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

[Devs3cups]

I'm still fuming. Holy shit. This one has got me pissed off lol.

 

[NJDevs26]

That hit wasn’t even half as dirty as the one on Kovacevic tbh, and we had the power play and well…

 

[Devs3cups]

I actually can't believe they dropped this game lol.

One of their most dominating performances all year, Markstrom couldn't make a routine save and end that game in regulation.

Feels like a demoralizing game that could start a losing streak.

 

[Satans Hockey]

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I haven't complained about Keefe once this season but gimme a f***ing break with this response.

 

[Hisch13r]

I'm still fuming. Holy shit. This one has got me pissed off lol.

So many of the losses have got me really pissed this year lol. The Flames and Sharks for getting shutout and like 5/6 of those periods not creating jack shit. Both Caps losses for not even looking like they belonged against them. The Blues game for the refs. I couldn’t even get all that pissed at the Avs loss. You could see it coming after they couldn’t get out of the 1st with a goal. Tonight felt like a loss was going to come when they couldn’t score but then they eventually got the lead and never should’ve lost it

 

[Emperoreddy]

You are going to lose games you should have won and won games you deserved to lose.

It's frustrating but probably ends up a game we forget even happened in a month

 

[Devs3cups]

You are going to lose games you should have won and won games you deserved to lose.

It's frustrating but probably ends up a game we forget even happened in a month

I’m really struggling with this one. I can usually rationalize L’s pretty well. This one stings a lot and feels like a game that can get us in a little skid here.

 

[Hisch13r]

I’m really struggling with this one. I can usually rationalize L’s pretty well. This one stings a lot and feels like a game that can get us in a little skid here.

We had a higher xG on the PK than Toronto had at 5v5 through 2 periods. This is a BAD loss

 

[Devs3cups]

We had a higher xG on the PK than Toronto had at 5v5 through 2 periods. This is a BAD loss

It’s a bad loss cause the result sucks, but they definitely played a solid game, so that’s encouraging.

 

[Hisch13r]

It’s a bad loss cause the result sucks, but they definitely played a solid game, so that’s encouraging.

This was a game where the PP really couldn’t afford to ghost. They couldn’t get things to go 5v5 and then on top of that the PP drops one of their biggest stinkers of the year. At least in some of the games where they didn’t score they’d at least have A PP where they look good. They pretty much looked like shit on all the PPs today. The only one they managed something and created a scramble resulted in them scoring the other way

 

[Ducks4Cup]

Wasn’t the whole point of getting markstrom is that we win games like this?

 

[billingtons ghost]

It's always going to be the same old story.

Other team goons it up, we don't know how to respond.

The Patches hit flipped the game. We came out next period with alligator arms, couldn't control the puck. Matthews threw people around, no response. Kovacevic victim of a brutal hit... Wtf constitutes a major? That was 20x worse than the Bernier hit.

I'm not saying we need goons.

I'm saying we need to learn how to adapt and get our energy back when it happens..

Better we need to be the team playing on the edge of what's legal and initiate the shenanigans.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

This was a game where the PP really couldn’t afford to ghost. They couldn’t get things to go 5v5 and then on top of that the PP drops one of their biggest stinkers of the year. At least in some of the games where they didn’t score they’d at least have A PP where they look good. They pretty much looked like shit on all the PPs today. The only one they managed something and created a scramble resulted in them scoring the other way

They scored a goal 5 on 5. They were fine. The problem was Stolarz being the best player on the ice tonight and the Devils having way too many players going ghost on offense. They top 6 has been underwhelming the last 2 games. That doesn't bode well with our bottom 6 not contributing enough and not getting the occasional goal from defensmen other than Dougie.

 

[MadDevil]

Wasn’t the whole point of getting markstrom is that we win games like this?

You're not going to win many games when you score 1 goal, regardless of how many chances you give up. He gave up a shitty goal at a bad time. It sucks, and given how much they outplayed Toronto it's even more frustrating, but it happens. It is kind of weird how since November it seems like they get shutout every 4 or 5 games though. They got shutout by Calgary, after scoring 12 goals the previous two games, then scored 12 in their next 3 games, got shutout by San Jose, then put up 10 against Florida the next 2, then shutout by Tampa, then 12 goals in their next 3 again, shutout by St. Louis, scored 18 goals in their next 4, then shutout by Colorado and only 1 tonight.

 

[britdevil]

this place sucks tonight. I'll see you in a couple of days.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Nichols has asked one or two dumb questions in each of the last few post game pressers, and you can tell Keefe is bothered by it.

 

[Dylan9z9]

I actually can't believe they dropped this game lol.

One of their most dominating performances all year, Markstrom couldn't make a routine save and end that game in regulation.

