GDT: ECQF GM1 - New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers - 7PM EST on MSG2 and MSGSN

[MadDevil]

I don't see how Vitek isn't the main culprit for tonight. Had a nervous group with a bunch of kids playing in their first playoff game. He gives up an absolute stinker to Tarasenko that completely sucked the life out of them. Add in the awful goal to Lindgren and it was good night at that point. With that said the Devils only had like 10 shots halfway through the game which is not nearly enough vs Igor.

Everything needs to be better for game 2 but it starts/ends with goaltending.

0 for 4 with zero, none, nada, zip, zilch, squadouche shots on the PP was a pretty big factor.

 

[D3vilsH0ck3y]

I don't think the Tarasenko goal was as bad as the board is making it out to be. Aside from the save on Palat, we probably didn't put a better shot on goal all game.

It was a bad bounce right to Tarasenko stick but it was an shot with no screen that should have been stopped, especially in that moment.

 

[Oneiro]

I think the "take what's there" cliche about hockey is really what we have to learn.

We run around a lot while accomplishing very little and the puck carrier doesn't necessarily seem like they know where they're going with it. It helps us with the rush game - and it's a rush league, no doubt - but fails us elsewhere.

 

[Cheddabombs]

@Cheddabombs Pepe?

It could be a pepe angle indeed

But I'd also want to make a good GDT for the playoffs! If no one's jumped in tomorrow after I get home from work then I can get to it!

 

[D3vilsH0ck3y]

0 for 4 with zero, none, nada, zip, zilch, squadouche shots on the PP was a pretty big factor.

Absolutely, again the goalie can step up and stand on his head every once in a while. Vitek hasn't done that in months.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Need to win game 2 and then at least 1 in MSG.

Then it's a best of 3 and we have two games at game.

 

[Devs3cups]

There is such a thing about momentum and timely saves. He needed to be good to start this game and was flat out bad instead. Nothing to do with coaching, nothing to do with experience. He has experience and was awful tonight.

I'm not putting any of the PP goals on him, but the other 2 were pretty bad, especially the 3rd goal to put them up by 3.

 

[devilsblood]

Trade him now before teams figure out how bad he is

Or before he leaves via UFA.

 

[Unknown Caller]

I don't see how Vitek isn't the main culprit for tonight. Had a nervous group with a bunch of kids playing in their first playoff game. He gives up an absolute stinker to Tarasenko that completely sucked the life out of them. Add in the awful goal to Lindgren and it was good night at that point. With that said the Devils only had like 10 shots halfway through the game which is not nearly enough vs Igor.

Everything needs to be better for game 2 but it starts/ends with goaltending.

Both are to blame, but Vitek is an absolute disaster of a playoff goalie. Washington didn’t move him for a middling pick for no reason.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I don't think anyone one individual was awful outside of maybe Vitek and Wood?

More that 3/4th of the team was totally invisible.

Jack, Nico, and Marino only goes that I recall really standing out with some positive plays and even then they had a few too many warts

Vitek and wood (for being an idiot).

I thought tatar had a pretty subpar game too. Nico decent. Mercer kind meh tonight.

Didnt have time to evaluate D..... Thought overall decision making by team was piss poor. Really hoping we see the winning NJD for game 2.

Palat is worse than Haula luck wise.

Find a way to put in Rango. Maybe Rango for wood or Boqvist. Didnt get a good look at Boq tonight except one time he got smashed well. And he had made a good play a shift before or after. Thats all i remember.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

There is such a thing about momentum and timely saves. He needed to be good to start this game and was flat out bad instead. Nothing to do with coaching, nothing to do with experience. He has experience and was awful tonight.

you didn't watch the game if you didn't think they got badly outcoached, and their inexperience really showed.

Also if this is what you call experience, well...

 

[devilsblood]

I think the "take what's there" cliche about hockey is really what we have to learn.

We run around a lot while accomplishing very little and the puck carrier doesn't necessarily seem like they know where they're going with it. It helps us with the rush game - and it's a rush league, no doubt - but fails us elsewhere.

I like being aggressive, attacking the play, attacking the net, but I did think Hughes was trying to go 1 on 2, 1 on 3 too often.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Goaltending is their weakness. If the team wants to just put the blame on it like some of you guys are, then they might as well just pack their bags early.

 

[devilsblood]

you didn't watch the game if you didn't think they got badly outcoached, and their inexperience really showed.

Also if this is what you call experience, well...

"Badly outcoached" is clearly in runaway narrative mode.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Both are to blame, but Vitek is an absolute disaster of a playoff goalie. Washington didn’t move him for a middling pick for no reason.

He’s played like 3 full playoff games in his career. He’s a mediocre goalie.

 

[Unknown Caller]

you didn't watch the game if you didn't think they got badly outcoached, and their inexperience really showed.

Also if this is what you call experience, well...

His career playoff stats are abysmal. He’s a fine stop gap in the regular season when his team dominates the run of play, but like I said all year, he’s going to lose us a playoff series.

I hope I’m wrong, but this team’s construction with Vitek in net gives me flashbacks to the Caps teams that would smoke the regular season in the 00s/10s and then get bounced in the playoffs because of goaltending.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

"Badly outcoached" is clearly in runaway narrative mode.

Truth hurts, I know.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Both are to blame, but Vitek is an absolute disaster of a playoff goalie. Washington didn’t move him for a middling pick for no reason.

We're playing one of the best finishing teams in the league for the past decade, they did the same exact thing to Carolina with equally weak goalies. The fact this team is this good with Vanecek so far in their timeline should give the league concern if they can nab a Saros or Sorokin (UFA) by some miracle in 2 years. Let's catch our breathes for game 2 before we already start saying this stuff too.

 

[My3Sons]

Or before he leaves via UFA.

Are you kidding? NJ will have to drag around that contract like a boat anchor. Worse than Lucic. Tonight proves it.

 

[devilsblood]

Truth hurts, I know.

It's an easy go-to for fans, that's for sure.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

It's an easy go-to for fans, that's for sure.

No, it's literally the truth. It was painfully obvious to anyone with eyes.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Vitek wasn’t good enough, but if I’m picking a primary reason why we lost this game, it’s special teams overall and PP specifically. We had so many chances to get right back in this one, and failed miserably every time.

 

[devilsblood]

Are you kidding? NJ will have to drag around that contract like a boat anchor. Worse than Lucic. Tonight proves it.

Sunk them tonight. Dude should be the captain of a Submarine.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I didn't even realize Vanacek's playoff stats were that bad holy smokes. I'm not sure they should risk a game 2 to see if he recovers based on his history....

 

[Triumph]

His career playoff stats are abysmal. He’s a fine stop gap in the regular season when his team dominates the run of play, but like I said all year, he’s going to lose us a playoff series.

I hope I’m wrong, but this team’s construction with Vitek in net gives me flashbacks to the Caps teams that would smoke the regular season in the 00s/10s and then get bounced in the playoffs because of goaltending.

This is his 4th playoff game in his career.