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

[johnny pierogi]

The Rangers applied a similar approach in 2012 under Torts with the shot blocking and lane jamming. It is a good tactic against a team built like NJ, but it is beatable. They need to alter their own approach to get pucks in deep and go to work. If you can keep traffic around Igor eventually some greasy goals will go in. Don't forget what Rico's series winner looked it. It wasn't a pretty goal by any stretch of the imagination. The cute passing is not going to work if the Rangers plan is to continue playing like last night. Get to the net and for f***s sake, shoot the damn puck when the opportunity is there

SWARM IT UP!

 

[TBF1972]

Can he kill penalties or run a PP?

i can't say schmid would have done better. but the goalie is still the most important player on the ice with a man disadvantage. no team pulls their goalie in this situation to play 5 vs. 5.

this would be a bold strategy to test in a meaningless regular season game.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I am working from home today because I was so fired up last night I did not get to sleep until pretty late. It was simpler times when we were praying to the lottery gods

 

[Sdevils42]

Prob a bit of copium but while obv not pleased w/ the result, everything that could go wrong went wrong. They got goalied, they were tight all night (playoff experience?), special teams were the key. Not like they played a flawless game and it wasn't good enough.

Game flow played right into the Rangers hands at puck drop. Special teams, choppy play, lots of whistles which made it tough for NJ to roll at 5v5. Shot blocking was maddening, Torts Rangers reincarnated. Thought there were some definite over passing and just bad o zone possessions.

Was happy they weren't in my eyes dominated physically as far as hitting. Hischer got drilled a couple times but thought the hits were pretty even. However, they were dominated physically in front of the net, they need an answer for Kreider just parked in the crease.

I think (hope) they can rebound on Thursday, young guys got their feet wet. Hughes was their best player but he's going to have to change it up a bit, too many "regular season" casual plays that won't work in the playoffs. Meier, boy idk. Threw some hits but also missed horribly on some, 0 offense outside of the 1 handed rush towards the net. Was happy to see Lindy shuffle the lines a bit.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

I am working from home today because I was so fired up last night I did not get to sleep until pretty late. It was simpler times when we were praying to the lottery gods

Haha, me too. Got out of bed at 3am to hit the bathroom and next thing you know I am fired up staring at the ceiling at 4am. If it was any other team than the Rangers no problem.

 

[RandoDoomer]

My daughter (20 y/o and HUGE fan) and I were so amped for yesterday and then all we got was a deflating night. Breaking the shutout in garbage time was about all there was and only elicited a couple shrugs from us by that point. I'm still hoping she gets a REAL playoff experience ('18 barely counts) because until now she's only heard my boring stories of the glory days.

But I have taught her my tradition of media blackout after a loss, so it'll just be the echo chamber of Devils forums until puck drop tomorrow night.

For the love of God, please win G2.

 

[MartyOwns]

i’m feeling fairly confident, despite the results. a couple of tiny adjustments and we’re right back in it.

1) more penalties. we’re really going to need to wear down their PK, so we should start putting them to work more. i’m looking for our veterans to keep stepping up in that regard, haula and wood.

2) we’re smothering kreider on the penalty kill. give him some more space in front, it’s where he’s the least effective. no brainer.

3) this one goes without saying, but more shots into the rangers shinpads. if 100 of our shots get blocked in the series, our guys get to have a pizza party.

4) keep luke in street clothes. we don’t need a PP quarterback, we don’t need one of our best skaters helping the transition. obviously.

5) no notes for bratt, palat, etc. they played great. let’s let nico and jack do everything by themselves.

just a few minor tweaks.

 

[johnny pierogi]

i’m feeling fairly confident, despite the results. a couple of tiny adjustments and we’re right back in it.

1) more penalties. we’re really going to need to wear down their PK, so we should start putting them to work more. i’m looking for our veterans to keep stepping up in that regard, haula and wood.

2) we’re smothering kreider on the penalty kill. give him some more space in front, it’s where he’s the least effective. no brainer.

3) this one goes without saying, but more shots into the rangers shinpads. if 100 of our shots get blocked in the series, our guys get to have a pizza party.

4) keep luke in street clothes. we don’t need a PP quarterback, we don’t need one of our best skaters helping the transition. obviously.

5) no notes for bratt, palat, etc. they played great. let’s let nico and jack do everything by themselves.

just a few minor tweaks.

agreed 100%

 

[forceten]

Ladies and gentlemen, it was one game. We knew we would not sweep a team that earned 107 points in the regular season. As the great philosophers Maps once said:

"Relatively down
Relatively high
We can create, I say
So why destroy our time?
...
Strange you feel so low
Then you feel so high"

We will feel high soon.

