GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (21-7-2) vs. Florida Panthers (14-13-4), 7:30 PM, MSG

[Satans Hockey]

You bought a Burger King jersey at the Devils Den didnt you?

Better chance of a Haula hat trick than me paying money for that lol

 

[TheUnseenHand]

It's debatable we are a good team as opposed to one that just got hot way too early.

We have not been playing well for a long stretch now. Not once did it look like they legitimately could come back in a third period during this stretch.

Plus they are a young team and most likely mentally fragile and will start sulking if they don't start winning soon, if they aren't already there (tonight felt like the full sulk game)

Yeah, that's why I don't buy the idea that pit, Toronto, Tampa, etc. lost multiple games in a row so it's fine. Those teams have a well established history over the last several years of making the playoffs and making noise. The losing was abnormal for them.

It's the opposite for us. The winning was abnormal. So I think it's fair to be concerned that it might have been a mirage. Until the team proves otherwise, recent history dictates this losing is more indicative of the actual current state than the winning did.

 

[devilsblood]

It's debatable we are a good team as opposed to one that just got hot way too early.

We have not been playing well for a long stretch now. Not once did it look like they legitimately could come back in a third period during this stretch.

Plus they are a young team and most likely mentally fragile and will start sulking if they don't start winning soon, if they aren't already there (tonight felt like the full sulk game)

Ya, people want to brush off this losing streak, saying "every Stanley Cup winner in the past x amount of year has had a similar streak".

But how many of those stanley cup teams were picking top 10 for 4 straight years before enduring losing streaks in a Stanley Cup season?

 

[NJDevs26]

Ya, people want to brush off this losing streak, saying "every Stanley Cup winner in the past x amount of year has had a similar streak".

But how many of those stanley cup teams were picking top 10 for 4 straight years before enduring losing streaks in a Stanley Cup season?

Yeah that's the problem...we compare more to Buffalo who had an illusory nine-game winning streak early one season then collapsed as they always do. Even we've had teases the previous couple seasons though they only lasted ten games, not twenty plus like our early-season start this year.

 

[guitarguyvic]

It's debatable we are a good team as opposed to one that just got hot way too early.

We have not been playing well for a long stretch now. Not once did it look like they legitimately could come back in a third period during this stretch.

Plus they are a young team and most likely mentally fragile and will start sulking if they don't start winning soon, if they aren't already there (tonight felt like the full sulk game)

“it’s debatable that they are a good team” yet you are talking like it’s not debatable that they are a bad team who won’t be able to beat the next few opponents.

A five game losing streak where they haven’t even played as bad as you’re making it seem is not proof that they aren’t a good team, just like a 13 game win streak is not proof that they are a great team.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It’s not about a fixed number of losses. If they lost just three in a row getting blown out playing like Anaheim or Columbus that would worry me a hell of a lot more than seven losses in a row where they played at least ok and lost all of them by a goal.

It sucks that this is happening right now but I don’t see a team playing bad enough on the ice to justify believing that upcoming games are going to be automatic losses. Especially in a season where they showed the ability to win 20 out of 22 games. It’s incredibly over-dramatic and immature.

Absolutely nothing about how this team is currently playing should inspire confidence they will beat Boston or Carolina this week. If Blackwood is back on Wednesday we most likely lose that one too (not to mention Florida will most likely being head hunting based off their behavior tonight)

If they get back to how they played in November then sure, but they haven't shown they can turn that back on for weeks now.

They haven't looked right since the Nashville game. They laid a total egg against Philly the next game. They controlled the Chicago game but even then they didn't look right and were giving up way too many odd man rushes and only got away with it because Chicago is dog shit.

They played like a period and a half against the Rags and folded like a cheap tent once they got a lucky bounce. They played like shit against the Isles. They created nothing dangerous against Dallas.

They controlled play better against Philly, but again not much dangerous chances, bad turnovers against, less us being good and Philly being awful (and we still lost) and then a half-hearted listless effort tonight.

Now we play some of the top teams in the league. Our current level of play simply will not hack it against top teams, it isn't hacking it against bad teams.

