GDT: The Positive Train's Next Stop is: Your New Jersey Devils @ Columbus Blue Jackets

[MadDevil]

The worst part is going 0-5 against the Blue Jackets and Leafs. This team better get their crap together. They have to play the Jackets twice more, the Lightning 3 times, the Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Bruins, and Stars.

1 win out of 7 games against Columbus, Toronto, and Edmonton is rather depressing.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

This team had a bad effort in a game that probably seals them outside the playoffs again. Don't know why anyone is making excuses for them or sugar-coating it. This was one of the biggest games of the season--where much of what they played for all season was on the line--and they didn't even bother to show up. That's what happened, and I'm not going to pretend that a substandard effort was in any way understandable or acceptable. This is one of the games that we'll be able to point to as a reason why we are outside the playoffs yet again. What a fond memory of an honest effort that will be to warm our hearts while we watch other teams like the Rangers in the post-season.

 

[njdevils1982]

Hahaha so much for this team playing worse against bottom teams. Just goes to show you that fans can't be trusted to judge things objectively.

but the record should be even better vs bottom teams. its that losing points on **** garbage that makes a turd pie worse for us fans to swallow.

stepping up and beating better teams binds a club and should make them want to win even more and in turn, beat the crap out of the likes of the jackets.

but we get tonights …….


fart

 

[Bleedred]

I assume you are talking about me with that comment. I'm on here more frequently than "once every couple of weeks". Not all of us have time to repeatedly post the same content re-worded numerous times per day.

"Lack of effort" is one of those hockey cliches that really annoys me because fans have a strong tendency to overuse it as a rationalization for their team's mediocrity. Every team in this league lacks consistent "effort" from game to game; the truth is that talented teams tend to win more of those games than the less talented ones. For the most part that is what it comes down to. You look at things with Devils colored glasses. That win over the Rangers the other night...to you that was a great effort, to others it was just a terrible effort by the more talented team.

Fair enough assessment on the Rangers game.

But Columbus is not a better team than us, maybe they have some better forwards? Sure they have better forwards. They probably also have a 3rd line that has more than 5 or 6 goals this season, I'm assuming every other team does.

So having 0 points in 3 games against the Blue Jackets, that's the kind of stuff to look back on if this team misses the playoffs by 5 or 6 points.

Of course you don't expect to win every game against them, but you gotta win some of them. Or you go home in the second week of April, like we will undoubtedly be doing at this point.

 

[Brick City]

...

Only goal number 3. That was the only goal I think either goalie had a chance at stopping. Schneider was pulled after the 1st period and allowing 3 goals.

I forgot goals 1 and 2 right now. Goal 3 went five hole. Goal 4 was a bad break off Schlemko's skate. Schlemko backed into the puck with his skate and it went in the net. Goal 5 was horrific penalty killing. A one timer and Schlemko and Gionta both looked like goofballs from what I remember. They looked to fall down onto each other.

Goal 6 was with about a minute left, Merrill lost the puck at the point and the Blue Jackets guy had a breakaway and deked Kinkaid through his legs, if I remember correctly.

Thanks Bleed.

Really frustrating we are leaving points in the table against "beatable" teams but it is what it is. I'm still operating under the assumption they're not making the playoffs so no hopes really being dashed, but still, the last few posts about who they've lost to are sobering.

 

[Bleedred]

Thanks Bleed.

Really frustrating we are leaving points in the table against "beatable" teams but it is what it is. I'm still operating under the assumption they're not making the playoffs so no hopes really being dashed, but still, the last few posts about who they've lost to are sobering.

I'm almost at the point where I hope we finish 8 points out, more than 5 or 6 points out.

Because as I've said, I already know what points I want back the most.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Our fans only give credit to the Devils, win or lose, it's never about the other team. Any team can beat any other team in this league on any given night, given the right circumstances. Perhaps the reason the Devils have had better than expected results against top teams is because those teams were not prepared or haven't taken the Devils seriously and didn't play their best games against us. And perhaps the reason we have seemed to struggle against certain lower teams is because those teams were
Better prepared on those given nights. Or some of it has been bad luck.

