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3rd edition GDT: Maple Leafs @ Devilchuk 7:00pm EST


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TG reported today that Lemaire wants to use Kovalchuk on a line with Parise and Zajac in the future. I don't understand this line of thinking at all. What happened to us having two balanced scoring lines? Kovalchuk shouldn't play with Parise except when we need to come back from a deficit and time is running out. Loading up all of our top-tier guys on one line will create some fireworks, but it makes our lines extremely top-heavy. I'd much rather see Kovalchuk on the second line.

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TG reported today that Lemaire wants to use Kovalchuk on a line with Parise and Zajac in the future. I don't understand this line of thinking at all. What happened to us having two balanced scoring lines? Kovalchuk shouldn't play with Parise except when we need to come back from a deficit and time is running out. Loading up all of our top-tier guys on one line will create some fireworks, but it makes our lines extremely top-heavy. I'd much rather see Kovalchuk on the second line.

I think he was talking about until Elias comes back. Although a Kovy-Zajac-Parise line would be sick, followed with a Clarkson/Rolston?-Zubrus-Elias? When we are healthy I would prefer ZZ Pops and Kovy-Zubrus-Elias, but thats just me.....

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the best moments of last night's game wasn't even the ridiculous comeback - when kovalchuk rushed up the ice on the power play you could just feel the crowd's excitement. it's funny, for some reason they reacted that way to brendan shanahan (but in a much lesser fashion). he's obviously the most exciting player in devils history, a top 10 all time pure goal scorer.

Nice observation. I'm not going to lie, I'm hooked already. We have had some unbelievable players play for this team but they have usually been one of the following. Mega defensive stars, big time forwards at the start or the ends of their careers or simply 1A type of star forwards. Kovalchuk is on another level. He is an attraction at forward, something we really don't know much about. At least in my 17 years of watching, we have never had the opportunity to enjoy something like this.

I keep hearing how they want to see how he is going to gel and fit in but I have no worries about that at all. He is a tremendous talent and I think you can just tell by his reactions on the ice and what he says to the press that the guy truly wants to win. He has a place here. Obviously you want to say the right things but he comes off as very respectful and classy. Its nice to see that.

I'll tell you this much. He is a #1 pick, something the Devils have never had and hopefully never will. Players like this DO NOT fall into your lap that often. I don't care what it takes but I think Lou has got to find a way to do whatever he can to keep this guy. Prior to the trade Elias was our most skilled forward. He is now approaching that point in his career where the end is not so faraway. Having a guy like Kovalchuk to take over that mantle would be tremendous for this franchise in so many ways. I know the numbers are tight and there is a lot more to it but we are talking about one of the best players in the world here.

Edited by SickMan
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Nice observation. I'm not going to lie, I'm hooked already. We have had some unbelievable players play for this team but they have usually been one of the following. Mega defensive stars, big time forwards at the start or the ends of their careers or simply 1A type of star forwards. Kovalchuk is on another level. He is an attraction at forward, something we really don't know much about. At least in my 17 years of watching, we have never had the opportunity to enjoy something like this.

I keep hearing how they want to see how he is going to gel and fit in but I have no worries about that at all. He is a tremendous talent and I think you can just tell by his reactions on the ice and what he says to the press that the guy truly wants to win. He has a place here. Obviously you want to say the right things but he comes off as very respectful and classy. Its nice to see that.

I'll tell you this much. He is a #1 pick, something the Devils have never had and hopefully never will. Players like this DO NOT fall into your lap that often. I don't care what it takes but I think Lou has got to find a way to do whatever he can to keep this guy. Prior to the trade Elias was our most skilled forward. He is now approaching that point in his career where the end is not so faraway. Having a guy like Kovalchuk to take over that mantle would be tremendous for this franchise in so many ways. I know the numbers are tight and there is a lot more to it but we are talking about one of the best players in the world here.

AMEN. If Kovalchuk does not remain a Devil I would be devastated. Hopefully Lou has some more tricks up his sleeve...