 

[Devs3cups]

Yeah, that's why I don't buy the idea that pit, Toronto, Tampa, etc. lost multiple games in a row so it's fine. Those teams have a well established history over the last several years of making the playoffs and making noise. The losing was abnormal for them.

It's the opposite for us. The winning was abnormal. So I think it's fair to be concerned that it might have been a mirage. Until the team proves otherwise, recent history dictates this losing is more indicative of the actual current state than the winning did.

Winning 13 in a row is abnormal for any team. Even the best in NHL history lol.

Losing 5 games in which they've played well in like 4 of them is more indicative of this team than a 13 game winning streak and an otherwise very successful start? I've seen it all.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Absolutely nothing about how this team is currently playing should inspire confidence they will beat Boston or Carolina this week. If Blackwood is back on Wednesday we most likely lose that one too (not to mention Florida will most likely being head hunting based off their behavior tonight)

If they get back to how they played in November then sure, but they haven't shown they can turn that back on for weeks now.

They haven't looked right since the Nashville game. They laid a total egg against Philly the next game. They controlled the Chicago game but even then they didn't look right and were giving up way too many odd man rushes and only got away with it because Chicago is dog shit.

They played like a period and a half against the Rags and folded like a cheap tent once they got a lucky bounce. They played like shit against the Isles. They created nothing dangerous against Dallas.

They controlled play better against Philly, but again not much dangerous chances, bad turnovers against, less us being good and Philly being awful (and we still lost) and then a half-hearted listless effort tonight.

Now we play some of the top teams in the league. Our current level of play simply will not hack it against top teams, it isn't hacking it against bad teams.

Pittsburgh started good, then went to shit, and are good again.

Buffalo started good, then shit, now playing good again.

Rangers started good, then shit, now playing good again.

Vegas started good, then poo for a little bit, then good again.


It’s foolish to think this Devils team, that had a historic start, cant start winning again.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Absolutely nothing about how this team is currently playing should inspire confidence they will beat Boston or Carolina this week. If Blackwood is back on Wednesday we most likely lose that one too (not to mention Florida will most likely being head hunting based off their behavior tonight)

If they get back to how they played in November then sure, but they haven't shown they can turn that back on for weeks now.

They haven't looked right since the Nashville game. They laid a total egg against Philly the next game. They controlled the Chicago game but even then they didn't look right and were giving up way too many odd man rushes and only got away with it because Chicago is dog shit.

They played like a period and a half against the Rags and folded like a cheap tent once they got a lucky bounce. They played like shit against the Isles. They created nothing dangerous against Dallas.

They controlled play better against Philly, but again not much dangerous chances, bad turnovers against, less us being good and Philly being awful (and we still lost) and then a half-hearted listless effort tonight.

Now we play some of the top teams in the league. Our current level of play simply will not hack it against top teams, it isn't hacking it against bad teams.

You know what. You’ve convinced me. Obviously they aren’t capable of doing anything we saw them do for two months. I won’t be bothering to watch those games then, thank you for enlightening me. I assume that means you won’t be wasting your time as well?

 

[Bleedred]

I think we’re better than Buffalo

But we’re really about to find out if the pain could be very prolonged

If they bungle the goalie personnel decisions right now, the real pain is about to begin. And really needed not to use up our margin for error before that availability and now we kind of have used a lot of it up.

They didn’t have the keys to the hunk of shit 96 Taurus to be able to f*** things up during the the better part of the winning streaks.

It was at the mechanic having all kinds of work done to it. It’s gonna really suck having to give that nice rental car back. Still has the new car smell.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah that's the problem...we compare more to Buffalo who had an illusory nine-game winning streak early one season then collapsed as they always do. Even we've had teases the previous couple seasons though they only lasted ten games, not twenty plus like our early-season start this year.

And where is the team's mental state going to be if this goes on much longer? They aren't a vet team that's been there before so they can better weather rough patches.

The schedule the next two weeks are a damn buzzsaw, literally the last thing the team needs with how things are currently going.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Winning 13 in a row is abnormal for any team. Even the best in NHL history lol.

