GDT: New Jersey Devils @ Buffalo Sabres, 24/03/2023, 7:00 PM, MSG, MSG-B

[TF1970]

Blackwood might have the best ability of the three to “steal you a game”. But he also prolly has the best likelihood of being the complete opposite of that. And the fact he keeps getting injured then basically has to work himself back into game rhythm which isn’t an instantaneous thing doesn’t help his cause.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I don't want to be a told you so, but I said at the beginning of the season that if the Devild stayed with Blackwood they would be in trouble and that goaltending would be a problem. Lately goaltending is just that. This is not Fitz's fault he got a backup who has bailed out the Devils but now he needs some rest and isn't getting enough. The season isn't over and he is beyond his ever-game limit. The playoffs are ahead. This is an ownership problem created by them and their previous GM. Shero. Scoring 4 goals for should be enough but being tired and worn down with nagging soreness at the end of a season is not what is need to go further. Venecek must get some time off. They are losing anyways. I know you get my point. You don't have to be a hockey genius to understand this.

I've said they don't have their Cup winning goaltender on their roster most likely but at the same time, Vanecek/Schmid are perfectly fine for this year. If you're really sold on this team and say they win a round or two, you can legitimate cherrypick a goalie off a team headed for a rebuild. Saros and Hellebuyck come to mind especially if the latter lose PLD (almost a certainty) and Mark Schiefele in a trade or he tells WPG that he's not re-signing.

 

[Bleedred]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t count a stoppable goal on Schmid for any of them. Only that first goal against Vanecek.

If I counted goals 2 and 3 on Schmid stoppable then I’d probably be counting 50%-60% of the goals in the league stoppable and not 29%.

The first Hughes goal ((that actually counted) and first Tuch goal were bad ones.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't want to be a told you so, but I said at the beginning of the season that if the Devild stayed with Blackwood they would be in trouble and that goaltending would be a problem. Lately goaltending is just that. This is not Fitz's fault he got a backup who has bailed out the Devils but now he needs some rest and isn't getting enough. The season isn't over and he is beyond his ever-game limit. The playoffs are ahead. This is an ownership problem created by them and their previous GM. Shero. Scoring 4 goals for should be enough but being tired and worn down with nagging soreness at the end of a season is not what is need to go further. Venecek must get some time off. They are losing anyways. I know you get my point. You don't have to be a hockey genius to understand this.

Uhh...

You do know that Schmid started, right?

He gave up 3 goals early in the game.

Vitek was backing him up so he was getting time off but unfortunately he was pressed into action and came in.

He also gave up a pretty blah 4th goal (@Bleedred would attest to that).

 

[TF1970]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t count a stoppable goal on Schmid for any of them. Only that first goal against Vanecek.

If I counted goals 2 and 3 on Schmid stoppable then I’d probably be counting 50%-60% of the goals in the league stoppable and not 29%.

The first Hughes goal ((that actually counted) and first Tuch goal were bad ones.

For what it’s worth, I didn’t count a stoppable goal on Schmid for any of them. Only that first goal against Vanecek.

If I counted goals 2 and 3 on Schmid stoppable then I’d probably be counting 50%-60% of the goals in the league stoppable and not 29%.

The first Hughes goal ((that actually counted) and first Tuch goal were bad ones.

Pretty much feel the same way on Schmid But like you said earlier, it’s the fact he literally looked like a statue on both that bothered me. Like you couldn’t use a more fitting adjective than statue.

 

[glenwo2]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t count a stoppable goal on Schmid for any of them. Only that first goal against Vanecek.

If I counted goals 2 and 3 on Schmid stoppable then I’d probably be counting 50%-60% of the goals in the league stoppable and not 29%.

The first Hughes goal ((that actually counted) and first Tuch goal were bad ones.

Yeah but you just said that Schmid was a friggin' Statue on Goals 2 and 3.

Why are you doing an about-face here?

Saves were needed and Schmid didn't get them.

It's that simple.

MAKE. A. SAVE.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t count a stoppable goal on Schmid for any of them. Only that first goal against Vanecek.