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Kovy's arrival reminds me of when the Devils got Gilmour. It was just such an exciting time, lots of hope. Gilmour and Ellet's first game was on the island (when they had Salo and Fichaud in net... yikes). Gilmour had a goal and I think 2 assists. It was an awesome night. I still have the tape of that game somewhere.

But Kovy is an impact player in his prime. I'm going to enjoy watching him the rest of the season.

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I was there last night I have never been so pumped in my life, my gf wanted to leave after the third goal, I looked at her and said the game isnt over till the final horn. When dean scored i figured it would end 3-2. However when we got the power play, and I saw zajac creeping in I knew it was a goal. The place erupted it felt almost as good when Friesen scored in game 7 with 4 to go in third period against the ducks. I havent felt that alive in a long time. When pando scored I couldnt believe it. The entire game I was having a conversation with the guy behind me about he logs too much ice time and he should retire. Sure enough he scores the game winner. Great game and Im glad i stayed. In ten years I havent seen a comeback like that since we beat the senators back in 2003 in the regular season when gionta and neids scored in the final two minutes. It was unbelieveable.

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I said it in the chat room. If you look at the replay from the link of the end of the game that was posted by hattrick, there is no way he had "possession and control" He didnt even propel it into the zone really, he had actually lost control, and you see him kinda kick at it to try and regain control. Believe me I dont care if it was offsides, after how bad the officiating was the whole game THE DEVILS WERE OWED ONE. But that play was off sides. And now with a great comeback like that I am sure it will give this team a bit of confidence it seemed to be lacking, and maybe we can start to build on it and when Patty comes back, this team can hoipefully start to roll again...

The rulebook definition of "possession and control" is a lot different from the layman's definition.

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I'm still excited from that game. Hopefully the players are too. I must have watched the last 3:04 at least 10 times.

hahaha, you and me both. i have NEVER watched a replay of a game that same night, but it was on MSG+ at 1:30 last night. kovalchuk's reaction to the zajac goal - great stuff.

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hahaha, you and me both. i have NEVER watched a replay of a game that same night, but it was on MSG+ at 1:30 last night. kovalchuk's reaction to the zajac goal - great stuff.

I have a terrible cold and was so tired last night after the game but I couldn't get to bed because I kept watch the last three minutes over and over on Youtube and NHL.com. Zajac's goal has a magical quality to it - what a perfect shot. The team celebrating on the bench after Pandolfo's winner still brings a big smile to my face every time I watch it.

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People had giant snowstorm worries.

Oh please! I know the snow was brought up as an excuse but its a weak one. Snow didnt even start til around 11. Friday night, agst original 6 team, Kovalchuk debut, train options. Its embarrassing we didnt come close.

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Oh please! I know the snow was brought up as an excuse but its a weak one. Snow didnt even start til around 11. Friday night, agst original 6 team, Kovalchuk debut, train options. Its embarrassing we didnt come close.

They had more people attend last Fridays game against the Leafs, there is a reason for that. People worry about the snow. It's the same reason people were flooding the grocery stores for things they didn't need at all because they were going to be stuck in their house for 1 morning.

You asked a question, that's the answer, unless you asked the question just so that you could give the opinion you wanted to give, in which case just skip the question part and go right to the giving opinion part.

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Oh please! I know the snow was brought up as an excuse but its a weak one. Snow didnt even start til around 11. Friday night, agst original 6 team, Kovalchuk debut, train options. Its embarrassing we didnt come close.

While the snow didn't start til almost 11, the reports were that it would start between 7 and 9. It's a legitimate excuse in this case. And absolutely no one is saying anything about the attendance last night - quite the opposite, in fact, everyone's been talking about the atmosphere there. Honestly, I'm surprised the Devils didn't report it as a sell out. There were empty seats, sure, but I could swear I've seen it reported a sellout with fewer people in the building.

I wonder how bad it would have been had we not signed Kovalchuk.

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They had more people attend last Fridays game against the Leafs, there is a reason for that. People worry about the snow. It's the same reason people were flooding the grocery stores for things they didn't need at all because they were going to be stuck in their house for 1 morning.

