Post-Game Talk: We did it, we won! Devs 5 Rags 2

[Edmonton East]

You missed their best period so you can’t really give a good summary. They dominated play in the 3rd after th goal, outshot them 15-6 and were forechecking like crazy.

Fair enough. Good to hear

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yuppp. And I see people on here and elsewhere acting like this was a strong win. No issue with being happy they won, but I've seen people calling this a "complete" game and "how they need to play every night."

All the problems that existed in the previous games still occurred today. I only saw the first two periods, but wasn't impressed. Team routinely gets confused/lazy on defensive assignments, struggles with transition game, can't cycle, and gets cycled on.

Team can only score off broken plays. Still can't cycle AT ALL in the ozone. PP still looked bad. Pk did look better tho (both the kill and the person).

You are reading what you want to read. Everyone admitted they took advantage of a really bad Rangers team.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Fair enough. Good to hear

HOPEFULLY that early third period goal by NY woke them up because they were in control after that. Devils even looked great killing the 6 on 4.

 

[BenedictGomez]

You missed their best period so you can’t really give a good summary. They dominated play in the 3rd after th goal, outshot them 15-6 and were forechecking like crazy.

He's pretty much correct on the first two periods though. The PK was the bright spot. Rangers easily could have potted a few more ES. Baby steps I suppose.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Hmmm I shall rewatch in full from the damn peloton tomorrow morning.

Again, just what I saw, I didn't get to watch every replay yet, only recently settled back from arena, so maybe its the post-win glow and everything is rose colored.

My thoughts, most of the forward core looked good tonight. Gusev is a funny player, makes some soft/dangerous decisions in potentially danger areas, but somehow always ends up with a sweet goal @ home. I'll take it, right now, its still a net positive. PP didn't look good at first try, but they at least were generating shots from up top. That seemed good, goals game eventually.

Jack had a few chances, needs to get the goal monkey off his back.

As for the defense tonight, I really didn't have a problem with anyone, the fact that Tennyson was involved in 2 A, and the PK looked good all around, Mueller did good.

Last, at first I couldn't tell at first who went and totally wrecked that Ranger behind the net, couldn't believe that was Hall? They never showed a replay of that hit in-game unfortunately. Surprised.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Rooney just earned a permanent roster spot tonight!

In through your nose, out through your mouth.

 

[I Hate Tie DOMI]

So Rooney has cemented his spot in the lineup? Boqvist needs to suck it up and accept an AHL assignment. Would be good for his development and he can be the first call-up when injuries to skill players happen

There is no "sucking it up" on Boqvist's part. He can't play in the AHL. It's either in the NHL or back to Sweden for him.

 

[devilsblood]

He's pretty much correct on the first two periods though. The PK was the bright spot. Rangers easily could have potted a few more ES. Baby steps I suppose.

As could have the Devils.

But most good teams do expect their goalies to steal a goal or two a game.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

People keep trying to compare him to BRUNNER, but he could never do that.

Who?

At 27 Brunner had 11 goals in 60 games. Goose is 1/4 of the way there after 7.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Oh, Zacha had a pretty strong game again, he looks in total control out there and making some really sharp plays. Down by the boards. he has control. It's like he has the defensive poise of Zajac but better offensive talent (and bigger/stronger). AT least when his game is ON. He again had one of the better games of the forwards (despite not getting a point)

I know I'm a Zacha parent, but it's still the truth tonight.

 

[devilsblood]

Again, just what I saw, I didn't get to watch every replay yet, only recently settled back from arena, so maybe its the post-win glow and everything is rose colored.

My thoughts, most of the forward core looked good tonight. Gusev is a funny player, makes some soft/dangerous decisions in potentially danger areas, but somehow always ends up with a sweet goal @ home. I'll take it, right now, its still a net positive. PP didn't look good at first try, but they at least were generating shots from up top. That seemed good, goals game eventually.

Jack had a few chances, needs to get the goal monkey off his back.

As for the defense tonight, I really didn't have a problem with anyone, the fact that Tennyson was involved in 2 A, and the PK looked good all around, Mueller did good.

Last, at first I couldn't tell at first who went and totally wrecked that Ranger behind the net, couldn't believe that was Hall? They never showed a replay of that hit in-game unfortunately. Surprised.

