GDT: GM: 21 Your New Jersey Devils @ Buffalo Sabres, 3pm, MSG +

[njdevil26]

I feel very Jimmy McNulty about todays' game.

 

[Jersey Man]

Don't lose.

 

[Blender]

LGD!

Probably another loss though.

 

[OOOOIIIO]

Looking at sportsclubstats playoff percentage makes me cry. We used to have the second highest odds, now if we lose today in regulation we fall to near 50% odds to make it.

This team makes me so sad, I almost dont even want to watch the game.

 

[Devilsfanatic0421]

Forecheck has been nonexistent. Hate the bottom as it is now and hate Loktionov and Kovalchuk on the same line, neither guy can cycle or win a board battle. Without puck possession and better forward support the defense will continue to be exposed.

Can't wait for Zubrus to get healthy again. Too many soft-along-the-boards players in the lineup for DeBeor's system to be run effectively right now.

The bright side is Buffalo is just as soft, so this is a good matchup today.

Agree 100%.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Sorry but Lotki was one our most relentless forecheckers and had some slick Elias like move while cycling. Kid aint even close to a problem right now. In fact, he's the only one who brings it lately.

Skating into the zone near the puck is not forechecking. Checking, pinning the body, stealing the puck or forcing a bad pass is and then cycling along the boards is what Jim is talking about and he is correct. We're softer than ice cream on a hot summer day right now. Remember how Winnipeg skated right at us and drove the net? Yeah we skate around the traffic and act like we're carrying eggs in our jockstraps.

Lotki has been great with his vision and going to loose pucks and trying to make passes but he still is not a physical presence, nor will he be by his own admission. His speed and vision are his biggest assets right now.

 

[NjDevs4994]

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice
Thomas Vanek apparently out for Sabres today with some kind of injury.

 

[Devils Trap]

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice
Thomas Vanek apparently out for Sabres today with some kind of injury.

Lucky Us

 

[Status Quo*]

Wouldn't be surprised if we still lost.

 

[Devilsfanatic0421]

Wouldn't be surprised if we still lost.

I wouldn't either.

 

[foxboro24]

I wouldn't either.

Is it that negative over here? We are playing an okay team without their best player and all we can talk about is how we're still gonna lose? We have carter back today and we have our best lines since zubruS got hurt I looked at the pairings and got excited again am I alone in this?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Skating into the zone near the puck is not forechecking. Checking, pinning the body, stealing the puck or forcing a bad pass is and then cycling along the boards is what Jim is talking about and he is correct. We're softer than ice cream on a hot summer day right now. Remember how Winnipeg skated right at us and drove the net? Yeah we skate around the traffic and act like we're carrying eggs in our jockstraps.

Lotki has been great with his vision and going to loose pucks and trying to make passes but he still is not a physical presence, nor will he be by his own admission. His speed and vision are his biggest assets right now.

Lotki has been a hawk on puck carriers and has caused turnovers numerous times. He is weak but you can still cause turnovers with good stick work like he has. His line had some of the best possession of all of our lines. I do think that the addition of a big body a la Zubrus to Loki-Kovy would help their possession even more though. And given our offensive lately there's no way in hell you break up Loki-Kovy when they're the only line really doing anything.

 

[NBC Hockey]

Is it that negative over here? We are playing an okay team without their best player and all we can talk about is how we're still gonna lose? We have carter back today and we have our best lines since zubruS got hurt I looked at the pairings and got excited again am I alone in this?

I think it's because it is more of the same. It wouldn't be the first time we've been in this slump playing an okay team without their best player. I'm still optimistic, but I doubt the mood is going to change around here without a win.

SO happy to have Carter back. I think Kovy is gonna pick up some points today.

 

[Rhodes 81]

as much as i don't like matteau on the top line, i hope they leave him there. i think the kid's biggest problem is that he hasn't been able to get in a groove at all this season. he plays for 2 games, then scratched, then plays again, then scratched again. also hasn't had the same linemates for consecutive games since early on either.

 

[Devilsfan92]

Henrique and Zajac, put up some damned points.

LGD!
I predict a multipoint game from Kovy today.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Skating into the zone near the puck is not forechecking. Checking, pinning the body, stealing the puck or forcing a bad pass is and then cycling along the boards is what Jim is talking about and he is correct. We're softer than ice cream on a hot summer day right now. Remember how Winnipeg skated right at us and drove the net? Yeah we skate around the traffic and act like we're carrying eggs in our jockstraps.

Lotki has been great with his vision and going to loose pucks and trying to make passes but he still is not a physical presence, nor will he be by his own admission. His speed and vision are his biggest assets right now.

You can steal the puck or force a bad pass without necessarily being the most physical player. Look at Elias, he fits into the system just fine.

I won't disagree though that this team probably needs a big physical winger who can score, if they want to do any major damage in the playoffs.

 

[The Joker]

Tom Gulitti ‏@TGfireandice
Thomas Vanek apparently out for Sabres today with some kind of injury.

Yup, Kaleta hattrick incoming.

Please win Devils!

 

[Nick0930]

LGD!

 

[GM17*]

Foligno-Hodgson-Pominville
Ott-Ennis-Gerbe
Flynn-Porter-Stafford
Hecht-Grigorenko-Kaleta

woof. If Devils lose it's just...it's over.

 

[Devils Insiders]

Devs fans..time to kill before the game? Check out our podcast/Pregame Primer combo! Should take you up to faceoff:

wp.me/p347yn-ui

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Foligno-Hodgson-Pominville
Ott-Ennis-Gerbe
Flynn-Porter-Stafford
Hecht-Grigorenko-Kaleta

woof. If Devils lose it's just...it's over.

 

[Riseonfire]

Who is in net today?

 

[OpethNJD]

Today will be the turning point of this crappy losing streak, we just need one solid regulation win to get our confidence back...Devils have always been streaky so I'm sure they'll turn it around after today.

 

[hlaverty06]

Braveheart never fails

 

[Zippy316]

as much as i don't like matteau on the top line, i hope they leave him there. i think the kid's biggest problem is that he hasn't been able to get in a groove at all this season. he plays for 2 games, then scratched, then plays again, then scratched again. also hasn't had the same linemates for consecutive games since early on either.

Matteau's problems are a lot bigger than that.

He had a hell of a game Thursday night, but he is so unpolished. Like I've been saying, the little things that make Carter/Gionta/Bernier so much better than AHL players is what he lacks. It's what he will eventually learn over time and what he should go back and learn.

I firmly believe that if this season started on time, he would've went directly to the AHL. It's upsetting because starting in the Q, which he physically dominates so it doesn't help him, immediately disables him from playing in the AHL this year. He needs to play the pro game where his strength isn't higher than everyone else's so the rest of his game can progress. However, if it's NHL versus Q, I think he should be in the Q.