If I counted goals 2 and 3 on Schmid stoppable then I’d probably be counting 50%-60% of the goals in the league stoppable and not 29%.

The first Hughes goal ((that actually counted) and first Tuch goal were bad ones.

If there's anything you can ding Schmid probably on is him having a similar situation on the 2nd and 3rd goal and not doing anything different but yeah shit happens, it's not the end of the world. Schmid really doesn't give up "soft goals" that often. Also Quinn caught the puck pretty close for Schmid to do something drastic like a poke check.

 

[Bleedred]

Blackwood might have the best ability of the three to “steal you a game”.

No he doesn’t. Not sure where this narrative or belief comes from, other than he was good in the 19-20 season.

That ended almost 37 months ago.

We’re coming up a third of a decade since Blackwood was last good.

Vitek has stolen games this year. He was the best player on the team not named Hughes from Christmas to all star break.

His season this year is about on par with Blackwood’s last good season to date. .915 in a .910% league average 19-20 = .909% in a .904% league average 22-23.

Blackwood is not a good goalie. Not even close. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t played good games, but that doesn’t mean a goalie isn’t bad. Unless you believe Jonathan Quick resurrected his career with the trade to Vegas.

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah but you just said that Schmid was a friggin' Statue on Goals 2 and 3.

Why are you doing an about-face here?

Saves were needed and Schmid didn't get them.

It's that simple.

MAKE. A. SAVE.

He was a statue on goals 2 and 3.

I don’t really think they were bad goals or ones he really should have stopped. I think it’s unreasonable for me to give him a stoppable goal on those.

But I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask him to make a save on one of those two.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

No he doesn’t. Not sure where this narrative or belief comes from, other than he was good in the 19-20 season.

That ended almost 37 months ago.

We’re coming up a third of a decade since Blackwood was last good.

Vitek has stolen games this year. He was the best player on the team not named Hughes from Christmas to all star break.

His season this year is about on par with Blackwood’s last good season to date. .915 in a .910% league average 19-20 = .909% in a .904% league average 22-23.

Blackwood is not a good goalie. Not even close. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t played good games, but that doesn’t mean a goalie isn’t bad. Unless you believe Jonathan Quick resurrected his career with the trade to Vegas.

I think a lot of people are still suck with the tremendous February 2020 he had, it's basically the height of Blackwood as NHL goalie and basically him as his strengths. I would love to see the stats where he sees around 35-40 shots a game versus say 20-30 shots a game.

 

[glenwo2]

He was a statue on goals 2 and 3.

I don’t really think they were bad goals or ones he really should have stopped. I think it’s unreasonable for me to give him a stoppable goal on those.

But I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask him to make a save on one of those two.

EXACTLY!

That's my point.

He's been so good lately that his inaction on those two goals were shocking and very disappointing.

He saves at least ONE of those goals, Devils at the very least head into OT with a point.

He needed to....wait for it...... MAKE. A. SAVE.

 

[Bleedred]

I think a lot of people are still suck with the tremendous February 2020 he had, it's basically the height of Blackwood as NHL goalie and basically him as his strengths. I would love to see the stats where he sees around 35-40 shots a game versus say 20-30 shots a game.

It’s been all downhill since that February of 2020. I know he went 10 months of no games due to the shutdowns and us not qualifying for the stupid bubble playoffs, but he was starting to cool off by March of that year. It’s been downhill since.

And you look at his AHL career before he came to the NHL and it looks a lot like his last 3 seasons of NHL play.

It’s safe to say Blackwood isn’t as good as his first two NHL seasons.

 

[glenwo2]

Anyway, no use dwelling further on it.

Schmid failed tonight.

Oh well.

(oh and Vitek....that 4th goal...c'mon, man...you're better than that)


A victory on HOME ICE tonight is what I fully expect as the Devils will go hard on the Sens who will go hard on the Devils.