At the end of the day the team is right where it probably deserves to be - right at the cusp of being a playoff team but not quite there yet due to a lack of offensive talent and an inconsistent young defense.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Tonight's performance wasn't an adequate effort by the Devils, especially as they were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive. I really don't see how any fan is satisfied with the effort in this game. Boggles my mind.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Fair enough assessment on the Rangers game.

But Columbus is not a better team than us, maybe they have some better forwards? Sure they have better forwards. They probably also have a 3rd line that has more than 5 or 6 goals this season, I'm assuming every other team does.

So having 0 points in 3 games against the Blue Jackets, that's the kind of stuff to look back on if this team misses the playoffs by 5 or 6 points.

Of course you don't expect to win every game against them, but you gotta win some of them. Or you go home in the second week of April, like we will undoubtedly be doing at this point.

And how much effort do you think it's taken this team to beat the likes of the Blackhawks twice, or Dallas, or LA? Those games were hard fought wins that take a mental toll over a long season. It is honestly unreasonable to think that this team can follow up those kind of performances with consistent results. They simply don't have the talent to maintain that level of play, regardless of who the opponent is.

 

[Brick City]

I'm almost at the point where I hope we finish 8 points out, more than 5 or 6 points out.

Because as I've said, I already know what points I want back the most.

It may be irrational but usually if my team is going to lose, it's easier for me if it's not close. Losing a nail biter just means I'll laser focus on one or two key blown moments.

 

[njdevils1982]

It may be irrational but usually if my team is going to lose, it's easier for me if it's not close. Losing a nail biter just means I'll laser focus on one or two key blown moments.

dallas or was it ottawa circa 08 afternoon laugher.

edit: was sens 06 http://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/200610210OTT.html

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Hope the Devils look back on this game with shame as they watch other teams compete in the playoffs.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Tonight's performance wasn't an adequate effort by the Devils, especially as they were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive. I really don't see how any fan is satisfied with the effort in this game. Boggles my mind.

It's not a matter of being satisfied or not. They aren't talented enough to play consistently well for long stretches. And it's not realistic to think they can put in the kind of Herculean efforts needed to win games all the time, no matter who the opponent is. It's that simple.

 

[Bleedred]

And how much effort do you think it's taken this team to beat the likes of the Blackhawks twice, or Dallas, or LA? Those games were hard fought wins that take a mental toll over a long season. It is honestly unreasonable to think that this team can follow up those kind of performances with consistent results. They simply don't have the talent to maintain that level of play, regardless of who the opponent is.

Since you're not actually arguing that this is a playoff caliber team, I guess I can't really refute what you're saying.

But if we had won just a few of these games against Columbus and Toronto, we probably could have gotten in, depending on where we are when all is said and done.

If we miss by 8 or 10 points or more, then it's not as big of an issue. If we miss by 5 or 6 points, I really would have wanted some of these points back against the CBJ and Toronto.

Really want some back against the Islanders too, I'm tired of getting smoked by them year after year. I used to believe we played down to them consistently when we were competitive and they weren't.

 

[Bleedred]

dallas or was it ottawa circa 08 afternoon laugher.

Carolina.

In 07 though. We got blown out by Ottawa in 06-07 too, I don't remember if it was an afternoon game though.

Maybe the Carolina one wasn't either. I think we had a home and home series against them, and won the one game and then got blown out in the other.

The blowout loss was Clarkson's first ever goal in the NHL. It was the only particularly bad beatdown against us before we fired Julien.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

It's not a matter of being satisfied or not. They aren't talented enough to play consistently well for long stretches. And it's not realistic to think they can put in the kind of Herculean efforts needed to win games all the time, no matter who the opponent is. It's that simple.

They don't have to do it all the time. Just putting in an effort in a game where their playoff fate is on the line would be nice, but again, that is apparently too much to ask of this team. In fact, I should be happy with anything better than a lottery pick finish.

