GDT: Spidey's Angry! Bruins @ Devils, 7 PM, MSG+ 2

[My3Sons]

Y'all are great fans and I really do like that we have a large, active posting group here. But the constant complaining and negativity drives me crazy sometimes. I just wish sometimes we would all just sit back and enjoy that NJ actually looks like a real damn hockey team, unlike the past few seasons.

If you get four hockey fans together to discuss things there will be at least five opinions on each topic.

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[Devils Dominion]

I thought they looked great. Just one of those nights.

They played well overall and very good in the 3rd and in OT.

But spotty at times and by not finishing numerous chances I would not say great.

The flubbed SO attempts were horrendous

 

[Burner Account]

I thought they came out strong the first few shifts and DeBrusk scored against the run of play. After that it just felt like one of those nights.

If you’re gonna lose, get a point.

One point off first with a game in hand.

 

[Azathoth]

They have been playing pretty well, especially when you factor in they haven’t had a complete roster yet this season. Just always seems we are running up against a hot goalie recently. Hopefully the floodgates will open soon.

 

[tr83]

I think everybody wants the team to do well. It hasn't in nearly 5 years. You might say that fans are conditioned to lose, so complaining about everything is just a psychological reflex.

While the team is significantly better than last year's team, the 12-5-4 record is still a fragile one. We all know this team still has significant holes. As defenses settle in, the Devils aren't scoring in gobs like they were. That second goal showed how poor their defense still is. With Palmieri now out for a month, they lost their best shooter. Is Cory going to be the guy from 2 years ago or last year? He still shows flashes of both.

The schedule gets easier for a while. Some of the anxiety might wane if they can win most of these games in regulation.

 

[Zippy316]

People really need some perspective.

It is past the 20 game mark at American Thanksgiving.

We are 2nd in the Metro. We are one point out of first with a game in hand.

We have accomplished this despite having an extremely young roster that has not been 100% healthy at any point this season.

How you can look at that and focus only on the negative is beyond me.

But Boyle is on the power play so that means Hynes sucks.

 

[Bologna 1]

just re-watching the highlights again, and it was amazing how many times it was the hall-hischier-bratt line creating chances with just dynamic plays. they were buzzing all over the place, just never got rewarded. gotta tip your hat to khudobin and what he is doing so far this season - putting a top tier, vezina goaltender on the bench.

 

[Zippy316]

I think everybody wants the team to do well. It hasn't in nearly 5 years. You might say that fans are conditioned to lose, so complaining about everything is just a psychological reflex.

While the team is significantly better than last year's team, the 12-5-4 record is still a fragile one. We all know this team still has significant holes. As defenses settle in, the Devils aren't scoring in gobs like they were. That second goal showed how poor their defense still is. With Palmieri now out for a month, they lost their best shooter. Is Cory going to be the guy from 2 years ago or last year? He still shows flashes of both.

The schedule gets easier for a while. Some of the anxiety might wane if they can win most of these games in regulation.

Unless the Devils completely break down, the divisional games are going to be what separates the Metro.

I think we've seen too much push back and character from this team so far to expect a meltdown. We're getting contributions from everybody in the line-up on different nights and a consistently dominant Hall. That is also with some guys like Zacha, JQ, Blandisi, Zajac, and Johansson where we either haven't seen them yet or seen their best play.

 

[tr83]

just re-watching the highlights again, and it was amazing how many times it was the hall-hischier-bratt line creating chances with just dynamic plays. they were buzzing all over the place, just never got rewarded. gotta tip your hat to khudobin and what he is doing so far this season - putting a top tier, vezina goaltender on the bench.

Here comes a Bleed Rant™

 

[Bologna 1]

Here comes a Bleed Rant™

I suppose you could make the argument that he hasn't been such in the past say two years, but in principle.

 

[Nocashstyle]

I can't tell if Nico is just snakebitten all of the time, or if he just doesn't have the finishing instict...I'd lean towards the latter right now. But that's fine, some guys are just set up guys, especially being a center. It would be nice to see him bury some more chances though because he's still generating a lot.

