GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (18-10-2, 38 Pts) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (16-9-2, 34 Pts), 7 PM, ESPN+/Hulu

[Triumph]

People have bitched and moaned for years the Devils make things so hard on goalies, tonight was a f***ing chocolate cookie on a silver platter and he dropped it.

It really wasn't, though. Toronto got very few chances but what chances they did get were really good.

 

[Guttersniped]

This was the 1st loss in a long time that got me so pissed off that I tossed something lol.

Making these bum goalies looking like prime MB30. Markstrom/Allen goofing up. 5-5 looking like garbage. And again, most of this crap is on their own home ice.

We’ve had a bunch of frustrating games where we didn’t score against a rando goalie having a bad season but that wasn’t true tonight.

Goalies with at least 5 GP in 24-25 (and this doesn’t include tonight). Stolarz is having a great season so far:

 

[Emperoreddy]

4.53 xGA. Our 5th best all year.

And 1 goal. We didn't do enough to finish at all

 

[NJDevs26]

It's strange how tonight is somehow the night the offense gets cut slack

Not that strange, the offense has been good most of the year, Markstrom hasn’t.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Frustrating game. Going to happen in a season of 82.

Work on what you can and put it behind you.

 

[Devs3cups]

And 1 goal. We didn't do enough to finish at all

I agree, but to say they didn't challenge him is just not true.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Mercer needs to put up more points, but I'm not blaming that goal against on him.

I would honestly put more blame on Dougie with a pretty weak back check there.

 

[MB3]

Markstrom has been bad and it’s time the fanbase demands some answers as to why the devils are still employing this goalie coach.

Dawson Mercer might be my least favorite devils player in decades. His face disgusts me. What a f***ing loser of a hockey player that guy is.

 

[Billdo]

You didn’t answer the question.

If he missed the puck on Matthews shot in regulation but made the short handed save would you think differently despite the fact it would be the same 1 goal allowed?

The question is irrelevant. If he got beat on a good shot would I think differently? Yes. Obviously. A goalie who we gave up a first for and viewed by our management as a top 5 goalie, which is a f***ing joke in itself, absolutely NEEDS to make that save. The question doesn't have anything to do with anything though.

 

[Emperoreddy]

And the game winner is honestly blame on Keefe more then anything.

Pesce shouldn't have been out there and some of the other choices were really weird.

Jack and Bratt should be glued together on a 3v3 situation.

 

[Hisch13r]

Look, I get your point in principle. I know you're not winning many games only scoring 1. I agree.

But that goal can't go in, period. It simply can't. In this specific instance tonight, Markstrom had a shutout on a silver platter. The boys bailed him out for bad goals before, he didn't bail them out tonight. That's all.

Yeah obviously you won't win on a typical night scoring one goal. This wasn't a typical night. We gave up 14 shots. This also wasn't like that SJ game from last year where we gave up like 16 or something but like every single one was grade A. He faced next to nothing tonight. We did give Matthews a f*** ton of insane looks but he kept missing the net until he finished it off. 14 shots will likely be the lowest amount we give up all year and it's only 14 because Markstrom let it go to OT. It was 12 in regulation. There might be like 5 games all year across the league that happens.

 

[Billdo]

On an unrelated note, well kind of related I suppose, but there are a whole lot of passengers on this team right now. Our bottom 6 has been abysmal. What exactly are Haula, Tatar, Cotter, etc bringing?

 

[Devils731]

The question is irrelevant. If he got beat on a good shot would I think differently? Yes. Obviously. A goalie who we gave up a first for and viewed by our management as a top 5 goalie, which is a f***ing joke in itself, absolutely NEEDS to make that save. The question doesn't have anything to do with anything though.

It’s not irrelevant. It’s 1 goal given up either way.

So if you’re harping on “you can’t give up a goal on that shot” I’m asking you if he hadn’t stopped a shot you had deemed hard, would that have made things different?

The answer is no but it seems like you think it would since you are angry over the quality of the 1 goal more than the fact it was only 1 goal.

 

[njdevils1982]

I’m not that smart.

should've stayed in school then

 

[Billdo]

And the game winner is honestly blame on Keefe more then anything.

Pesce shouldn't have been out there and some of the other choices were really weird.

Jack and Bratt should be glued together on a 3v3 situation.

