GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (24-12-3, 51 Pts) @ Anaheim Ducks (14-17-4, 32 Pts), 8 PM, MSGSN

[Andre Palot]

Did Keefe look disappointed? He should rip these players a new asshole

We haven't had a coach that would actually do that since Jacques.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I’m not sold that this team is challenging for the division or getting out of the first round until I see some evidence that we have role players who can contribute something on the score sheet.

 

[britdevil]

I've been bitching about Cotter-Haula for 2 months now. Absolutely f***ing insane this is still a thing. Tonight was another night where that was the only line of the 4 that finished under 50% xG.

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I think they are just making each other worse. Play styles don't match at all. It's not really Cotter's fault either, he's a 4th liner being asked to play 3rd line minutes because our bottom six is trash.

Mercer is just getting dragged by the two of them (but he does need to be better himself...).

I'd be tempted to put Haula back with Jack, if they can trade for a centre.

Meier - Nico - Noesen
Haula - Jack - Bratt
Palat - TRADE - Mercer
Cotter - Lazar - Bastian

 

[longislanddevil]

3rd line really is a black hole. It's just not working. No chemistry. No communication.



3rd line get's even worse in this scenario.

Jack and Bratt can perform with any one.

They need to find a way to push either Cotter or Haula down to the 4th line.

I get what you’re saying and you aren’t wrong. I just wouldn’t trade Mercer for a bottom six player in what would basically be a lateral move. As great as Jack and Bratt are, it’s scary to think what they could do with a scorer and someone not named Andre Palot.

I’m sure there’s another deal out there that Fitz can make to address the albatross that is our bottom six. We have three 2nd round draft picks and one can surely be used here to bring in some help.

 

[Dylan9z9]

They can't play that kind of defense with Jake Allen in net that's for sure

 

[Signal]

Can we all agree the last 2 periods were really awful? Yeah, we deserved 2 goals, they just should have come in the 1st, not the 3rd.

How many odd man rushes and breakaways did we give them tonight?? That could have been a 6-2 loss. At the same time I thought for sure we were going to win once we got our first goal. Then suddenly we give it away right at the end. Very frustrating game tonight.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Cotter/Haula f***ing suck, it's a shame cause everyone thought Cotter magical would stay hot the whole year. Beyond useless when he's not scoring

He atleast piles up hits. Last years team was allergic to that. He's a fine 4th liner but it would of been nice if his production didn't nosedive after the hot start. Best case scenario is he can play like a 3rd liner.

I'd like to not see MacDermid play another game for a bit. He came out of the box and had no chance on that breakaway. He's barley on the ice and was not needed tonight till late in the game to handle anyone.

It's a shame the Devils played so bad tonight. They ended the year with practically a dud. Maybe tomorrow they can kick it off right but they will need to be much better.

 

[Bleedred]

The most annoying part is we had a point in this game, even after how horrible we were for the last 40 minutes.

We even got a post hit in our favor. And they still came right back and set up in our zone like it was a power play.

That’s very uncharacteristic of us, as we very rarely get pinned in our end at even strength this year. But it kept happening in the 3rd.

So many stupid f***ing plays. A breakaway right before the game tying goal. Stupid icings.

Horrible. Like I said, we deserved two goals for the 1st and nothing in the 3rd. Pretend they came in the 1st.

 

[JK3]

They were off the whole game and looked like shit.

That being said, coming back after down by two, they HAVE to lock it down and at least get a point with 3 f***ing minutes left.

 

[jkrdevil]

The problem with the third line is none of them can handle the puck cleanly. It’s always a bobble and defender on them to kill a chance or they miss on the chance all of together.

 

[Bleedred]

How many odd man rushes and breakaways did we give them tonight?? That could have been a 6-2 loss. At the same time I thought for sure we were going to win once we got our first goal. Then suddenly we give it away right at the end. Very frustrating game tonight.

They had twice as many odd man rushes as we did at one point in the 3rd. They said it was like 4-2 in favor of them tonight. That was earlier in the 3rd.

 

[Hisch13r]

I think they are just making each other worse. Play styles don't match at all. It's not really Cotter's fault either, he's a 4th liner being asked to play 3rd line minutes because our bottom six is trash.

Mercer is just getting dragged by the two of them (but he does need to be better himself...).

I'd be tempted to put Haula back with Jack, if they can trade for a centre.

