Post-Game Talk: Well that sucked - Isles 4, Devils 1

[GameSeven]

I like to keep it JRZ.

I can fully lean into my Englishness on here, if ya like mate?

 

[Devilsfan992]

I voted Bastian and Other. My other vote is for nobody.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

I’m aware that this happened, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that we can’t kill penalties for shit. Again, without MBW they would’ve been 5/6 on the PP. you can’t expect him to do that every game

But that's not what you said. You said the team is awful and didn't deserve to win. I completely disagree. We outplayed the Rangers, and if not for all the bogus penalties the score and shot totals would not have been what they were.

I do agree our penalty kill needs work.

 

[MartyOwns]

But that's not what you said. You said the team is awful and didn't deserve to win. I completely disagree. We outplayed the Rangers, and if not for all the bogus penalties the score and shot totals would not have been what they were.

I do agree our penalty kill needs work.

we were absolutely dominated by the rangers for large stretches. we haven't put together a 60 minute effort yet, and blackwood is making us seem much better than we are.

a lot of individual players have made significant improvements over last year and that's great but we have a ways to go

 

[ninetyeight]

If we were so terrible then the rangers must really suck for letting us score 4 against them. 50 shots against is never good, but there needs to be some context with the stats. Powerplay does that, and how many of the penalties were justified. Also I rather take 50 shots from the blueline and boards than 5 shots in front of the net or cross ice onetimers.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

we were absolutely dominated by the rangers for large stretches. we haven't put together a 60 minute effort yet, and blackwood is making us seem much better than we are.

a lot of individual players have made significant improvements over last year and that's great but we have a ways to go

In my opinion, we were the better team, when we are on the penalty kill for long stretches it seems like the team isn't playing well and the Rags are dominating. But we should NOT have been, there were several crap calls. Take those calls away, it's a different game. Rags score only 1 or 2 goals and don't have 50 shots.

There is no way do I think the Rags were the better team Tuesday night. That is what TorontoMedia was saying that the Devils were awful Tuesday and didn't deserve to win.

 

[Camille the Eel]

This wouldn’t be HF boards without several violent critics of the team inveighing doom and gloom even when we win. I am personally so happy to have NHL hockey back to watch and it seems also like this young, talented club with a sound veteran staff to coach them up, is a lot of fun.

 

[JimEIV]

In my opinion, we were the better team, when we are on the penalty kill for long stretches it seems like the team isn't playing well and the Rags are dominating. But we should NOT have been, there were several crap calls. Take those calls away, it's a different game. Rags score only 1 or 2 goals and don't have 50 shots.

There is no way do I think the Rags were the better team Tuesday night. That is what TorontoMedia was saying that the Devils were awful Tuesday and didn't deserve to win.

Yup...We led the game from, what was it the 32 second mark? To the very end...AND if the off-sides call was made the game was a blowout at 5-2. Instead it was 4-2 and the Rangers scored a meaningless goal to make it look reasonably close when it wasn't and they were playing catch-up the entire game.

Anyway...I am looking forward to the next game to see how they react...I have a feeling losing McKenzie was a bit of a shock... the same way the Islanders lost Varlomov and got blowout by the Rangers.

 

[MartyOwns]

In my opinion, we were the better team, when we are on the penalty kill for long stretches it seems like the team isn't playing well and the Rags are dominating. But we should NOT have been, there were several crap calls. Take those calls away, it's a different game. Rags score only 1 or 2 goals and don't have 50 shots.

There is no way do I think the Rags were the better team Tuesday night. That is what TorontoMedia was saying that the Devils were awful Tuesday and didn't deserve to win.

well, the rangers are no world-beaters either, but yeah i wouldn't say we were awful. just frustratingly inconsistent.

the officiating is what it is, you can't play the what-if game. a lot of them were justified. lazy dumbass plays and too many men, etc.

 

[JimEIV]

Think about it...Every single guy bumped heads to congratulate Blackwood for the last 3 games...Bumping heads is practically kissing in the realm of social distancing and now he's on a COVID protocal...I'd be a little taken aback if I heard that news right before the game myself.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

well, the rangers are no world-beaters either, but yeah i wouldn't say we were awful. just frustratingly inconsistent.

the officiating is what it is, you can't play the what-if game. a lot of them were justified. lazy dumbass plays and too many men, etc.

Agreed, Devils have a lot stuff to work on, too many men on the ice, drop passes, making sure to clear the zone on D, etc.

 

[Darkauron]

We are going good on 5v5...but jesus christ the PK and PP are some of the worst ive ever seen by devils team.

 

[Camille the Eel]

We are going good on 5v5...but jesus christ the PK and PP are some of the worst ive ever seen by devils team.

The PK especially - the power play has shown some promising moments (zone entries have been good and some of the movement and retrieval and pressure) - but the PK has been a shit show. Even when not actually scored against we’ve very frequently been shelled. This has to change.

 

[Blender]

We are going good on 5v5...but jesus christ the PK and PP are some of the worst ive ever seen by devils team.

Our special teams have been a disgrace so far. I know we're missing guys, but that aspect of the game really needs to improve if we have any hope of even competing for a playoff spot.

 

[MartyOwns]

We are going good on 5v5...but jesus christ the PK and PP are some of the worst ive ever seen by devils team.

my PK take is that there is way too much room, time and space for the people on the point. they are boxing out the front of the net well, but there seems to be no pressure on the point at all. all the other team has to do is move the puck around a bit, wait for our guys to start confusedly chasing, and the puck is in our net.

this is a problem with a condensed schedule and new coaching staff- there's very little time to devote to strategy and ever less time for special teams.

