Pre-Game Talk: Devils (M2) vs. Canes (M1), ECSF.

[bossram]

Gotta keep it going. This is a depleted Canes team.

They need to take advantage and make a deep run now. The opportunity is there.

 

[NjDevsRR]

To clear up something that a poster said Ferraro said. He said “track meet”, not “trap meet”, on the Devs Canes series. Due to both teams speed.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Good luck Devils, I’m rooting for you!

 

[StevenToddIves]

12 wins to go, folks.

I couldn't be more proud of a team than I am right now about the 2023 New Jersey Devils. Just a heroic effort in the biggest game this team has played in a decade. Top to bottom, the team played outstanding and outworked an extremely talented New York Rangers team up and down the ice.

Keep in mind that, if the Devils get past Carolina, they have home ice advantage throughout the remainder of the playoffs no matter who they play against. This Devils team is for real, and they are a very real threat to challenge for the Stanley Cup.

Carolina is going to be a tough test, but I don't think this is a team as good as the Rangers. Their strength is from the blueline, where Slavin and Pesce are elite defensive defensemen and Burns and Skjei are both excellent players, as well. They have some top talent up front with Aho, Necas and Jarvis and some nice role players like Staal, Noesen and Fast.

But Carolina is also a team with a lot of holes. Their third D pair of Gostisbehere and Chatfield is the weakest in the 2023 playoffs, Kotkaniemi is the weakest 2C is the 2023 playoffs and their lack of depth is further exploited by injury problems, especially to Svechnikov and Teravainen.

The Devils are deeper, faster and more skilled. There will be multiple match-up problems for the Hurricanes -- if the Devils can get the Hischier line or the Hughes line out against Kotkaniemi or Gostisbehere, it's just an obscene mismatch in the favor of New Jersey.

I feel the key for the Devils will be staying out of the penalty box. Though he's an excellent motivator and tactician, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour is well-known for his incessant gamesmanship with the refereeing and many of his players are prone to take the proverbial dive. The Devils are the more talented team, and as such will have to keep from being baited into such shenanigans. If the Devils just go out and play their game, they should win the series in 5 or 6. As disciplined and efficient as Carolina is defensively, they're going to have big trouble keeping up with the Devils speed and scoring 5x5.

Again, great win for the Devils! I've been on cloud 9 all night and I'm sure all of you have, as well. Also again, I want to remind everyone that no matter how far the Devils go in the playoffs, this season has to be considered a wild, tremendous success. But I have to ask, why not the Devils? Because, though we're still young -- the youngest team in the NHL playoffs -- I sincerely believe we have the talent and compete level to go all the way to the promised land.

 

[FooteBahl]

Get Bratt,Nico and timo going and this one is devils in a runaway

Timo probably thinks he’s joining the Sharks on the golf course at this point. I hope he doesn’t miss much time. Was the upper body issue he was dealing with when he came over here a concussion? I don’t remember.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I respect the Canes, they’re obviously a good team, but with their injuries we should win this.

Timo probably thinks he’s joining the Sharks on the golf course at this point. I hope he doesn’t miss much time. Was the upper body issue he was dealing with when he came over here a concussion? I don’t remember.

Not to steal @Bcap88 thunder, but it was not a concussion; that was only incorrect speculation.

 

[FooteBahl]

12 wins to go, folks.

I couldn't be more proud of a team than I am right now about the 2023 New Jersey Devils. Just a heroic effort in the biggest game this team has played in a decade. Top to bottom, the team played outstanding and outworked an extremely talented New York Rangers team up and down the ice.

Keep in mind that, if the Devils get past Carolina, they have home ice advantage throughout the remainder of the playoffs no matter who they play against. This Devils team is for real, and they are a very real threat to challenge for the Stanley Cup.

Carolina is going to be a tough test, but I don't think this is a team as good as the Rangers. Their strength is from the blueline, where Slavin and Pesce are elite defensive defensemen and Burns and Skjei are both excellent players, as well. They have some top talent up front with Aho, Necas and Jarvis and some nice role players like Staal, Noesen and Fast.

But Carolina is also a team with a lot of holes. Their third D pair of Gostisbehere and Chatfield is the weakest in the 2023 playoffs, Kotkaniemi is the weakest 2C is the 2023 playoffs and their lack of depth is further exploited by injury problems, especially to Svechnikov and Teravainen.

The Devils are deeper, faster and more skilled. There will be multiple match-up problems for the Hurricanes -- if the Devils can get the Hischier line or the Hughes line out against Kotkaniemi or Gostisbehere, it's just an obscene mismatch in the favor of New Jersey.

I feel the key for the Devils will be staying out of the penalty box. Though he's an excellent motivator and tactician, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour is well-known for his incessant gamesmanship with the refereeing and many of his players are prone to take the proverbial dive. The Devils are the more talented team, and as such will have to keep from being baited into such shenanigans. If the Devils just go out and play their game, they should win the series in 5 or 6. As disciplined and efficient as Carolina is defensively, they're going to have big trouble keeping up with the Devils speed and scoring 5x5.

Again, great win for the Devils! I've been on cloud 9 all night and I'm sure all of you have, as well. Also again, I want to remind everyone that no matter how far the Devils go in the playoffs, this season has to be considered a wild, tremendous success. But I have to ask, why not the Devils? Because, though we're still young -- the youngest team in the NHL playoffs -- I sincerely believe we have the talent and compete level to go all the way to the promised land.