 

[Azathoth]

I think a comparison leading up to the draft between Nico and Nolan was Nolan was likelier to score more goals and Nico was going to be more of an assist man. I think the scoring instincts are there as he is usually in the right place, but it’s just not going in right now for him.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I can't tell if Nico is just snakebitten all of the time, or if he just doesn't have the finishing instict...I'd lean towards the latter right now. But that's fine, some guys are just set up guys, especially being a center. It would be nice to see him bury some more chances though because he's still generating a lot.

He's more of a playmaker anyway so his point split isn't too surprising to me. I think in a vacuum I'd agree with you and say he may be the latter but watching the chances he hasn't capitalized on so far I'm hard-pressed to say he's not just snakebitten. Certain things, like breakaways or two-on-ones where he shoots and doesn't score, can add up and dictate that he just may not be a finisher. But he's missed tons of just wide-open chances where I think he'd usually score most of the time. Last night I just don't think he was expecting Bratt to pass it back to him and was caught a bit off guard.

Time will tell but I'm still ecstatic with his play. That Hall-Nico-Bratt line was phenomenal and could be a big line for us going forward.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

They have been playing pretty well, especially when you factor in they haven’t had a complete roster yet this season. Just always seems we are running up against a hot goalie recently. Hopefully the floodgates will open soon.

They put up 4 goals on Minnesota who had 3 shut outs a few games before playing us. They also had their chances last night but hit posts or over passed on wide open nets.

The defense seriously needs to learn how to hit the f***ing net. Shot after shot last night went off the boards and around them.

That Santini Greene pairing needs to be broken up. Speaking of Greene, he makes so many bad pinches. It seems more times than not it's coming back the other way and it's an automatic 2-1 for the other team.

Also, Schneider is horrible when it comes to moving laterally on 2-1 ones. He's falling down as much as he did last year and he is like a fish flopping around out of water once he guys down for the initial save. I have never seen a top 10 goalie with such horrible lateral movement. He has zero explosiveness. He looks like 40 year old Brodeur when he tries to stop it with the top of his body instead of pushing across with his legs like Quick, Bobrovsky, Price, Vasilevsky or Holtby do. Hell, Bostons back up was capable of it last night.

They need to keep Zajac away from Hall and the top line, keep Boyle off the PP, keep Greene and Santini away from one another, and stop playing Lovejoy so damn much and bring up one of the guys from the AHL until Johannson and Palms are both healthy and stop with the Hayes experiment, especially the Hayes Boyle experiment.

 

[Darkauron]

They put up 4 goals on Minnesota who had 3 shut outs a few games before playing us. They also had their chances last night but hit posts or over passed on wide open nets.

The defense seriously needs to learn how to hit the ****ing net. Shot after shot last night went off the boards and around them.

That Santini Greene pairing needs to be broken up. Speaking of Greene, he makes so many bad pinches. It seems more times than not it's coming back the other way and it's an automatic 2-1 for the other team.

Also, Schneider is horrible when it comes to moving laterally on 2-1 ones. He's falling down as much as he did last year and he is like a fish flopping around out of water once he guys down for the initial save. I have never seen a top 10 goalie with such horrible lateral movement. He has zero explosiveness. He looks like 40 year old Brodeur when he tries to stop it with the top of his body instead of pushing across with his legs like Quick, Bobrovsky, Price, Vasilevsky or Holtby do. Hell, Bostons back up was capable of it last night.

They need to keep Zajac away from Hall and the top line, keep Boyle off the PP, keep Greene and Santini away from one another, and stop playing Lovejoy so damn much and bring up one of the guys from the AHL until Johannson and Palms are both healthy and stop with the Hayes experiment, especially the Hayes Boyle experiment.

I feel like Rollie melanson has not helped Cory or anyone at all so far. I dont like the fact that he also takes a hands off approach to everything. He does not talk to the goalies at all before or during the game, while he sits in a box seat. Only after does he do anything.

 

[Alex NJD]

I'd roll with this until MoJo comes back. Maybe waive Hayes and call up Blender or Q
Hall - Nico - Bratt
Henrique - Zajac - Stafford
Zacha - Coleman - Gibbons
Wood - Boyle - Noesen

Greene - Severson
Moore - Santini
Butcher - Lovejoy