Feels like a demoralizing game that could start a losing streak.

 

[Better Call Sal]

There’s a reason why the coach is emphasizing the positives and not dwelling on the result. Because 9/10 times, this effort results in 2 points.

Of course it’s frustrating how it played out, but if we get an insurance marker at any point, it’s probably a win. That’s the lesson to take out of this one.

I don’t foresee us having a finishing problem for a prolonged period of time.

 

[Clam Jensen]

There’s a reason why the coach is emphasizing the positives and not dwelling on the result. Because 9/10 times, this effort results in 2 points.

Of course it’s frustrating how it played out, but if we get an insurance marker at any point, it’s probably a win. That’s the lesson to take out of this one.

I don’t foresee us having a finishing problem for a prolonged period of time.

The only thing that really bothered me, was this is the first game the other team was physical and there wasn’t really a response. The effort was clearly there and if I looked at the deserve-to-win-o-meter and xG I’d probably want to take a long walk off a short pier, but they did dominate.

Oh the other thing that bothered me was Markstrom. I never wanted him due to his propensity for being either really hot or cold, and he’s let in way too many softies for my liking.

 

[Call Me Al]

both goals sucked last night, should have been the easiest shutout of his career.

i don’t care that he saved 1 goal above expected, the glove save was good but letting that first one squeak by was backbreaking.

on the overtime you have a guy with a defender hanging all over him you come out to poke check and take the angle away not sit back give him half the net.

f***ing first and bahl for him was robbery

 

[Call Me Al]

other than that i really liked how the played lol. was probably one of their best games of the season when you take the goals for and against out of it

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It's always going to be the same old story.

Other team goons it up, we don't know how to respond.

The Patches hit flipped the game. We came out next period with alligator arms, couldn't control the puck. Matthews threw people around, no response. Kovacevic victim of a brutal hit... Wtf constitutes a major? That was 20x worse than the Bernier hit.

I'm not saying we need goons.

I'm saying we need to learn how to adapt and get our energy back when it happens..

Better we need to be the team playing on the edge of what's legal and initiate the shenanigans.

It will always be the same old story because you tell that story even when it isn’t true. Toronto was extremely lucky to get a point. They threw a couple garbage hits. That’s a good thing to do when you’re generating dick — maybe you can get a 4 on 4 or get a PP. Giving a team a free PP in a 1-0 game is losing hockey so I’m glad we didn’t do that.

 

[Unknown Caller]

both goals sucked last night, should have been the easiest shutout of his career.

i don’t care that he saved 1 goal above expected, the glove save was good but letting that first one squeak by was backbreaking.

on the overtime you have a guy with a defender hanging all over him you come out to poke check and take the angle away not sit back give him half the net.

f***ing first and bahl for him was robbery

Insane take, the Matthews overtime goal was an absolutely sick finish by a world class player. This place needs some serious perspective.

For the record, Markstrom saved 0.18 ABOVE expected last night. The Devils need to score goals. End of story.

 

[MasterofGrond]

i'm at peace on this one. They dominated play, the puck just didn't go in. If they controlled play like this against good teams every night, they'd win the Cup.

I'm not gonna tell anybody not to be mad about it, though. It's an infuriating game to lose!

 

[JimEIV]

It's always going to be the same old story.

Other team goons it up, we don't know how to respond.

The Patches hit flipped the game. We came out next period with alligator arms, couldn't control the puck. Matthews threw people around, no response. Kovacevic victim of a brutal hit... Wtf constitutes a major? That was 20x worse than the Bernier hit.

I'm not saying we need goons.

I'm saying we need to learn how to adapt and get our energy back when it happens..

Better we need to be the team playing on the edge of what's legal and initiate the shenanigans.

No doubt that had an impact...but I'm not sure if it changed the game? I'm doubtful because it was obvious that they were going to have trouble scoring from pretty much the begining of the the game almost as a follow through from the Colorado game.

The lack of response was gutless and no doubt was part of the Toronto's game plan.

The bigger problem with the lack of response and getting shutdown is everyone else saw it too and the Devils just made their futures more difficult because the next team is going to try to punch us in the mouth to shut us down too.

If I were Fitz I would be infuriated by the lack of response. I would have every bottom 6 player in my office individually asking them each why no response and while the lack of physicality in general... especially Noesen, Cotter and Bastian...

It's one thing when Kovacevic and Tatar are treated like a ragdoll in an alley but when they go after Jack and there isn't a team wide response there is a major problem.

Edit to all: and don't give me that bullshit about a close game so no response.... Toronto had no problem going after Tatar, Kovacevic and Jack in a close game. Seemed to work out well for them.