GDT: Your New Jersey Devils (50-21-8, 108 Points, 2nd in Metro) @ Boston Bruins (61-12-5, 127 Points, 1st in Atlantic), 8 PM, ABC/ESPN+

[HersheyBob27]

His surgery recovery timeline was basically that he can play currently but won’t be 100% until next year.

Whatever

 

[Devils731]

Cmon we had 3.5 min to get going. That is a horrible excuse

I mean, it’s reality. PPs spanning periods do significantly worse than PPs that don’t.

People think “fresh ice” and think it would improve things when it’s drastically the opposite.

 

[HersheyBob27]

Besides the first ten minutes. It was pretty low event hockey. Devils didn’t have that big mistake, besides Mac putting it in his own net.

High Danger Chances was tied, 11-11

All three games vs Boston, we were in it all the way. We may be the only team who can say that.

How the f*** can you say something negative about blackie. He literally was the reason we were in this game

 

[Satans Hockey]

I mean, it’s reality. PPs spanning periods do significantly worse than PPs that don’t.

People think “fresh ice” and think it would improve things when it’s drastically the opposite.

Doesn't that normally refer to a single 2 minute powerplay spanning 2 periods cause it significantly decreases the time spent.

I'd imagine double minors wouldn't be affected by that as much since we had plenty of time.

 

[Devils731]

Doesn't that normally refer to a single 2 minute powerplay spanning 2 periods cause it significantly decreases the time spent.

I'd imagine double minors wouldn't be affected by that as much since we had plenty of time.

I think it’s still going to apply. Being on the PP doesn’t really warm you up. You get 2 cold shifts rather than 1 cold shift per unit.

 

[glenwo2]

Dude we have 50 wins and 108 points and lost a meaningless one goal game to the best other team in the league. It's fine.

The hell you mean "meaningless"?

In case you didn't notice, Carolina LOST in REGULATION last night to the Sabres.

That opened the door for us(or the Devils rather) to gain some ground on them for the Division.

The fact that Blackwood was in and let that 2nd goal through and cost us, makes me angry that Lindy chose to throw him out there against a Playoff team in such a critical situation as it so happened to be.

I'll say this much : Vitek would NOT have given up a goal like the 2nd. No F***ING WAY.

Devils should've gotten at least a point out of this (thank you, Bratt).

Blackwood being Blackwood is what cost us this game.

I don't want to read "oh...he kept at 2...." yeah...he's good at letting in Back-breaking goals and then play Decently just enough so we DON'T win but he fools some of you into thinking he played well. FOOLS GOLD 101.

Certainly wasn’t meaningless. The Devils would have in all likelihood taken the division if they won this one.

 

[glenwo2]

One more silver lining.

That's now 80 games without being shut out

Thanks, Bratt.

 

[Call Me Al]

blackwood played well after he coughed up a 2 goal lead 4 minutes into the game on classic blackwood goals where he can’t track the puck for shit. it’s always the same - he makes elite saves because of his physical ability, but his brain hiccups and he gives up stinkers. on the first goal, why did he move side to side instead of coming out to block the angle and the potential tip? he left half the goal open, just a stunning lack of awareness and horrible reaction. not even going to touch the second goal. he’s a moron.

we don’t know how vanacek would have played, but we also don’t know how the devils would have played if we didn’t immediately get deflated against the best team in the league and let them play a shutdown style.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I know I said I recorded this and was going to watch it, but I think I’d rather avoid the frustration of getting clutched and grabbed and cheapshotted lol. Hope Mikey is okay but at least we have bottom 6 options if need be. And man, Jack only 4 away from 100…I think he hits 115 next year.

 

[BurntToast]

I mean, it’s reality. PPs spanning periods do significantly worse than PPs that don’t.

People think “fresh ice” and think it would improve things when it’s drastically the opposite.

It’s kinda funny. A period ends and instead of having the face off in the oppositions zone, they drop the puck at center ice. Maybe they should change that.

 

[Better Call Sal]

If you’re losing sleep about this loss, you need to just step back for a second. Of course, I would have started Vanecek the rest of the way this year with the games spread out and facing the best team in the league. But we have no idea how it would have turned out with him in net regardless. While he’s been far more reliable, he’s not immune to poor starts and this is the Bruins so who knows?

What I do know is that it likely would have taken more than 1 goal to beat the Bruins anyway. While Mac did us no favors early on, it still could have gotten far more out of hand in that first period if he didn’t settle in.

This was a lesson teaching game, for better or worse. We have been able to play these guys competitively each time we’ve faced them, but they’ve won 62 games for a reason. And they’ve only further added to their depth since we last saw them.

I would have been over the moon had we won this game, but there is no shame in losing a tightly contested game to them where our talented players had trouble gaining the zone.

This game won’t define a thing, nor should it. I love that we played with a bit more physicality tonight and that Timo gave Pastrnak the business at the end. We’re not gonna get pushed around and no one should expect it.

This only makes me look forward to the playoffs even more. I hope McLeod is ok and just wound up getting shook up.

 

[bigd]

I'm not a Blackwood fan but anyone blaming Blackwood for that loss should give their head a shake. He was the only reason they were still in the game until the end.

 

[Clam Jensen]

If you’re losing sleep about this loss, your need to just step back for a second. Of course, I would have started Vanecek the rest of the way this year with the games spread out and facing the best team in the league. But we have no idea how it would have turned out with him in net regardless. While he’s been far more reliable, he’s not immune to poor starts and this is the Bruins so who knows?

What I do know is that it likely would have taken more than 1 goal to beat the Bruins anyway. While Mac did us no favors early on, it still could have gotten far more out of hand in that first period if he didn’t settle in.

