GDT: Sharks @ Devils, 1:00, MSG, Yodaisms

[Bleedred]

i’m holding my skepticism until the Devils play some good teams, but this really feels night and day compared to the first few games. Getting some saves is huge but i don’t think we’re seeing the constant defensive breakdowns.

If the powerplay starts looking competent you can start putting me at the bottom of those Vince McMahon memes.

We are playing REALLY GOOD DEFENSE right now. And I think some of the people who've supported Blackwood all along and blame the defense/system and have been vocally anti-Ruff will not acknowledge that the defense/system is very tight the last 3 games. But then again, I'm not sure if it's as much good defense as we're dominating so much that the puck hasn't been in our end a whole lot for the other team to rack up shots/chances.

And the goalie isn't letting in easy goals like about 3 of them in each of the Flyers and (I can't even remember who we played in the home opener, that's how brain fogged I am, I know it was a shit team. Detroit?) the home opener.

I think it's a little of both.

BUT...... It is weak competition. We should be beating the Sharks, we should be beating the Trotz-less Islanders, we should be beating the Ducks. We really should have been beating the Red Wings and Flyers (I'm not suckered by the Flyers smoke and mirrors bullshit start) too, but we can't win every game obviously.

 

[Offseason Champs]

I'm worried about their finishing. It would be nicer to be dropping 3+ goals with all the chances every game. Blackwood making the saves he needs to make. Good signs for now.

 

[Hisch13r]

I'm worried about their finishing. It would be nicer to be dropping 3+ goals with all the chances every game. Blackwood making the saves he needs to make. Good signs for now.

I'm not. They didn't have trouble last year. It'll come.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Caps Monday will be interesting. They’ve looked really shaky to start the season. Giving up a lot.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I'm worried about their finishing. It would be nicer to be dropping 3+ goals with all the chances every game. Blackwood making the saves he needs to make. Good signs for now.

They won’t continue to shoot at an all time record low pace

 

[NJDevs26]

I assume vanecek gets the start Monday

Why assume that? They might be scared of him getting racked at home again and not want to mess with the winning streak until they have to

 

[Tundra]

It looks like Blackwood just needed some more live time.

 

[Saugus]

All they had to do was lift the puck on a chunk of those and it’s a rout.

Hughes alone had two sure goals that he flubbed. Definitely an off day for him.

Hughes at 100% pots both of those and we're talking about a 4-1 or 5-1 laugher instead of having 4 back to back heart attacks during the last minute of play

 

[Offseason Champs]

We are playing REALLY GOOD DEFENSE right now. And I think some of the people who've supported Blackwood all along and blame the defense/system and have been vocally anti-Ruff will not acknowledge that the defense/system is very tight the last 3 games.

And the goalie isn't letting in easy goals like about 3 of them in each of the Flyers and (I can't even remember who we played in the home opener, that's how brain fogged I am, I know it was a shit team. Detroit?) the home opener.

I think it's a little of both.

BUT...... It is weak competition. We should be beating the Sharks, we should be beating the Trotz-less Islanders, we should be beating the Ducks. We really should have been beating the Red Wings and Flyers (I'm not suckered by the Flyers smoke and mirror start) too, but we can't win every game obviously.

Gonna agree with you and pump the brakes but I'm cautiously optimistic so far. The Sharks hung with the Rangers the game before, but the focus on a strong defensive effort after the home opener has really been showing up. You do need to still beat the weaker teams. This game and probably the Ducks game I see them losing last year. The fact they didn't lose either is a really great sign so far.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

i’m holding my skepticism until the Devils play some good teams, but this really feels night and day compared to the first few games. Getting some saves is huge but i don’t think we’re seeing the constant defensive breakdowns.

If the powerplay starts looking competent you can start putting me at the bottom of those Vince McMahon memes.

They played the exact same way the first two games as they have the last three

Playing the right way doesnt mean you go 82-0 or its pretty every game

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'm worried about their finishing. It would be nicer to be dropping 3+ goals with all the chances every game. Blackwood making the saves he needs to make. Good signs for now.

For me it’s almost more encouraging that most of their big guns aren’t finishing and they’re still winning games. Jack and Jesper will get theirs.

 

[Blackjack]

I think it’s time to admit that the team has played well since the first game. Just a couple bad results.

 

[Bleedred]

Caps Monday will be interesting. They’ve looked really shaky to start the season. Giving up a lot.

f*** them.

I hope we bulldoze them back to Landover.

I'm gonna root for Ovechkin to get the goals record, but I'd love it to happen on a losing team, like the last few years of Mario and Mark Messier, when they played for loser f***in teams. Count Jagr in there too. Same with Gretzky's last two years on the playoff-less Rangers. You can count Marty's last few years here too to that list.

If a team is gonna get into the playoffs and be a lock for a first round exit, let it be us. A team that's only made it once in the last 10 years.

Tired of seeing their annual first round exit since their last cup win.

And before that it was almost an annual second round loss for like 4 years in a row to the Rangers and Pens two times each.

 

[Hisch13r]

They played the exact same way the first two games as they have the last three

Playing the right way doesnt mean you go 82-0 or its pretty every game

Flyers game was meh the first half but they turned it up in the 2nd. Wings game yeah was dominant

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Hughes alone had two sure goals that he flubbed. Definitely an off day for him.

Hughes at 100% pots both of those and we're talking about a 4-1 or 5-1 laugher instead of having 4 back to back heart attacks during the last minute of play

So Hughes must be injured since he had an off game?

Maybe Hughes is human and not '100%' like its a phone battery

 

[Hisch13r]

I think it’s time to admit that the team has played well since the first game. Just a couple bad results.

They've played insanely well since the first half of the Flyers game. Leading the league in possession metrics across the board.

 

[Offseason Champs]

For me it’s almost more encouraging that most of their big guns aren’t finishing and they’re still winning games. Jack and Jesper will get theirs.

This is the better take on things. I'm concerned but not worried because the guys clearly are still playing the right way and it's a matter of time. It just feels to me they're getting goalie'd every game, which usually says more about the offense than the mid goalies they've faced sans Sorokin. I know that sounds stupid because *gestures to shot totals and xGF* but it's just one of those intrusive thoughts.

 

[theoptimist]

Hughes was mid

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Two lol…the Nico Daws debut against the Sabres in October and another Daws game against the Ducks in March.

Really one…the Ducks game was a 1-1 tie with a SO win

this is insane

 

[DerekDevils30]

How good has the PK been?

 

[Offseason Champs]

Hughes was mid

which honestly says a lot about him if that performance was mid. I agree, for what it's worth.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I'm not. They didn't have trouble last year. It'll come.

Agreed, especially as Palat and Haula build some chemistry with their linemates.

 

[Hisch13r]

How good has the PK been?

Great. Underlyings are strong and only one GA

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Remember when the entire field of analytics was BS because we outplayed two teams and lost?

 

[Bcap88]

Why assume that? They might be scared of him getting racked at home again and not want to mess with the winning streak until they have to

You got a back to back Monday and Tuesday, they will throw the bone to vanecek vs his old team