GDT: Lightning @ Devils - 6:45 PM - MSG

[Bleedred]

The team doesn't really deserve the benefit of the doubt after the bust that was last season. So I think it's reasonable to be skeptical.

Though getting back LukePesce should absolutely help. The bottom pairing has been nothing but a vortex of suck since opening night.

That should at least help tilt the numbers a little bit, and maybe not see as many periods where we're getting outshot 16-7 and 17-9 before the games are already decided.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

And if we win you will discredit it as irrelevant vs a bad team.

I will if they look really bad doing it. If they play a really good game then I'll be happy with the win.

 

[Hisch13r]

And if we win you will discredit it as irrelevant vs a bad team.

f*** off with this shit. I literally said after the 2nd Sabres game that you play who is in front of you and that they looked dominant in that game

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

there’s nothing wrong with waiting to see if this is a good team before buying in as opposed to expecting them to be a good team and assuming this will get on track.

Exactly

Definitely think it was a great game defensively but I'd be lowering my standards if I called it an outright great game. Still thought their puck play was pretty sloppy and they weren't out there completely dominating and dictating play or creating a lot. It was really good and if they played like that on a regular basis I'd feel a lot better about them but it'd still leaving me wanting more so I wouldn't go as far as to call it "great". I think they've played one great game and that game was better than great. It was a 22-23 classic dominate from start to finish.

It was great from the perspective of playing to the system. Like you said though, their execution with the puck was sloppy af. Idk what it is with them, it's like they don't practice ever.

The Utah game is an example of where I was satisfied for now because it showed they were able to stick to a structure and tighten the defense. That game is the type of game where you let them work it out and look past the poor puck handles because they showed signs of progressing in their systems.

...then now it all has fallen apart lol

let's see how they respond on Thursday

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Weird because we beat washington and took the other game to overtime.

You're just looking at the scoreboard with posts like this, and completely missing the point of what people are saying

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I won’t accept any “it’s early” talk if it continues next game against the dog shit Wings. We talked about breaking points earlier for last year. If they’re bad against that f***ing team then I go from concerned but can see the light to smashing the panic button and can only see a glimmer of hope

I'm pretty concerned they followed up a horrendous game with another horrendous game against a team on a b2b tbh

 

[Hisch13r]

I'm pretty concerned they followed up a horrendous game with another horrendous game against a team on a b2b tbh

I stand by not thinking b2bs matter this early. Everything else about it yeah is worrying. 2 shit games in a row. Looking like a bottom feeder against established good teams.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Wow, I just got to see this play finally. This is an absolutely dogshit penalty call.

It was super obvious Mercer was trying to drive to the left side of the net with a deke but Hedman shoved him and changed the direction. /shrug

I guarantee you a play like that on our side, referee doesn't call it

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Ottawa is 4-2, we beat them in regulation. Utah is 4-2-1, we beat them in regulation. Washington is 4-1, we're the only team to beat them and managed to come back to take them to OT in a game we probably didn't deserve.

I'm not happy with the defensive play from the past two games, but I can't get behind the mentality of discrediting the wins we've had. If anything, this demonstrates the parity in the league right now and that it's far too early to cement any impressions on a team in the first couple of weeks of the season.

The season being young is exactly why wins shouldn't just be accepted. There's so much fluctuation across the league. As the season progresses, things even out, and the good teams are at the top and the bad teams are at the bottom (for the most part).

Right now, their play does not show them as being a good team. There's no way they will maintain their 115 point pace (or whatever it was) with how they're playing currently.

Again, I said it in the last gdt, their early season start against a crappy team 2 times gave them a huge cushion but it's evaporating really fast. The loss last night made it worse. They have 9 gp, rest of the division has like 5 or 6. That's a lot of points on the table for teams to jump the devils. They need to get their shit together

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Maybe Nico and Jack don't get along or it's Dougie who leads as a bad example. Something like that.

I wouldn't be surprised

 

[Hisch13r]

I wouldn't be surprised

I don’t buy any of that.

 

[Bleedred]

I said Lack, but you ignored me. I’m sorry I’m not Canadian hipster enough for you.

Sorry! It got lost in the shuffle!