It should be a great hockey game but the Devils will want it more when all is said and done...and we'll have a celebration of clinching in front of the home fans.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

It’s been all downhill since that February of 2020. I know he went 10 months of no games due to the shutdowns and us not qualifying for the stupid bubble playoffs, but he was starting to cool off by March of that year. It’s been downhill since.

And you look at his AHL career before he came to the NHL and it looks a lot like his last 3 seasons of NHL play.

It’s safe to say Blackwood isn’t as good as his first two NHL seasons.

That February 2020 won't make sense to me ever, it's not like Nas completely changed our systems under Hynes either. We were still getting shelled into oblivion and playing soft ass hockey, it's just that Blackwood decided he went to go full Hasek lol

 

[glenwo2]

oh and one other silver lining I forgot to mention (I mentioned Jack breaking out of his scoring slump) :



Bratt gets another point on a Primary assist on Jack's first goal.

And that touch-pass upon 2nd, 3rd, and 4th review is just SICK.


Up to 64 points now with 71 games played.

Can he get to 70 before the season ends?

We'll find out.

 

[Bleedred]

That February 2020 won't make sense to me ever, it's not like Nas completely changed our systems under Hynes either. We were still getting shelled into oblivion and playing soft ass hockey, it's just that Blackwood decided he went to go full Hasek lol

Stranger runs than that have happened.

Like some career minor league scrub named Andrew Hammond having a .941% and going 20-1-2 in 23 games back in 2014-2015. I can’t think of a bigger fluke run than that.

Whoever gave him a Hart and Vezina vote should be publicly shamed. Probably Bryan Murray, his own GM at the time.

 

[glenwo2]

And rants are fine, im all for getting pissed off as a poster, its sports and it happens and expected even.....but they dont show up in wins!!

That's one of my pet peeves.

I mean...if you're an actual fan, come in and celebrate a win. BE HAPPY!

What this actually does, is it exposes those people as not actual Devils fans but TROLLS which is something this board does not need.

We get enough of those in the Main Board.

 

[mdj12784]

If this loss woke Jack up, I’ll take it.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

If this loss woke Jack up, I’ll take it.

considering Palat's foot being 6" offsides he had a hat trick, I'd say he's back.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Anyway, no use dwelling further on it.

Schmid failed tonight.

Oh well.

(oh and Vitek....that 4th goal...c'mon, man...you're better than that)


A victory on HOME ICE tonight is what I fully expect as the Devils will go hard on the Sens who will go hard on the Devils.

It should be a great hockey game but the Devils will want it more when all is said and done...and we'll have a celebration of clinching in front of the home fans.

Panthers vs Rangers is at 5pm so we can technically clinch a spot right somewhere around the 1st intermission or 2nd period if the Panthers lose.

I'd much rather see the Panthers win and we get a win though.

 

[glenwo2]

Panthers vs Rangers is at 5pm so we can technically clinch a spot right somewhere around the 1st intermission or 2nd period if the Panthers lose.

I'd much rather see the Panthers win and we get a win though.

yeah. It would be much more impactful if the clinching was in doubt until the end of OUR game.

Regardless, though, if the Rags beat the Panthers in Regulation, I will refuse to acknowledge that and will count a 2-point victory against the Sens as the Clincher. There will be no backing-into-the-playoffs for this team.

 

[britdevil]

 

[glenwo2]

The same sound is played whenever someone says he hates tea, I bet.

 

[britdevil]

The same sound is played whenever someone says he hates tea, I bet.

No, we send in the fuzz.

 

[Camille the Eel]

The penalty kill concerns me at the moment.

On the second and game winning Tuch goal, we looked awful and unfortunately it also looked very much like a bunch of goals we’ve given up lately - like the Stamkos goal in the Tampa game we lost in overtime for example - where we’ve had absolutely no pressure on the puck once we’ve got hemmed in.

We are good at preventing zone entries by clogging up the blue line. But once clubs gain the zone against us, mostly we retreat into a very soft box and get very passive. The opposing power play gets all the time and room in the world. And that style of play I fear is going to kill not the penalties but us in the upcoming playoffs.