This was a lesson teaching game, for better or worse. We have been able to play these guys competitively each time we’ve faced them, but they’ve won 62 games for a reason. And they’ve only further added to their depth since we last saw them.

I would have been over the moon had we won this game, but there is no shame in losing a tightly contested game to them where our talented players had trouble gaining the zone.

This game won’t define a thing, nor should it. I love that we played with a bit more physicality tonight and that Timo gave Pastrnak the business at the end. We’re not gonna get pushed around and no one should expect it.

This only makes me look forward to the playoffs even more. I hope McLeod is ok and just wound up getting shook up.

One of the voices of reason, as always.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Jack isn't getting a rest with franchise history and a 100 point season on the line.

I was being facetious in response to Ruffs asinine choice for this game.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Rough loss last night...Ullmark saw most of what we shot at him Bruins did a good job there and protecting the lead we spotted them....Blackwood had a good overall game first goal I think was on the defense more for leaving Zacha wide open in front not contesting the net front ....second was on Mack....He did make some huge saves too....They have no one to blame but themselves letting Rangers get close now we just have to win to keep home ice....LGD

 

[Camille the Eel]

I'm not a Blackwood fan but anyone blaming Blackwood for that loss should give their head a shake. He was the only reason they were still in the game until the end.

Plus I can’t see how anyone blames him for goal number one. It’s a tip from a guy 10 feet out who’s screening you and that crucially changed the direction of a blast from the point. There’s no way anyone stops that except by pure luck.

The game as a whole - they caved us in during the first period and we couldn’t come back from 2 down. Outshot us 20 shots to whatever in that period.

 

[glenwo2]

I'm not a Blackwood fan but anyone blaming Blackwood for that loss should give their head a shake. He was the only reason they were still in the game until the end.

Playing just well enough to fool people after giving up his usual crappy goals with the 2nd goal being one of (if not THE) most crappy.

I don't know why I even bother anymore.

I can't wait until he's gone from the team so we only have actual goaltenders who can make a ROUTINE save and not do...whatever Blackwood did....on that 2nd goal...

Vanacek, Schmid.

(or Daws or whomever)


Those are the goaltenders I have confidence in (moreso the first two) going forward.

 

[Call Me Al]

Plus I can’t see how anyone blames him for goal number one. It’s a tip from a guy 10 feet out who’s screening you and that crucially changed the direction of a blast from the point? There’s no way anyone stops that except by pure luck.

i don’t agree, we see tips get blocked all the time. he slid so far to the left that half the goal was open. usually you see a goalie try to take up as much of the net as possible by coming out, not opening up half the goal. it looked harder than it was because of how badly positioned he was

 

[Camille the Eel]

Playing just well enough to fool people after giving up his usual crappy goals with the 2nd goal being one of (if not THE) most crappy.

I don't know why I even bother anymore.

I can't wait until he's gone from the team so we only have actual goaltenders who can make a ROUTINE save and not do...whatever Blackwood did on that 2nd goal...

Vanacek, Schmid.

(or Daws or whomever)


Those are the goaltenders I have confidence in (moreso the first two).

How was the first goal crappy?

 

[glenwo2]

How was the first goal crappy?

I meant in general.

Not the first goal. Should've clarified.

 

[Camille the Eel]

i don’t agree, we see tips get blocked all the time. he slid so far to the left that half the goal was open. usually you see a goalie try to take up as much of the net as possible by coming out, not opening up half the goal. it looked harder than it was because of how badly positioned he was

Okay take your point. But it still went by him short side I think. If so the over play didn’t play into it

 

[bigd]

Playing just well enough to fool people after giving up his usual crappy goals with the 2nd goal being one of (if not THE) most crappy.

I don't know why I even bother anymore.

I can't wait until he's gone from the team so we only have actual goaltenders who can make a ROUTINE save and not do...whatever Blackwood did....on that 2nd goal...

Vanacek, Schmid.

(or Daws or whomever)


Those are the goaltenders I have confidence in (moreso the first two) going forward.

None of our goalies are good enough to steal us games in the playoffs. We don't have elite goaltending, that's just a fact of life.
If we are going to get past the first round we are going to have to score at least 3 or 4 goals a game.

 

[Call Me Al]

to me a better goalie would have come out to challenge the shot and hopefully be in a position to let a tip hit him. it wasn’t a hard shot, he could have made the save from where he was by just getting his arm or leg in the way. if he came out to cut the angle off he still could have made the save through a screen (as we see goalies do all the time) but still been in better position to stop a tip closer to the point of deflection. instead he way overreacted to one side and left the goal wide open, and didn’t have a quick enough reaction to make an effort on that tip.

 

[glenwo2]

Honestly if it was Vitek he stops that second goal and probably lets in one of the OMGZ reflex saves Blackwood made at some point, it really didn't come down to the goalie in the end amazingly enough considering they only scored one goal.

Sorry but you can't assume that will happen.

Vitek has been rock-solid lately and if he gave up any goal, it would've been the 1st but that's it.

It would have been more likely he would've matched the Bruins goaltender than Blackwood did.

This game would've been in OT with Vanacek, had he played, imo.

We would've gotten a point and at least took advantage of a Carolina loss to get closer.

Instead we let Carolina off the hook and basically handed them the Division now.

Screw this.

 

[glenwo2]

Our d was luck Blackwood showed up after the two quick ones. What a festival of giveaways. They couldn't handle the Bs forecheck at all.

Of course he showed up AFTER spotting the Bruins 2 goals....Played decently just enough so they LOSE but continues to fool some fans here into thinking he had a good night.

We could've had a legit shot at the Division if we even got it to OT and got a point after the Canes lost.

Again, I can confidently state that the 2nd goal would never have occurred if Vitek was in net. PERIOD.

No one can convince me otherwise.

"Blow it out of proportion", my ass.