It was Anders Lindback, who actually didn't play any regular season games for us, unlike Eddie Lack, who did. He only played in preseason games for us in 2016.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I think it's very possible Pesce could end up disappointing people with his play even after adjusting. If Kovy is really this though then that eases Pesce coming in below expectations.

You got that right. I'll be extremely disappointed, considering Pesce came from a team that is extremely structured. There's just no way he should look bad

 

[Hisch13r]

You got that right. I'll be extremely disappointed, considering Pesce came from a team that is extremely structured. There's just no way he should look bad

That’s part of the reason why I think he could look worse than expected. He’s no longer in the best defensive environment in the league

 

[NJDevs26]

That’s part of the reason why I think he could look worse than expected. He’s no longer in the best defensive environment in the league

No but it’s not what we had here the last several years either. Keefe has been fine with no name d-men in Toronto

 

[dgibb10]

I'm pretty concerned they followed up a horrendous game with another horrendous game against a team on a b2b tbh

I stand by not thinking b2bs matter this early. Everything else about it yeah is worrying. 2 shit games in a row. Looking like a bottom feeder against established good teams

This is a weird narrative you guys seem to be trying to build about the washington game trying to paint it as a terrible performance.

 

[My3Sons]

It was super obvious Mercer was trying to drive to the left side of the net with a deke but Hedman shoved him and changed the direction. /shrug

I guarantee you a play like that on our side, referee doesn't call it

The takeaway is that Hedman doesn't drop that glove if it's Kovacevic or Dillon squaring up with him. Another fraud of a tough guy. Make me 6'6" and 240 pounds (and maybe thirty years younger) and I'll stick him in the groin and we'll see how tough he is.

 

[My3Sons]

Sorry! It got lost in the shuffle!

It was Anders Lindback, who actually didn't play any regular season games for us, unlike Eddie Lack, who did. He only played in preseason games for us in 2016.

Wait, I thought it was some guy named Bag? I think his first initial was S?

 

[Camille the Eel]

Having rewatched the tape of last night, we were playing a strong second period and Allen was playing a strong game before we gave up a couple of quick goals about ten minutes in. Then the wheels fell off the wagon and we ended up coughing up 5 straight.

The result was disastrous but half way through it was not a game that should have had us sitting on the ledge and wanting to jump. Call a time out there; get a good shift or two in to change momentum and it could have been a different story.

This was another case of us losing focus and confidence for a five or ten minute stretch of play, an issue that plagued us last year. It was not a complete breakdown that should have us questioning the teams very make up.

 

[devilsblood]

Having rewatched the tape of last night, we were playing a strong second period and Allen was playing a strong game before we gave up a couple of quick goals about ten minutes in. Then the wheels fell off the wagon and we ended up coughing up 5 straight.

The result was disastrous but half way through it was not a game that should have had us sitting on the ledge and wanting to jump. Call a time out there; get a good shift or two in to change momentum and it could have been a different story.

This was another case of us losing focus and confidence for a five or ten minute stretch of play, an issue that plagued us last year. It was not a complete breakdown that should have us questioning the teams very make up.

I'm not questioning the teams makeup, but I don't like that we've have similar "wheels come off" periods of play much like we did last year.

It's early, new coach and all that, and we do have a winning record thus far, so I'm not freaking, but it is something that I see and think "I don't like this".

 

[devilsblood]

This is a weird narrative you guys seem to be trying to build about the washington game trying to paint it as a terrible performance.

Through 2 periods it was pretty crappy. Yes we had a good 3rd, but then reverted right back to pretty crappy the next game.

Also concerning is that the good teams on our schedule have made us look bad.

 

[My3Sons]

I'm still pissed at that fraud Hedman. I've changed my stance. I'll take him on anywhere even now so long as I get my choice of weapon. Once the sarin gas disables him I'll be able to beat the piss out of him even in my old decrepit state and leave him with a stick jabbed into his groin. F him and the phony horse he rode in on.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I can't believe people watch hockey and still do the "OMG WE LOST TO THAT TEAM?!" stuff

good teams lose to bad teams all the time. Using 1 game to make any sort of definitive statements on anything is absurd.

not to mention, Washington and Utah have both looked pretty damn good this year............