Jack-Bratt-Luke
Nico-Meier-Hamilton
Put Mercer, Noesen, or Tatar in if a forward is gassed. Palat should never be on in OT.

If either D is gassed you go Pesce but under no circumstances should Palat be out there in OT nor should Pesce unless Hamilton AND Luke are totally on empty.

It’s not irrelevant. It’s 1 goal given up either way.

So if you’re harping on “you can’t give up a goal on that shot” I’m asking you if he hadn’t stopped a shot you had deemed hard, would that have made things different?

The answer is no but it seems like you think it would since you are angry over the quality of the 1 goal more than the fact it was only 1 goal.

Jesus christ. Why are you not acknowledging that all shots are not the same? You're ok with that goal being allowed in because he saved a shot after that since he only let in one regulation goal? If he got beat on a perfect shot that most goalies doesn't stop then no, this conversation wouldn't be happening.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Jack-Bratt-Luke
Nico-Meier-Hamilton
Put Mercer, Noesen, or Tatar in if a forward is gassed. Palat should never be on in OT.

If either D is gassed you go Pesce but under no circumstances should Palat be out there in OT nor should Pesce unless Hamilton AND Luke are totally on empty.

Palat and Pesce taking a shift with Jack was so weird. I was waiting for one of them to change and it didn't happen.

Just play keep away for 20 seconds until whomever is gassed catches there breath and change them out.

 

[Hisch13r]

On an unrelated note, well kind of related I suppose, but there are a whole lot of passengers on this team right now. Our bottom 6 has been abysmal. What exactly are Haula, Tatar, Cotter, etc bringing?

The issue with Haula and Cotter doing jack shit right now is that they both really really suck together. This is mostly on Keefe for keeping them together when it's been abundantly clear for like a month+ that they do not work.

 

[Devs3cups]

Jesus christ. Why are you not acknowledging that all shots are not the same? You're ok with that goal being allowed in because he saved a shot after that since he only let in one regulation goal? If he got beat on a perfect shot that most goalies doesn't stop then no, this conversation wouldn't be happening.

What if he got beat from a shot from center ice like Fleury lol?

 

[Emperoreddy]

They do need to figure out a more effective bottom 6 configuration and we are going to have to find away to add a forward in too

 

[Devils731]

Jesus christ. Why are you not acknowledging that all shots are not the same? You're ok with that goal being allowed in because he saved a shot after that since he only let in one regulation goal? If he got beat on a perfect shot that most goalies doesn't stop then no, this conversation wouldn't be happening.

All shots aren’t the same.

Ultimately overall performance is what matters and his overall performance tonight was fine.

He made a big save on a good shot from Matthews in the 3rd and let in a bad one. If he saves the bad one and allows the one to Matthews he gives up the same 1 goal but all of a sudden you’re fine with his game and I think that change of heart is stupid.

 

[NJDevs26]

Luke, Dougie and Kovacevic are the only D men who should see OT time and I’m not even crazy about the last two, but you gotta have three defenseman who ideally aren’t slow as crap or at least have offensive ability out there. And if you insist on Palat taking a shift for…reasons, he’s gotta play with Luke and a fast forward to cover for his lack of speed.

 

[Devs3cups]

If he saves the bad one and allows the one to Matthews he gives up the same 1 goal but all of a sudden you’re fine with his game and I think that change of heart is stupid.

Why though? Giving up a goal on a shot like Matthews took is way more acceptable than the goal he gave up. Why can't that be a thing? He saved the shot from Matthews, good. He still let up an absolute softie that should not be given up.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’m a bit tired of this shitbag’s clickbait

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Luke, Dougie and Kovacevic are the only D men who should see OT time and I’m not even crazy about the last two, but you gotta have three defenseman who ideally aren’t slow as crap or at least have offensive ability out there. And if you insist on Palat taking a shift for…reasons, he’s gotta play with Luke and a fast forward to cover for his lack of speed.

Could easily do some funky ass shit like Nico/Jack/Bratt and then Meier/Cotter/Luke. It's 3v3, they don't have to be conventional lines. I think Keefe got himself hurt in that instance tonight big time

 

[NJDevs26]

I mean would I have liked more of a response to their shitbag goonery, I guess - but that’s not the reason why we lost the game, not when you outshoot them 38-12 in regulation