GDT: Devils @ Kings - 6:00 PM - MSG

[Better Call Sal]

Went to the game yesterday, probably the worst part for me was Devils social media approaching me and another fan with trivia while we were waiting for the arena to open.

First question was "Stefan Noesen wears #11 in tribute to which former King/Devil?" I completely choked since I was in the wrong mind space. My brain was thinking he was wearing it for somebody he grew up watching rather than a former teammate (Brian Boyle). Also maybe a sign that I've purged my memory of the 2013-2020 era teams.

Lost out on an autographed Dougie puck which I like to think I would have given to a kid shortly thereafter.

I remember him sharing the picture from the team's Instagram story to his and tagging Boyle as an honor to him, which is cool.

To be fair to you, despite being picked by them in the first round, it's beyond easy to forget about Boyle as a King. I associate him much more with the Rangers and Lightning before joining us.

 

[Saugus]

Went to the game yesterday, probably the worst part for me was Devils social media approaching me and another fan with trivia while we were waiting for the arena to open.

First question was "Stefan Noesen wears #11 in tribute to which former King/Devil?" I completely choked since I was in the wrong mind space. My brain was thinking he was wearing it for somebody he grew up watching rather than a former teammate (Brian Boyle). Also maybe a sign that I've purged my memory of the 2013-2020 era teams.

Lost out on an autographed Dougie puck which I like to think I would have given to a kid shortly thereafter.

Surprised they didn't feed you the answer. I thought the first rule of arena ops/team media is that you don't let the fan lose.

 

[Brodeur]

Surprised they didn't feed you the answer. I thought the first rule of arena ops/team media is that you don't let the fan lose.

Both of us missed it, the other guy guessed Madden who didn't play for the Kings. I blanked and they pressed me to say something. I blurted out Neal Broten even though I knew that was wrong and even said "but he wore #9 for the Devils and #10 for the Kings" in an effort to show I wasn't some noob fan.

Next question was a layup though "Which former Kings coach led the Devils to the Stanley Cup in 2000?" Other guy got to go first though.

 

[Call Me Al]

One thing

One observation re bottom 6 is that I actually preferred the Utica contingent - Dowling, Willman, Legare for their consistent dump and chase, forecheck to what we’ve been getting since from Bastian, Lazar, Tatar, whomever there.

The Utica crew was cycling and hitting and I thought Legare was about the best first man in on the forecheck we saw all season.

Keefe had us trying to establish a forecheck and cycle as a plan B. Last night we saw none of that. I hope we get back to that project.

i agree with this - legare was a good energy guy, i liked what he brought. and dowling isn't great but he played hard. i don't really love what bastian brings and lazar is whatever. he's just coming back from injury but im not sure how he moves the needle either way. but if they're not going to score at least hit everything that moves and make the other team feel your presence, we're settling for basically no-event hockey when they're on the ice.

i don't get the point of saying "pucks just aren't going in" - yeah, because they're not skilled enough even for bottom 6ers and while they're not hurting the team defensively theyre not working hard enough for ugly goals. pucks aren't going in for the top 6, which definitely happens and is not a long term concern, but when the bottom 6 can't figure it out 40 games in it's more than just bad luck.

im still not really concerned - this is a good team and this is a crappy little run but i have no doubt theyll get back to being a top defensive team and the top 6 will start getting the puck in the net. im just waiting to see how they augment the bottom of the lineup at the trade deadline because that seems like that's what it's coming down to

 

[NjDevsRR]

Just seeing the highlights now. That overturned goal, woof. I honestly do not know whats a goal and what’s not in this league anymore. That is a big turning point in a game against a team as tough defensively as LA

 

[Nocashstyle]

Surprised they didn't feed you the answer. I thought the first rule of arena ops/team media is that you don't let the fan lose.

When I was like 14, I won J Lo CDs for my entire row. They played a 10 second clip of a J Lo song and I had to guess which song it was. They gave me the answer beforehand, and it’s a good thing too, because I would have had no idea otherwise.