That's what Devils fans and the team has been reduced to thinking. We've got a losing culture that has crept into place now, since we think that way, instead of having it be an expectation to make the playoffs and a disappointment when we miss.

Personally, I think fans have to hold this team to high standards, so there is an incentive to get back to being a good team. Otherwise, if we continue to cheer on negligible progress, we'll end up like the Oilers fans or the Leafs fans, happy with tanking or eternal mediocrity.

Some progress was made this year, but it wasn't nearly enough. I'm not happy with the season overall, though less unhappy than I was last year.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

because I think the system is broke - this needs seen.

Intent overrides actual review and actual events on the ice.

https://www.nhl.com/news/video-revi...lumbus-blue-jackets/c-279152270?tid=277729160

 

[SladeWilson23]

I just want to say they weren't gonna go 21-0 the rest of the way. Nor did they have to go 21-0 to make the playoffs. So this is just another loss.

Here's some advice. Instead of focusing on how many points back we are, focus on the big picture. Games in hand, and how many points behind we are now is not important right now because there's still too much season left. Let's say if the Devils win 15 of 20, it won't matter what Pittsburgh does because 97 points will almost guarantee a playoff spot regardless.

 

[guitarguyvic]

They don't have to do it all the time. Just putting in an effort in a game where their playoff fate is on the line would be nice, but again, that is apparently too much to ask of this team. In fact, I should be happy with anything better than a lottery pick finish.

That's what Devils fans and the team has been reduced to thinking. We've got a losing culture that has crept into place now, since we think that way, instead of having it be an expectation to make the playoffs and a disappointment when we miss.

Personally, I think fans have to hold this team to high standards, so there is an incentive to get back to being a good team. Otherwise, if we continue to cheer on negligible progress, we'll end up like the Oilers fans or the Leafs fans, happy with tanking or eternal mediocrity.

Some progress was made this year, but it wasn't nearly enough. I'm not happy with the season overall, though less unhappy than I was last year.

You realize that Their playoff fate has basically been on the line for the last 10 games and their record in that stretch is 4-5-1.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

They still have to play this team 2 more times?

Skip days for me.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

You realize that Their playoff fate has basically been on the line for the last 10 games and their record in that stretch is 4-5-1.

This is the home stretch of the season--the playoffs to get to the playoffs--and that record is not impressive or adequate. The pressure is on every team to perform, and the Devils didn't do that nearly well enough, and have now fallen out of the race. Team needs to be better at crunch time than this. Needs more talent and more mental toughness. Another wasted season.

 

[Sir Fenwick Corsi]

The team's start tonight was unacceptable. That's the bottom line. Call it lack of effort, bad luck or whatever you want, they came out flat and were never in this game from the first drop of the puck. Its disappointing not because they lost but more that they never gave themselves a chance to win what was essentially a must win game for them.

The effort cliche does get thrown around a lot, that's definitely the truth, but I don't think it's wrong to say that it was lacking tonight. This was more than losing to a bad team. They were sloppy and unprepared. Thing is, the team has been really good about that this season. They've busted their ***** to be in the mix this late into the season so I'm really surprised they managed to play as poorly as they did tonight.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

They still have to play this team 2 more times?

Skip days for me.

The Devils will probably also be skipping those games if tonight was any indicator. What a joke of a performance.

 

[MadDevil]

The funny thing is if we win tomorrow we would actually move ahead of Pittsburgh into the last wild card spot.

 

[Bleedred]

And it's time to get Matteau back in there and permanently lock Ruutu and Tootoo in the press box or locker room bathroom facilities.

We already know enough about them. We know neither of them belong in the NHL anymore. Ruutu is finished in this league, don't need to see anymore of his legs in there. Rather see a player on the ice using a wheelchair, they'd be faster.

Time for the Tootoo farewell tour too.

Give Matteau the rest of the season. If he doesn't improve, cut ties with him then. No need to see guys like Ruutu or Tootoo in there anymore.