287 replies to this topic

[Triumph]

It's more disconcerting with Lundqvist only because it's been a fairly long trend now. That 10 goals in 9 GP is unnerving...Tri wants to attribute some of that to luck, and I'm not saying he's wrong, but at the same time, I think it's getting to the point where the Devils could play a terrific first period against him, not score a goal, and then they start getting that "Here we go again" feeling.

And it is great (and overlooked) that Marty has only given up one goal in his last two against the Rangers, no question, but I don't know if it's fair to ask Marty to keep shutting the Rangers down. It's really on the Devils' shooters to start finding ways to beat Lundqvist.

I mean, among current Devils, you've already got lots of guys who weren't even here for that first game last season - Henrique, Ponikarovsky, Sykora, Bernier, Carter, Josefson, Larsson, Fayne, Zidlicky. Team turnover is just too quick in the NHL for me to believe that there are goalies who do well against certain teams for any reason other than chance.

[ScoreMoreThan3]

Whatever you wanna blame it on indeed. Henrik Lundquist is currently the best goalie in the world, and it's not just against the Devils.

epic stats

Well good thing we're only facing the 2nd best goalie in the world tomorrow, who also owns the Devils I might add.

Devils need to get it together. I'm not quite sure how or why they have lost focus, maybe the tough schedule is finally catching up with them but the Devils really can't afford to lose a bunch of games in a row like this. They have to stay positive because they haven't been getting out played really.

[Devils731]

I mean, among current Devils, you've already got lots of guys who weren't even here for that first game last season - Henrique, Ponikarovsky, Sykora, Bernier, Carter, Josefson, Larsson, Fayne, Zidlicky. Team turnover is just too quick in the NHL for me to believe that there are goalies who do well against certain teams for any reason other than chance.

Team style has also changed, this is about the 3rd system in 2 seasons.

[ScoreMoreThan3]

I mean, among current Devils, you've already got lots of guys who weren't even here for that first game last season - Henrique, Ponikarovsky, Sykora, Bernier, Carter, Josefson, Larsson, Fayne, Zidlicky. Team turnover is just too quick in the NHL for me to believe that there are goalies who do well against certain teams for any reason other than chance.

The Devils just come at Lunquivst completely wrong.
They are impatient against him and never create traffic. It's too easy for him.
IMO they need to start either just throwing pucks at the net at all times and create plays from behind the net aka the Clarkson goal from Parise in the previous game.
You have to make Lunquivst move and not always have his head in one position, like facing forward because he is ALWAYS going to stop those types of shots coming right at him.
Those types of shots are not a threat to him at all. I can't even remember the last time a Devils player just came in head on and slung a wrist shot past him. Maybe that game Kovalchuck scored on a breakaway?

[Legion15]

YES! Throw more shots at him - ALL the time! Create traffic and confusion and pepper him with shots whenever there's a chance, delay once in a while. Eventually it'll throw him off his game and he won't always know for sure when a shot is coming. By the time he does, it might be too late

[DaneykoIsGod]

I'm guessing this is fallout from the Rags game ... DeBo changed the lines in today's practice:

Parise-Henrique-Kovalchuk
Zubrus-Elias-Sykora
Ponikarovsky-Josefson-Clarkson
Boulton-Carter-Bernier/Janssen

It'll be nice to see Josefson play with someone like Ponikarovsky. And I almost feel like, based on the last game alone, that Bernier deserves that 3rd line slot more than hothead dumbass extraordinaire Clarkson. But being No. 2 in team goal scoring kinda tends to keep one in the top 9.

[Triumph]

I love these line changes and was going to suggest something similar. The Ponikarovsky-Zubrus-Bernier combination was lovely for cycling down low but no one was able to get the puck to the net. NJ has had barely any shots on goal these last 2 games, something has to change.

[ZeroGravityFat]

that third line looks pretty dominant.

[NJDevs4978]

I mean, among current Devils, you've already got lots of guys who weren't even here for that first game last season - Henrique, Ponikarovsky, Sykora, Bernier, Carter, Josefson, Larsson, Fayne, Zidlicky. Team turnover is just too quick in the NHL for me to believe that there are goalies who do well against certain teams for any reason other than chance.

A lot of the guys you mentioned aren't exactly the ones we count on to score goals. When the guy has a .950 career save percentage against one team, then yes it certainly can become mental on both sides. Especially when Marty's gotten in the habit of allowing killer soft goals against the Rangers as well.

[SMantzas]

A lot of the guys you mentioned aren't exactly the ones we count on to score goals. When the guy has a .950 career save percentage against one team, then yes it certainly can become mental on both sides. Especially when Marty's gotten in the habit of allowing killer soft goals against the Rangers as well.

This simply isn't true, or at least against pads McGee. Marty has a .925 save percentage against the rags during the Michelin man tenure

[Triumph]

A lot of the guys you mentioned aren't exactly the ones we count on to score goals. When the guy has a .950 career save percentage against one team, then yes it certainly can become mental on both sides. Especially when Marty's gotten in the habit of allowing killer soft goals against the Rangers as well.

Do I need to go farther? Kovalchuk hasn't been here that long. The only two Devils forwards who have been here since Lundqvist came into the league are Parise and Elias. I mean, Lundqvist is an excellent goalie, it could just be that he's really good.