 

[Call Me Al]

last night sucked balls big time. screw the overeactions though it's game 1, let's get back at it tomorrow and even it up.

a lot of people coming out of the woodwork to shit on the team. i think the score was worse than the game itself. they came out and looked visibly rattled in the first 10 minutes and dug themselves a hole that they couldn't get out of, it happens with a young team especially against a great goalie.

now that it's out of their system, they showed they could play their game 5v5 against the rangers all they need to do is attack the net more. I know it's easier said than done but they had plenty of opportunities to just throw the puck at the net but they instead opted for overpassing or skating themselves into trouble. simplifying the game is easy as long as they focus on that.

and we gave up basically the same pp goal twice, tie up the man in front when fox has the puck for f***'s sake

 

[HughesCorporation]

well that went as bad as it possibly could (outside of jack being injured) welcome to playoff hockey kids
ruff got off the canvas once this year.. can he do it again

 

[Better Call Sal]

Credit where credit is due to Fox. He's very good, and I f***ing hate him.

He put on a clinic on opening a lane on the PP to get a puck through. It was infuriating.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Also enough of this Timo on the third line stuff. He needs guys feeding him where he can finish.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Not worried yet. I believe the team can get their shit together. Plus not to toot my own horn but I did call this, the first part of the prophecy is complete. Next game we'll swap in Smith for Bahl but still lose. Just need to tough it out until game 3 and Luke to crack the lineup.

 

[Omar Little]

1. Devils had the advantage 5v5. Rangers were opportunistic / Vitek was leaky on the two goals they scored. I thought as a whole the Devils were effective at interrupting Ranger's attack, forecheck, and cycle offense.
2. That said Devils need to do a better job getting to the interior of the ice and creating 2nd opportunities. I can also barely recall any points shots we took outside of the Graves post shot. We need more of that type of offense along with screens supporting it
3. PK was bad and powerplay was worse

 

[RandoDoomer]

Also, I know he was amped up, but please Jack don't go throwing body checks. I had visions of him dislocating his shoulder on that one hit.

They need to take a breath, watch a little film then put that one in the rearview.

On to Thursday...

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Also, I know he was amped up, but please Jack don't go throwing body checks. I had visions of him dislocating his shoulder on that one hit.

They need to take a breath, watch a little film then put that one in the rearview.

On to Thursday...

Yes. Not a fan of him throwing checks at all.

 

[JrFischer54]

Prob a bit of copium but while obv not pleased w/ the result, everything that could go wrong went wrong. They got goalied, they were tight all night (playoff experience?), special teams were the key. Not like they played a flawless game and it wasn't good enough.

Game flow played right into the Rangers hands at puck drop. Special teams, choppy play, lots of whistles which made it tough for NJ to roll at 5v5. Shot blocking was maddening, Torts Rangers reincarnated. Thought there were some definite over passing and just bad o zone possessions.

Was happy they weren't in my eyes dominated physically as far as hitting. Hischer got drilled a couple times but thought the hits were pretty even. However, they were dominated physically in front of the net, they need an answer for Kreider just parked in the crease.

I think (hope) they can rebound on Thursday, young guys got their feet wet. Hughes was their best player but he's going to have to change it up a bit, too many "regular season" casual plays that won't work in the playoffs. Meier, boy idk. Threw some hits but also missed horribly on some, 0 offense outside of the 1 handed rush towards the net. Was happy to see Lindy shuffle the lines a bit.

i dont really think they got goalied. they had 1 shot on the first 3 powerplays and igor made the saves he should've made i don't think he really had to rob anyone of sure time goals

 

[Triumph]

Also, I know he was amped up, but please Jack don't go throwing body checks. I had visions of him dislocating his shoulder on that one hit.

They need to take a breath, watch a little film then put that one in the rearview.

On to Thursday...

He wasn't 'amped up', it was the right play - Kreider never expected it. He probably won't do it again but he won't be in a position to do it, either.

 

[JrFischer54]

maybe this was asked/answered already but for anyone there last night what was the % of fans?

 

[guitarguyvic]

Also, I know he was amped up, but please Jack don't go throwing body checks. I had visions of him dislocating his shoulder on that one hit.

They need to take a breath, watch a little film then put that one in the rearview.

On to Thursday...

Jack isn’t gonna be throwing body checks like that regularly, I don’t think that’s something to worry about.

What I don’t like is his attempting to do everything on his own when things aren’t going well. He cannot be trying to dangle through a wall of defenders at every opportunity like he was last night, 99% of the time it’s not going to work on top of it creating counter chances. If that continues to happen, that’s a really bad sign.

 

[Call Me Al]

maybe this was asked/answered already but for anyone there last night what was the % of fans?

probably 75/25 or 80/20, but the rangers made up most of the lower bowl where they shoot twice and a lot of the center club sections, upper lever was almost entirely devils fans

 

[Clam Jensen]

maybe this was asked/answered already but for anyone there last night what was the % of fans?

Judging from the pics and posters who were there live, it was like 80/20 or 85/15

 

[Devils731]

We said 75/25 or 80/20. There were 2 or 3 lower sections where it was slightly more Ranger fans than Devils so if you took a picture of that 1 area of the arena you could pretend it was a Ranger fan invasion of you wanted.

 

[GameSeven]

probably 75/25 or 80/20, but the rangers made up most of the lower bowl where they shoot twice and a lot of the center club sections, upper lever was almost entirely devils fans

For the love of God and all things holy, do NOT come back to the Rock down 3-1