You asked a question, that's the answer, unless you asked the question just so that you could give the opinion you wanted to give, in which case just skip the question part and go right to the giving opinion part.

Its a question but if thats the real reason then its an embarrassing answer. Its just a weak excuse from our fanbase

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Honestly, I'm surprised the Devils didn't report it as a sell out. There were empty seats, sure, but I could swear I've seen it reported a sellout with fewer people in the building.

I said the same thing listening to the radio on the way home. Normally 2k or so people don't show but get reported as purchasing tickets, last night it seemed everyone who had a ticket went based on attendance.

Its just a weak excuse from our fanbase

I think it's just as weak that this is what you really want to discuss about the game. :noclue:

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While the snow didn't start til almost 11, the reports were that it would start between 7 and 9. It's a legitimate excuse in this case. And absolutely no one is saying anything about the attendance last night - quite the opposite, in fact, everyone's been talking about the atmosphere there. Honestly, I'm surprised the Devils didn't report it as a sell out. There were empty seats, sure, but I could swear I've seen it reported a sellout with fewer people in the building.

I wonder how bad it would have been had we not signed Kovalchuk.

The atmosphere was great and it honestly looked like a sure sellout. I was very surprised to read 15k. As for the snow, what about the rail options to get to the game? our fanbase was so afraid of early snow that it prevented them from taking the train too?

I said the same thing listening to the radio on the way home. Normally 2k or so people don't show but get reported as purchasing tickets, last night it seemed everyone who had a ticket went based on attendance.

I think it's just as weak that this is what you really want to discuss about the game. :noclue:

No need to take offense. Its a valid issue to bring up from the game.

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The atmosphere was great and it honestly looked like a sure sellout. I was very surprised to read 15k. As for the snow, what about the rail options to get to the game? our fanbase was so afraid of early snow that it prevented them from taking the train too?

i probably would've gone if not for the threat of snow, and i take the train. most people have to drive to get to the train anyway, and the train isn't immune from delays because of snow. people generally don't like going out on a snowy night. by the time the reports had changed, many people had likely decided not to go.

i forget if devlman is one of the fans from some random non new jersey location since complaints about devils' attendance and proximity from the devils' arena are usually correlated

Edited by Triumph
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i probably would've gone if not for the threat of snow, and i take the train. most people have to drive to get to the train anyway, and the train isn't immune from delays because of snow. people generally don't like going out on a snowy night. by the time the reports had changed, many people had likely decided not to go.

i forget if devlman is one of the fans from some random non new jersey location since complaints about devils' attendance and proximity from the devils' arena are usually correlated

I guess so...was hoping the excitement of Kovalchuk wouldve trumped that fear of early snow. I bring it up because the game looked sold out for sure. Ive seen 'sellouts' with far more empties.

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Great game but how on earth did we not even come close to selling out?

There were more than 15,000 in the building. Not a sellout, but it looked a thousand above the reported number. Some thought the Devils fudged the number against the Kings to report a sellout when there wasn't one and then took the number off last night's game. It's possible, I've seen games where I could swear there was more than the reported number and some less.

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There were more than 15,000 in the building. Not a sellout, but it looked a thousand above the reported number. Some thought the Devils fudged the number against the Kings to report a sellout when there wasn't one and then took the number off last night's game. It's possible, I've seen games where I could swear there was more than the reported number and some less.

Interesting point. i never heard of teams making up more or less for previously erroneous attendance numbers though. Could be a reason.

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I guess so...was hoping the excitement of Kovalchuk wouldve trumped that fear of early snow. I bring it up because the game looked sold out for sure. Ive seen 'sellouts' with far more empties.

In the end, it's a hockey game. Not many people want to risk their life for a game. I was going to drive in but took the train because of the reports of snow. In hindsight, yeah, I would have been fine driving in.

Also, they just played the Leafs here last week. Not everyone is die hard enough or has the money to go to every single game.

Edited by Devil Dan 56
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