Meier - Nico - Noesen
Haula - Jack - Bratt
Palat - TRADE - Mercer
Cotter - Lazar - Bastian

I don't even want Cotter in a healthy lineup. Tatar is better. Lazar and Nate can do the crashing and banging stuff and Tatar will do the stuff he does to keep play going in the right direction like he always does. I don't think the lineup is better adding a 3C and moving Haula to a top 6 wing. One of the reasons I want Hall is that I think he could be a guy who does a lot of the heavy lifting offensively and in transition on a 3rd line with Haula-Mercer. The one reservation I have with Hall is that he's another guy who cannot finish.

 

[Devs3cups]

Boys aren’t going to be happy with their game tonight. Hopefully they show up big tomorrow.

 

[jkrdevil]

I think they are just making each other worse. Play styles don't match at all. It's not really Cotter's fault either, he's a 4th liner being asked to play 3rd line minutes because our bottom six is trash.

Mercer is just getting dragged by the two of them (but he does need to be better himself...).

I'd be tempted to put Haula back with Jack, if they can trade for a centre.

Meier - Nico - Noesen
Haula - Jack - Bratt
Palat - TRADE - Mercer
Cotter - Lazar - Bastian

You can’t put Haula with Jack and Bratt. As much as people complain about Palat he can handle the puck a little bit and get it off the boards. Haula’s hands are a black hole at the point. They need to acquire a depth center and push him to the 4th line.

 

[Bleedred]

Yet another loss to a bottom 5-6 team. What would our record be without these uninspired losses?

We haven’t lost to many humpty teams this year. San Jose, Columbus and now Anaheim. It’s not the trend it was last year.

But that’s why I say this is one of the worst games we’ve played this year. It’s not like it was Tampa.

 

[Mgd31]

Boys aren’t going to be happy with their game tonight. Hopefully they show up big tomorrow.

They will need to score first before LA can lock it down and line match us to death. The Kings have only lost 3 games all year at home. They are basically Carolina West

 

[britdevil]

I don't even want Cotter in a healthy lineup. Tatar is better. Lazar and Nate can do the crashing and banging stuff and Tatar will do the stuff he does to keep play going in the right direction like he always does. I don't think the lineup is better adding a 3C and moving Haula to a top 6 wing. One of the reasons I want Hall is that I think he could be a guy who does a lot of the heavy lifting offensively and in transition on a 3rd line with Haula-Mercer. The one reservation I have with Hall is that he's another guy who cannot finish.

You can’t put Haula with Jack and Bratt. As much as people complain about Palat he can handle the puck a little bit and get it off the boards. Haula’s hands are a black hole at the point. They need to acquire a depth center and push him to the 4th line.

Yeah, it's probably a bad idea putting Haula there.

I just don't know what you do. Not much cap space to work with. Glad I'm not TF.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Keefe was pissed

 

[jkrdevil]

They will need to score first before LA can lock it down and line match us to death. The Kings have only lost 3 games all year at home. They are basically Carolina West

Tomorrow is basically a schedule loss. It’s less than 24 hours and Kings have multiple days of rest. SJ and Seattle are musts.

 

[Dylan9z9]

I don't mind Mac playing but he needed to fight Gudas or Trouba it might have changed things.

 

[Signal]

If we play like this tomorrow we’ll lose 5-2. Maybe 6-2 with the Jake the drain snake we’ve seen the last 4 times.

Unless we can have a 1st period like we did tonight and run them out of the building after 1.

I watched them come back in the third against the Flyers the other night. They’re definitely not going to let us just coast for long stretches of time tomorrow. It’s going to be a very tough one for us to win. Especially being our second game of a back to back on the road three time zones away.

 

[Mgd31]

Tomorrow is basically a schedule loss. It’s less than 24 hours and Kings have multiple days of rest. SJ and Seattle are musts.

Yea it blows that’s why not getting a point out of this bs is maddening

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I wish Gritsyuk’s season ended sooner. He could’ve been a useful bit of scoring punch.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah, it's probably a bad idea putting Haula there.

I just don't know what you do. Not much cap space to work with. Glad I'm not TF.

You put the trade at 3LW next to Haula

 

[Andre Palot]

You put the trade at 3LW next to Haula

Trade Paloot while he's riding that Michael Ryder high.