GDT: Animal House, Bruins @ Devils, 7:30 TNT

[njdevil26]

This is a sick joke at this point. Despite it being tied 1-1 in the third, this game was over when the Bruins went up 1-0.

The Devils.... again... had a strong period where they outplayed a good team and couldn't convert on chances. After that, the Bruins tightened up and the Devils didn't see the middle of the ice in the offensive zone for the rest of the game.

Zetterlund has 1 goal, 0 assists in 12 games.
Tatar has 3 goals, 1 assist in 12 games.
Haula has 2 goals in 35 games.

That's 3/4 of our top six wingers. Not good enough. They needed a goal scoring winger in the offseason... they need a goal scoring winger now. Palat coming back doesn't solve that either. He will add much needed size, toughness, and experience but not a ton of goals.

Marino and Graves being out wasn't even the problem tonight. We can survive without them for the time being.

I am so tired of watching the Devils outplay teams, not convert, then just fizzle out.

 

[My3Sons]

Mark my words, Bruins are going to lose 1st round of playoffs 4-1. They are frauds.

They have special teams and goaltending which can carry them

 

[Emperoreddy]

Awful

 

[Xirik]

We lose a close to the Best team in the NHL that is also the most battle tested and we are back to thinking were a crappy team and all our players suck or are soft.

Half of our the posters here are the most Namby Pamby people I've ever seen.

​

 

[forceten]

This team doesn’t know how to win, and can’t finish.

2-on-1s and breakaways with missed shots high and wide. No rebounds off the posts. Nothing.

Frustrating - we lead the league in moral victories but big whoop. We gave back nearly the entire streak.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Well we scored our 1 goal so I'm sure everyone is happy ....hey we didn't get shut out at home ....raise the flag!

 

[Bleedred]

If Palat is really as close as we think, I think they'll give it a chance to see how we do with him in there

We MIGHT even see the return of Schmid before the plug is pulled on Ruff, but if we don't turn it around by about January 10th-15th, book it. Ruff is gone.

His replacement is already here.

Fitz won't let the ship go down without making some kind of a move.

 

[My3Sons]

We need to move heaven and earth (and one of our glut of defensive prospects/Holtz/a pick) for a pure goal scorer!!

It can’t be a rental though

 

[BostonDevil]

We battled hard. Ullmark was the difference.

Goalie'd!

 

[jkrdevil]

This is one of those games where you kick yourselves for not getting the points needed in earlier games.

The big concern is under Ruff they have not been able to stop these snowballs. As a coach you have the find a way to stop the bleeding and too often they haven’t. If they don’t get this turned around in the next week or two, you have to make a change. Just to get a new voice in the room.

 

[Forge]

Right year to miss the playoffs if you're going to .

 

[SKNJD9]

Awful

 

[Devils090]

3-9 last December, 3-9 this December

 

[TheUnseenHand]

We battled hard. Ullmark was the difference.

Trying hard and losing is what bad teams do. The difference wasn't Ullmark. We can't say that the goalie was the difference literally every game. At some point the difference is that the other team is better. Period. The point is to have the most goals, not the most xgf....

 

[longislanddevil]

Another poster already said it and I’ll reiterate: WE CAN’T FINISH. EITHER GIVE HOLTZ TOP SIX MINUTES OR TRADE HIM!! Why not at least give the kid a shot with Hughes at this point to ignite this woeful finishing?!

My brother is a big Sabres fan and tells me Ruff has always had this propensity to play a defensive oriented forward with the top 6. In the 2000s, it was Greer with Drury…stop being so stubborn and get Haula away from Hughes!!

 

[Whaddagoal]

Yeah I don't know what in the hell is up with him these days.

Is he PURPOSELY sabotaging his contract negotiations or something?

Anyway, this is not looking good right now.

Had we at least gotten a point (OT), we could work with that.

We can't work with a regulation loss were got nothing.

Its unreal how he is not making the hard zones. He is playing not to get injured to wreck his contract options.

Not saying he isnt trying to sign here... But he is playing not to injure himself.

 

[jkrdevil]

Yeah, I don't think he goes anywhere this year. His contract is up after the year, so I assume they just let him ride it out.

His contract being up is why they may not let him ride it out.

 

[Rybo]

We need to move heaven and earth (and one of our glut of defensive prospects/Holtz/a pick) for a pure goal scorer!!

Amen! Hallelujah!

 

[Oneiro]

Shitting on the Bruins is a little absurd. They are an experienced patient team. Yeah they don’t have wheels but they do a good job keeping chances to the outside and have enough sniping up front to keep you honest.

I don’t think they have the skill to win it all but I think conference finals at minimum.

 

[JK3]

This back to back thing is horse shit. We’ve lost every game when we faced a team on a back to back and we won one where we were in a btb.

We’re a young team facing older opponents and should skate them into the ground but it doesn’t happen.

 

[njdevil26]

I miss the old Jesper Bratt

I don't know what his deal is... but every time puck touches his stick he hesitates.

 

[Bleedred]

I'll bet you anything other than my HF Boards account and the titles to my home and car that Ruff is DONE by January 15th, unless we really turn it around.

If we don't turn around in the new month, He's GONE.

I've never been more confident about it.

I really thought he was done so many times last year and then the offseason, but I'm really convinced the end is nigh

UNLESS we turn it around.

But for my money? He's currently the favorite to be the first head coach fired. It wasn't that way two-three weeks ago, but it is now.

 

[Forge]

His contract being up is why they may not let him ride it out.

Fair to say.

 

[Emperoreddy]

This back to back thing is horse shit. We’ve lost every game when we faced a team on a back to back and we won one where we were in a btb.

We’re a young team facing older opponents and should skate them into the ground but it doesn’t happen.

It isn't horseshit for good teams. We haven't been one in a month.

 

[Rybo]

This is a sick joke at this point. Despite it being tied 1-1 in the third, this game was over when the Bruins went up 1-0.

The Devils.... again... had a strong period where they outplayed a good team and couldn't convert on chances. After that, the Bruins tightened up and the Devils didn't see the middle of the ice in the offensive zone for the rest of the game.

Zetterlund has 1 goal, 0 assists in 12 games.
Tatar has 3 goals, 1 assist in 12 games.
Haula has 2 goals in 35 games.

That's 3/4 of our top six wingers. Not good enough. They needed a goal scoring winger in the offseason... they need a goal scoring winger now. Palat coming back doesn't solve that either. He will add much needed size, toughness, and experience but not a ton of goals.

Marino and Graves being out wasn't even the problem tonight. We can survive without them for the time being.

I am so tired of watching the Devils outplay teams, not convert, then just fizzle out.

Perfect summation. Well put. I believe in the team and Fitzgerald though, theyll make the playoffs. Just gotta weather this shitty storm