Losing 5 games in which they've played well in like 4 of them is more indicative of this team than a 13 game winning streak and an otherwise very successful start? I've seen it all.

Playing well and losing was 3/4 of last season. That's much more track record than the hot start this year in my opinion. Until proven otherwise, which would be ending this skid and going on a stretch of winning more than losing, ending in making the playoffs, I think it's exceptionally fair to be very skeptical of the hot start.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Winning 13 in a row is abnormal for any team. Even the best in NHL history lol.

Losing 5 games in which they've played well in like 4 of them is more indicative of this team than a 13 game winning streak and an otherwise very successful start? I've seen it all.

They have not played well in 4 of them. They played well in 1 of them.

They didn't play well against the Isles, Rags, Stars, or tonight.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Playing well and losing was 3/4 of last season. That's much more track record than the hot start this year in my opinion. Until proven otherwise, which would be ending this skid and going on a stretch of winning more than losing, ending in making the playoffs, I think it's exceptionally fair to be very skeptical of the hot start.

Difference is the goaltending hasn’t fallen off in this stretch. They did a good enough job in net in 3 of these 5 games.

 

[Guttersniped]

We really need Bratt to figure it out

Was Bratt’s fall right before Marino goal not on camera? He got up holding his shoulder and live it was obvious he was in a lot of pain.

He sat on the bench being attended by a trainer, but he managed to get up to congratulate Marino and then went back to being hunched over in pain for a bit. I don’t think he shifts though.

Unfortunately he’s likely banged up.

 

[MadDevil]

Pittsburgh started good, then went to shit, and are good again.

Buffalo started good, then shit, now playing good again.

Rangers started good, then shit, now playing good again.

Vegas started good, then poo for a little bit, then good again.


It’s foolish to think this Devils team, that had a historic start, cant start winning again.

Yes but because we haven't been good for so long we can't possibly actually be good. Every good team slowly and gradually goes from bad to mediocre to good linearly. Clearly those 21 wins in 24 games where we were destroying teams was just a fluke. Any truly good team would be able to keep up that pace over the course of a long season.

 

[Devs3cups]

They have not played well in 4 of them. They played well in 1 of them.

They didn't play well against the Isles, Rags, Stars, or tonight.

Wrong. They played like garbage against the Isles, no doubt. They played good and well enough to win against the Rangers, Dallas, Philly and arguably tonight.

 

[NjDevsRR]

They didn't play well against the Rags, Stars

sorry man but this one here is nonsense and isn’t correct via the eye test and also statistics , they were clearly the better team.

 

[Satans Hockey]

The post game radio broadcast hasn't been working for me for the past few home games but it worked tonight and whoever was on the call with Chico was absolutely horrible. Have no idea how he got the gig even if it's temporary.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Difference is the goaltending hasn’t fallen off in this stretch. They did a good enough job in net in 3 of these 5 games.

Fair. But maybe that's even more concerning. Even with league average, or better, goaltending they can't buy a win against some pretty mediocre competition.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Difference is the goaltending hasn’t fallen off in this stretch. They did a good enough job in net in 3 of these 5 games.

One half of tank brigade is coming back from Utica so give goaltending is about to be an issue again

 

[Devs3cups]

sorry man but this one here is nonsense and isn’t correct via the eye test and also statistics , they were clearly the better team.

Even tonight. Far from our best game but we could've won.

 

[MartyOwns]

That Wednesday game has Blackwood written all over it.

honestly i’m fine with it. what’s the worst that could happen? we lose again? ok. may as well give it a shot

 

[Emperoreddy]

Fair. But maybe that's even more concerning. Even with league average, or better, goaltending they can't buy a win against some pretty mediocre competition.

I don't understand where the confidence that they can suddenly turn it around against yhe best and hottest teams in the league when they haven't been able to do it against mediocre or outright bad teams.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

honestly i’m fine with it. what’s the worst that could happen? we lose again? ok. may as well give it a shot

He will become the perfect scapegoat for Ruff.