Gusev flubbed a couple chances too, in addition to him being an uber soft player.

But as you noted he scored, and he has been scoring. And the skills are there, no questioning that.

So yeah funny player who you hope, as he gets more acclimated to the NHL game, is a guy we can count on on a more consistent basis.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Gusev is a lot better than Brunner, i'll tell you that. He needs to just sometimes make less fancy plays through the middle when he's in the danger blueline transition area.

He made one tonight that Rangers took the other way, but thankfully either the D broke up the play or something else happend. He made up for it by scoring that sick no-look PP goal.

 

[devilsblood]

Oh, Zacha had a pretty strong game again, he looks in total control out there and making some really sharp plays. Down by the boards. he has control. It's like he has the defensive poise of Zajac but better offensive talent (and bigger/stronger). AT least when his game is ON. He again had one of the better games of the forwards (despite not getting a point)

I know I'm a Zacha parent, but it's still the truth tonight.

I think he looks great overall. Still would like him to attack the net more, but he is a more natural passer of the puck.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

TOI for defense was a bit odd:

Subban 26:52
Vatanan 21:23
Mueller 19:25
Severson 18:02
Butcher 13:43
Tennyson 11:44

Seems to suggest the staff doesnt have much faith in Tennyson defensively.

6 PP's and 6 PK's.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think he looks great overall. Still would like him to attack the net more, but he is a more natural passer of the puck.

He made a nice play to someone right out in front, forgot who it was, but goalie made a strong save. In general Zacha looks like the good Zacha of the last quarter from last year as of right now. His line was on for 1 goal against, but the rest of the game was very solid.

He isn't the old Zacha who isn't sure what right play the make, he's commanding the puck out there, which is great to see.

 

[BahlDeep]

Every defenseman played well. We got good goaltending.

We still had trouble in our own zone but I feel like we contained them fairly well. Now, I know the Rangers suck, but wtv let's be a bit positive

 

[NjDevsRR]

Every defenseman played well. We got good goaltending.

We still had trouble in our own zone but I feel like we contained them fairly well. Now, I know the Rangers suck, but wtv let's be a bit positive

I didn’t see Severson tonight, thank god. Thats a good thing.

 

[Triumph]

Has a Devils defenseman ever had 9 shots in a single game before?

Yes. According to hockey-reference, 3 people have done it before as Devils and it's only one guy you might guess - Tom Kurvers and Phil Housley have had 9 shots in a game. Bruce Driver had 12, in this insane Maple Leafs-Devils game where somehow John MacLean took 5 minor penalties and a 10 minute misconduct - he came back from the misconduct to take 2 more penalties.

 

[Based Anime Fan]

I think Fitz is a better D coach than Naz.

Wasn't Fitz a fairly above average defensive player in his day?

 

[Offseason Champs]

Gusev doesn't even have to enter the defensive zone as far as I'm concerned as long as he keeps potting goals. Guy is talented like crazy, you definitely take the good with the bad with him and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think Fitz is a better D coach than Naz.

Wasn't Fitz a fairly above average defensive player in his day?

Whatever he was doing back there, it looked like it had some impact.

Saturday will be a good test, one day off, and back at it.

BTW, tangent: How long is Nico expected to be out (and what is wrong)? I haven't been following the pre-game news since last game

 

[Whaddagoal]

Gusev doesn't even have to enter the defensive zone as far as I'm concerned as long as he keeps potting goals. Guy is talented like crazy, you definitely take the good with the bad with him and laugh all the way to the bank.

Welll............. only if he's potting goals like he is. But as soon as it stops, we'll have a problem. I think he'll adjust, he'll learn when those plays get broken down. It's gonna take probably another 10 more games.....

 

[Offseason Champs]

Welll............. only if he's potting goals like he is. But as soon as it stops, we'll have a problem. I think he'll adjust, he'll learn when those plays get broken down. It's gonna take probably another 10 more games.....

Just keep that good boy Zacha with him and it'll be fine. Probably.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Mueller did not play well.

 

[Whaddagoal]

Mueller did not play well.

6 minutes of PK time for him and they didn't score a goal..... its all good. Mueller was fine, not great, but he didn't hurt the team today.

Actually, felt the defensive core was very good all around. Just ask Subban, he thought the guys were great today on the backend.