The rangers will be back though. They have cap space to sign all of their RFA/UFAs, two of the top defensive prospects in all of hockey, a winger prospect with an insane shot, a potential Russian gem and a 21 year old superstar already on the team…oh wait, THATS US!!

This is the start of something beautiful no matter what happens from here on out.

Cheers boys and girls!

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I feel the key for the Devils will be staying out of the penalty box. Though he's an excellent motivator and tactician, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour is well-known for his incessant gamesmanship with the refereeing and many of his players are prone to take the proverbial dive. The Devils are the more talented team, and as such will have to keep from being baited into such shenanigans. If the Devils just go out and play their game, they should win the series in 5 or 6. As disciplined and efficient as Carolina is defensively, they're going to have big trouble keeping up with the Devils speed and scoring 5x5.

This series is gunna be same exact as the Rags series. Stay out of the box, own them 5v5.


....and not to look too much into the future but that's pretty much going to the the theme the rest of the entire playoffs lol. Rest of the teams have elite pps.

 

[NJDevs26]

Doubt he's too shaken by it, he's a tough cookie. He also ended the game, if it was that bad, doubt he would've come out. Worst case he'll wear a face shield.

People keep saying Timo came back, he didn’t come back to play, you don’t need to be healthy to be in the handshake line and watch. At least he didn’t sound worried after the game but I’ll believe he’s playing tomorrow when I see it. He may have passed the concussion test last night but sometimes symptoms don’t show up till later.

 

[MartyOwns]

devils in 6, let’s f***ing go

 

[RANDOMH3RO]

Hope Meier is good to go for game 1, he looked decent in the hand shake line last night and was even smiling with trouba. That is a good sign. He’s majorly due for a break out, along with Nico and bratt and dougie and even hughes. Shesterkin really did not make things easy. To be honest, I’m amazed we got past round 1 putting up those kinds of numbers. 17 goals in 7 games is way below this teams talent level. Hope they flex the offence against the canes and can take 1 on the road to start things off

 

[Bcap88]

I think timo avoided a significant injury. I don’t think he would be allowed back on the bench if that was the case. Yes, he didn’t take a shift but they were up a couple goals and content plating ping pong with the rangers by the time he got back

 

[forceten]

That's the problem.

As far as I know, Carolina fans consider us their biggest rival. Meanwhile, we just consider them a gnat buzzing in our faces.

That being said, I think we can turn it around this year.

Nah, I'd say Washington's their biggest rival.

RAWLY MUST FALL

Nobody says it like that here (RAWLY). Nobody is from here anymore.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I thought Sharangovich did enough to stay in the lineup. Boqvist should come in for Wood against the Canes team. I also think Luke Hughes may draw in against a softer Canes team.

 

[Clam Jensen]

If we get to the ECF I’m definitely tapping into my mom to babysit so the Mrs and I can get to a game.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Standard tickets already look to be sold out for games 3 and 4. Only absurdly priced resale tickets now.

 

[forceten]

We need to get Luke Hughes into the series early. It would have been epically stupid to put him in in game 6 or 7, but we should start to season him, I think. Brendan Smith doesn't have the legs for the playoffs. And someone could go down.

 

[Blackjack]

We need to get Luke Hughes into the series early. It would have been epically stupid to put him in in game 6 or 7, but we should start to season him, I think. Brendan Smith doesn't have the legs for the playoffs. And someone could go down.

Yeah, can you imagine what would’ve happened if we put him in game 6? We might have lost.

 

[JrFischer54]

you leave luke out of the lineup until you need to make a schmid 2.0 move. which is hopefully not needed again.

 

[lucifer91]

Standard tickets already look to be sold out for games 3 and 4. Only absurdly priced resale tickets now.

Really? damn, do we even know when they are yet?

 

[Richer's Ghost]

I'm in Lindy's head and he's considering starting Vitek against the Canes if we lose game 1. Thoughts?

I say you ride the hot goalie unless he drops 2 in a row. Akira HAS TO START after that performance last night even if you feel some obligation to give VV the net back for all he did all season.

 

[Nubmer6]

Really? damn, do we even know when they are yet?

Does it matter?

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Surprised to see the Devils have a better PP% than Carolina the regular season. Then I saw the xGF statistics, including xGA...wow.

Team Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Like the polar opposite team from the Rangers.

 

[FooteBahl]

I'm in Lindy's head and he's considering starting Vitek against the Canes if we lose game 1. Thoughts?

I say you ride the hot goalie unless he drops 2 in a row. Akira HAS TO START after that performance last night even if you feel some obligation to give VV the net back for all he did all season.

You gotta go with the kid…but Lindy will Lindy

 

[Nubmer6]

Surprised to see the Devils have a better PP% than Carolina the regular season. Then I saw the xGF statistics, including xGA...wow.

Team Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Like the polar opposite team from the Rangers.

The Canes are a lot like us. Built on speed and reliant on puck possession, both with questionable goaltending.

The Rags in the other hand, are the exact opposite. Their possession numbers suck. They rely on the PP, goaltending, and accurate passing once they set up in the zone.

If Schmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid can continue what he's doing, we can have the edge.