Not one person in my row thanked me for the J Lo CD afterwards either…

 

[Bleedred]

I liked Dowling and Legare, but I can't think they're worth much more, if any more than Bastian and Lazar.

The much bigger problem is Cotter and Haula have been absolute trash and both went like a month without a point of any kind at one point. Haula is still at over a month right now. Haula has 31 shots (I think I counted that right) on goal since the last game he scored. He has quite a few 3, 4 and 5 shot on goal games in that stretch, including 3 last night. It looked like his goal scoring and shooting abilities were cratering two years ago, but this time it could be for real.

It is amusing that even Haula's PIMs are down. 29 penalty minutes this year. Only 10 of them have come in the last 17 games that he's been on the pointless drought. 19 of them came in the first 24 games.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

When I was like 14, I won J Lo CDs for my entire row. They played a 10 second clip of a J Lo song and I had to guess which song it was. They gave me the answer beforehand, and it’s a good thing too, because I would have had no idea otherwise.

Not one person in my row thanked me for the J Lo CD afterwards either…

I thank you for taking those CDs out of circulation at the very least.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

i don't get the point of saying "pucks just aren't going in" - yeah, because they're not skilled enough even for bottom 6ers and while they're not hurting the team defensively theyre not working hard enough for ugly goals. pucks aren't going in for the top 6, which definitely happens and is not a long term concern, but when the bottom 6 can't figure it out 40 games in it's more than just bad luck.

This is since the end of November. This is, most definitely, “pucks just aren’t going in”. They will start to go in at at least double this rate, likely triple or more. Even a non hockey player like MacDermid has had 7% of shots go in when he’s out there for his career.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Team is good. Team also has some holes that Fitz will look to fill in. Team will also have some highs and lows in a season so act like you've been here before. This isn’t anything different from other teams.

Look at the Panthers, shutout twice in a row and was outplayed by the Rangers. Are they cooked? Absolutely not. They will eventually rebound.

 

[guitarguyvic]

People keep citing Florida but I genuinely don't think they're as good as the last few years. They had to downgrade some key pieces.

 

[Bleedred]

Just seeing the highlights now. That overturned goal, woof. I honestly do not know whats a goal and what’s not in this league anymore. That is a big turning point in a game against a team as tough defensively as LA

I swear that happens at least once a game.

It probably just doesn't happen when a goal is being scored every game.

But I'd have to think a goalie getting their stick tangled up with a player for the other team is extremely common.

I'm not surprised that goal was called back, but I am surprised that goal was called back.

 

[Dialamo]

People keep citing Florida but I genuinely don't think they're as good as the last few years. They had to downgrade some key pieces.

Yep but I think most were citing them to compare to their last season if I'm not mistaken. I think it's true that they are not as good as the last 2 years and understandably so. They are currently paying the Cup tax (cap management and fatigue).

 

[devilsblood]

Just seeing the highlights now. That overturned goal, woof. I honestly do not know whats a goal and what’s not in this league anymore. That is a big turning point in a game against a team as tough defensively as LA

As Bill explained it, Noesen definitely bumped him, and then there was a second for the goalie to reset himself, but his stick got hung up, so he was never fully reset.

I can see the reasoning.

 

[NjDevsRR]

People keep citing Florida but I genuinely don't think they're as good as the last few years. They had to downgrade some key pieces.

I just randomly nitpicked a top 10 team to show teams go through highs and lows in a seseon.

Top 10 teams currently in standings:

These teams had at least one:

Hurricanes - 3 gm losing streak
Devils - 4 gm losing streak
Jets - 4 gm losing streak
Panthers - 4 gm losing streak
Knights - 3 gm losing streak
Wild - 3 gm losing streak
Leafs - 3 gm losing streak
Oilers - 3 gm losing streak
Kings - 3 gm losing streak

Only the Caps have managed to not have a 3 gm losing streak at this point

 

[NjDevsRR]

As Bill explained it, Noesen definitely bumped him, and then there was a second for the goalie to reset himself, but his stick got hung up, so he was never fully reset.