 

[Camille the Eel]

my PK take is that there is way too much room, time and space for the people on the point. they are boxing out the front of the net well, but there seems to be no pressure on the point at all. all the other team has to do is move the puck around a bit, wait for our guys to start confusedly chasing, and the puck is in our net.

this is a problem with a condensed schedule and new coaching staff- there's very little time to devote to strategy and ever less time for special teams.

I would also be interested in quantifying shot blocking. The puck got through to the net and was being tipped on us last night with alarming ease. Both on the PK and at even strength. Maybe this also reflects our lack of pressure on the points.

 

[NJ Fan 12]

If you’re referring to me you’d be incorrect. But sure, if you prefer small, average (at best) speed, perimeter playmakers who are allergic to shooting and don’t kill penalties on your 4th line, I guess Kuokkonen is your guy.

I don’t even particularly dislike Janne but if he’s going to stick in this league it’s not gonna be as a 4th liner

By most accounts, his line was the Devils' most effective last night (admittedly not a high bar). If you're looking to remove a forward from the lineup he would be fairly far down the line.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Devils give the Boqvist-Sharangovich-Kuokkanen group that showed promise during the scrimmages a shot now that the team has played a few games.

Based on their play last year in Binghamton and during the preseason - as well as in brief stints with the Devils - wouldn't mind seeing Merkley or Seney dressed a game or two as well.

Lindy's patience has been understandable given the long layoff. Sooner or later lineup decisions will come down to production - not past performance nor potential.

 

[TorontoMedia]

But that's not what you said. You said the team is awful and didn't deserve to win. I completely disagree. We outplayed the Rangers, and if not for all the bogus penalties the score and shot totals would not have been what they were.

I do agree our penalty kill needs work.

It is what it is. Penalties or not I can’t look at the first game in god knows how long that we gave up 20 shots in back to back periods and say we played well. Hughes for sure was the best player on the ice in that game (and MBW) but whatever...

to change the topic, what are people noticing about the pk?/ why has it been so bad?

 

[Call Me Al]

they’ve let the other team set up the pp effortlessly on every single kill. they don’t pressure the puck effectively. they have passed up clearing attempts to try and make plays, they’re not tying up sticks in front. virtually nothing is going right on the kill

 

[Camille the Eel]

It is what it is. Penalties or not I can’t look at the first game in god knows how long that we gave up 20 shots in back to back periods and say we played well. Hughes for sure was the best player on the ice in that game (and MBW) but whatever...

to change the topic, what are people noticing about the pk?/ why has it been so bad?

Against Boston we got scored on by hard cross ice passes down low, leading to tap ins at the corner of the net.

In NY we got shelled - we backed in and pulled everyone down low as they rotated the puck quickly in a 1 - 3 - 1 umbrella formation.

Last night it was no pressure on the points and at least one point shot about thigh high that got easily tipped, plus another 1 - 3 - 1 dish to the low flank of the goalie that just got buried as Wedge couldn’t close the side of the net. Seems like there was a lot of time and room for the high slot forward to have Wedgewood commit to him while dishing the puck off to the low side of the goal for that one timer.

These are just impressions from memory. The opposition seems to be moving the puck on us at will. We are sort of watching it and trying to give the goalie a view. Neither are we effectively clearing loose pucks in the zone. Our guys aren’t working well together either to collect or retrieve or clear.

Just about anything that you can do wrong, we do wrong.

 

[Devils731]

It is what it is. Penalties or not I can’t look at the first game in god knows how long that we gave up 20 shots in back to back periods and say we played well. Hughes for sure was the best player on the ice in that game (and MBW) but whatever...

to change the topic, what are people noticing about the pk?/ why has it been so bad?

Too passive has been the majority of the problem, I think. Teams never lose possession of the puck nor make a pass under pressure against the PK.

I don’t know if that comes from personnel or if it’s by design.

 

[Call Me Al]

it's especially frustrating to watch other teams basically impose their will on us every single time but then we get a power play and it's an eternal struggle to just enter the zone never mind set up and then if they do eventually set up it's a struggle to connect 3 passes across and if by some miracle they do that then trying to get a shot on net is its own problem.

 

[TorontoMedia]

Against Boston we got scored on by hard cross ice passes down low, leading to tap ins at the corner of the net.

In NY we got shelled - we backed in and pulled everyone down low as they rotated the puck quickly in a 1 - 3 - 1 umbrella formation.

Last night it was no pressure on the points and at least one point shot about thigh high that got easily tipped, plus another 1 - 3 - 1 dish to the low flank of the goalie that just got buried as Wedge couldn’t close the side of the net. Seems like there was a lot of time and room for the high slot forward to have Wedgewood commit to him while dishing the puck off to the low side of the goal for that one timer.

These are just impressions from memory. The opposition seems to be moving the puck on us at will. We are sort of watching it and trying to give the goalie a view. Neither are we effectively clearing loose pucks in the zone. Our guys aren’t working well together either to collect or retrieve or clear.

Just about anything that you can do wrong, we do wrong.

Yeah I get collapsing 5 on 5... but the lack of feet movement on our PK is definitely pretty bad.

 

[TorontoMedia]

Too passive has been the majority of the problem, I think. Teams never lose possession of the puck nor make a pass under pressure against the PK.

I don’t know if that comes from personnel or if it’s by design.

Again I feel like we have been for the most part collapsing on D at even strength, but I can’t think of any coaching logic for collapsing on the kill.

 

[glenwo2]

I would recommend that you paint a wall and watch the paint dry before watching that game...Young team will have games like this where tempo and effort are off.

Except Tempo and effort still wouldn't have prevented a loss.

As @britdevil stated, this was expected considering we lost Mac and did not have our (hopefully) reliable backup DELL yet.


It's no sweat off my back but it really was a real downer of a game.

I thought the Devils could make something of it when Bastian scored early in the 2nd but once it went 3-1, it was over like rover.