[Anhkheg]

I'm guessing this is fallout from the Rags game ... DeBo changed the lines in today's practice:

Parise-Henrique-Kovalchuk
Zubrus-Elias-Sykora
Ponikarovsky-Josefson-Clarkson
Boulton-Carter-Bernier/Janssen

It'll be nice to see Josefson play with someone like Ponikarovsky. And I almost feel like, based on the last game alone, that Bernier deserves that 3rd line slot more than hothead dumbass extraordinaire Clarkson. But being No. 2 in team goal scoring kinda tends to keep one in the top 9.

Agreed, I've been saying this a while. I'd prefer seeing Clarkson on the fourth line. He will bring scoring to that line with his individual style of play and can hog the puck as much as he likes, as a matter of fact, I think he will score more on the fourth as the other teams wont have their top lines playing against him.
Parise-Henrique-Kovy
Sykora-Elias-Zubrus
Poni-Josefson-Bernier
Boulton-Carter-Clarkson

Once Zajac comes back, he can center the fourth line and become an additional threat, Carter-Zajac-Clarkson. Would like to see one of Zharkov, Tedenby or Zalewski come up and play the left wing in the near future. If we need power, then throw in Boulton.

[lazer]

Is lou and debo reading my posts on njdevs, so weird.

[Mayday]

Alright here are some thoughts from these past games
- break up Parise/Henrique/Kovalchuk
This line has a rut. They have plenty of talent so spread them throughout.

- keep Poni/Zubrus together.
These two are just complete beats on the board, plus they can score.

- put someone on fast on Elias' line (Kovalchuk or Parise)
Sykora is just way to slow. Elias needs to be working with someone a bit better than Petr and Clarkson.

- play Hedberg more.
Not that Brodeur has been playing bad but Moose is fully capable of playing games. Simple.

Parise-Henrique-Clarkson
Sykora-Elias-Kovalchuk
Ponikarovsky-Zubrus-Bernier
Boulton-Josefson-Carter

when Zajac comes back

Parise-Henrique-Clarkson
Sykora-Elias-Kovalchuk
Poni-Zajac-Zubrus
Bernier-Josefson-Carter

Greene-Fayne
Volch/Salv-Larsson
Volch/Salv-Zidlicky

[Chuck the Duck]

Do I need to go farther? Kovalchuk hasn't been here that long. The only two Devils forwards who have been here since Lundqvist came into the league are Parise and Elias. I mean, Lundqvist is an excellent goalie, it could just be that he's really good.

He really is that good. He basically takes away the entire bottom of the net. His weakness used to be his glove hand, but he's gotten noticeably better this season and is having an excellent season. Combine that with the fact that our shooters are not terribly accurate with their shots, and you get a lot of good scoring chances wasted with shots right at the Queen's chest.

The thing I noticed that is very concerning is the over-passing that went on the other night. They had good looks and chose to pass them up to get him to move side-to-side. To me, that shows he is in their heads as they feel they can't beat him with a shot he can see and doesn't have to move laterally to stop.

Edited by Chuck the Duck, 29 February 2012 - 03:40 PM.

[NJDevs4978]

Do I need to go farther? Kovalchuk hasn't been here that long. The only two Devils forwards who have been here since Lundqvist came into the league are Parise and Elias. I mean, Lundqvist is an excellent goalie, it could just be that he's really good.

Lundqvist's career GAA and save percentage are 2.26 and .921 (including the Devil games). Against the Devils it's 1.76 and .938 in basically half a season's worth of games. It's not just about the Devils tightening their sticks, it's about Lundqvist having supreme confidence against us.

This simply isn't true, or at least against pads McGee. Marty has a .925 save percentage against the rags during the Michelin man tenure

Have you watched Marty play against the Rangers since Avery came to town and rattled his cage? Nine out of ten games are the same thing, lose 2-1 with Marty giving up a crucial crap goal. He did it three times this year alone, losing sight of the Hagelin goal yesterday when the play went right in front of him and didn't cover the near post, the bad Del Zotto goal late in the home game which should have been another loss but for divine intervention, and the backbreaking soft goal by Boyle I think it was in a 1-1 third period game that broke it open the first time we played this year. Most games in recent years have been similar. Not to mention the playoffs a few years back where Marty killed us in at least two or three of the games.

It's not that he doesn't play 'okay' or have the occasional moment of brilliance, but he constantly needs to match Lundqvist save for save and seldom does.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 29 February 2012 - 05:27 PM.

[Triumph]

Yeah, how dare he not match Lundqvist save for save when the guy has a .940 save percentage? Ridiculous, really.

Of course we're nicely forgetting his 40+ save effort in 2010, but that doesn't fit with the acceptable narrative.

Edited by Triumph, 29 February 2012 - 05:37 PM.

[titans04]

Weren't the Rangers going to fall off a cliff by now if I remember correctly based on projections and the fact they only played sh!tty teams?

Edited by titans04, 29 February 2012 - 06:50 PM.

[SMantzas]

Weren't the Rangers going to fall off a cliff by now if I remember correctly based on projections and the fact they only played sh!tty teams?

I'd still be surprised if they make it to the ecf. They've been very lucky to not have any major injuries and if Lundqvist plays to his playoff norm, they aren't going far at all.

[Triumph]

Weren't the Rangers going to fall off a cliff by now if I remember correctly based on projections and the fact they only played sh!tty teams?

The Rangers have gotten much, much better. (As have the Ducks, as another example).