I can see the reasoning.

Ok. I didn’t see game, just the condensed replays

 

[devilsblood]

Ok. I didn’t see game, just the condensed replays

It was a super tight call. But I think the stick getting hung up is what tipped it in their favor.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I'm not looking to blame this on the bottom 6, but to brush this away as "the pucks simply aren't going in" is just putting your head in the sand.

Now part of it imo is we play a much more conservative style of play. We all thought the team needed to reign it in after last year, and it has, but there are some unwanted side effects of that.

Still this team should not be leading the league in being shut out. I'm sure Keefe and Fitz are trying to figure out ways to rectify this.

I think it's pretty clear:
We get into this fast break/passing mode instead of playing half court, going low to high, getting traffic in front and getting pucks on net.

This team was really cooking when Hamilton was taking the shot and Noesen, Meier and others got in front of the net and got deflections, screens and rebounds. That's dried up as the standard play now seems to be Luke or Jack or Bratt circling the net

The bottom six isn't going to score anything but dirty goals, (unless it's Cotter on a breakaway) but we're not getting that forecheck +point shot.

 

[HoliksGhost]

I just randomly nitpicked a top 10 team to show teams go through highs and lows in a seseon.

Top 10 teams currently in standings:

These teams had at least one:

Hurricanes - 3 gm losing streak
Devils - 4 gm losing streak
Jets - 4 gm losing streak
Panthers - 4 gm losing streak
Knights - 3 gm losing streak
Wild - 3 gm losing streak
Leafs - 3 gm losing streak
Oilers - 3 gm losing streak
Kings - 3 gm losing streak

Only the Caps have managed to not have a 3 gm losing streak at this point

interesting

 

[Bleedred]

We need to pull out of this and get a win over the Sharks.

The Sharks are trash and have one win in their last 10 games. They play tonight against Tampa though before they play us.

We need to flush that shit down the toilet.

 

[My3Sons]

As Bill explained it, Noesen definitely bumped him, and then there was a second for the goalie to reset himself, but his stick got hung up, so he was never fully reset.

I can see the reasoning.

No you can’t. F the refs. F the replay officials and check their blood and their fanduel accounts.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I just randomly nitpicked a top 10 team to show teams go through highs and lows in a seseon.

Top 10 teams currently in standings:

These teams had at least one:

Hurricanes - 3 gm losing streak
Devils - 4 gm losing streak
Jets - 4 gm losing streak
Panthers - 4 gm losing streak
Knights - 3 gm losing streak
Wild - 3 gm losing streak
Leafs - 3 gm losing streak
Oilers - 3 gm losing streak
Kings - 3 gm losing streak

Only the Caps have managed to not have a 3 gm losing streak at this point

This isn't about the losing streak or highs and lows. It's about this team's propensity to go long stretches where the offense becomes impotent.

 

[NjDevsRR]

This isn't about the losing streak or highs and lows. It's about this team's propensity to go long stretches where the offense becomes impotent.

I am not going back to all of those losing streaks I looked up but Panthers had like 1 total goal in 3 games. Wild had 2 total goals in their 3 losing streak. Oilers 3 goals in their 3 gm streak. Etc etc

Devils have 4 goals in their current 3 gm losing streak. 16 goals on their 4 gm losing streak in October (which is hilarious/sad)

My only point is all teams go through this, its not dissimilar. People go overboard on here. Fitz does have to find some upgrades so we have more depth scoring.

 

[Forge]

Only the Caps have managed to not have a 3 gm losing streak at this point

Just as everyone predicted going into the season

 

[Nubmer6]

It was a super tight call. But I think the stick getting hung up is what tipped it in their favor.

I think what gets lost here is that Noeson was more pushed into the goalie than just simply bumping him (at least in my opinion)