them somewhat on their heels. Lovejoy adds nothing in regards to either of those factors.

Couldn't disagree with this more.

What you described is a track meet, they'll lose in 4 or 5 games if they try to, "out Tampa" the Lightning by winning a healthy diet of wipe open 5-4 games.

The only way the Devils advance is with a total commitment to team defense, from the 1st line to the 3rd D-pairing and everyone in-between. Playing 3-2 and 2-1 games should be the strategy.

 

[Nubmer6]

I feel like we have problems on D when we try too hard - we start chasing the puck instead of just playing our position and forcing shots to the outside. We need to stay disciplined and not get out of position, not force passes, and not constantly go for the low percentage home-run head man pass. Turnovers near the blue line against this team will kill us.