186 replies to this topic

[Marv4Life]

They probably won't win tomorrow, a rusty Moose or a tired Marty going against a suddenly hot, talented team. If you want to panic by all means, you act like the teams chasing us are all going to get hot while we slump.

It's happened before you know. Look at the standings. And the upcoming schedule is NOT pretty. They need a boost and some sort of confidence going into the last month

[NJDevs4978]

It's happened before you know. Look at the standings. And the upcoming schedule is NOT pretty. They need a boost and some sort of confidence going into the last month

How many teams have blown a double-digit playoff lead with five weeks to go in the season? Especially when a lot of the teams chasing us have to play each other too, particularly the SE division ones. Florida, Washington and Winnipeg all have negative goal differentials, they're all going to get hot and pass us? Cause that's what it would take, since one of them passing us has zero impact because one has to win the division.

Besides, there's been no real warning signs of a collapse so far. This is only the second four-game losing streak all year and they don't have a penchant for taking games or weeks off the way the 2007 Mets did (the Tampa Bay fiasco excepted, but that'll happen once in a while over a long season). They aren't playing discouraged yet. Yeah we have a ****ty schedule, but so does everyone else, at least in terms of games played in a short period of time.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 01 March 2012 - 10:48 PM.

[NJDevs4978]

If Winnipeg holds on tonight, we're 5 points away from 9th.

Six points, Winnipeg leapfrogs Washington, and the Caps are the new 9th seed. That's how it works when all the teams chasing you are in the same division.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 01 March 2012 - 11:00 PM.

[Triumph]

both Sportsclubstats and Hockey-reference have the Devils at over 90% to make the playoffs before tonight. Neither's methodology is perfect, but they're still looking pretty comfortable.

[NJDevs4978]

I read somewhere it was 96% a couple days ago lol...I wonder what it was before the streak started?

I honestly think people look at us being in seventh and assume two teams need to pass us, when in reality it's three cause if the two teams behind us pass us, one of them's gonna inherit the #3 seed anyway. I don't think they're panicking in Ottawa (in a similar position) because the ninth seed is several points behind.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 01 March 2012 - 11:06 PM.

[SterioDesign]

Personaly i just want to make the playoffs for now...

I dont mind this losing streak cause we mostly battled hard and they were tight games that went the other because of crazy lucky bounces or wtv... So we can play against top teams and thats all that matters really, to win those games in the playoffs is what will matter

[DevsChamps3x]

If Tomorrow is a W, that would be a great boost for the team. We are not in must win games yet, however, one huge concern I have had all season are these 3rd period giveaways. About a week ago in Toronto we let one in late. Quickly we forget about the reoccurring themes of the season. We have had been bailed out in quite a few shootouts. This a theme you do not want in any team, let alone a team trying to make a playoff push.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

If it all blows up i am blaming the "who do you want in the playoffs" thread!

[Marshall]

I read somewhere it was 96% a couple days ago lol...I wonder what it was before the streak started?

I honestly think people look at us being in seventh and assume two teams need to pass us, when in reality it's three cause if the two teams behind us pass us, one of them's gonna inherit the #3 seed anyway. I don't think they're panicking in Ottawa (in a similar position) because the ninth seed is several points behind.

It's at 95.7% now and improved by 0.2 with the OTL point.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

They probably won't win tomorrow, a rusty Moose or a tired Marty going against a suddenly hot, talented team in a fifth game in just over a week. If you want to panic by all means, you act like the teams chasing us are all going to get hot while we slump.

If this turns into the 2007 Mets then fine, you'll get your wish and there'll be more major changes. But until it gets to a point where we're two ahead of the eighth seed can we please stop overreacting to every little losing streak and assuming it'll snowball or saying they 'need' to win this one and that one when the other teams chasing us are the ones that need to win? The overreaction annoys me more than the losing.

Yes, thank you, but that's what the Marvs of the board do.

After starting the season 12-12-1, and coming off a slump similar to the one they're in now (4-game losing streak), the Devils went 23-8-3. Marv probably thought they were going to just keep on truckin' at that pace all the way until the end of the season, so when the Devils dare to actually have some kind of a slump (which almost every team does at some point...the Devils have managed to avoid prolonged downturns, as their month-to-month record shows), the Marvs don't know how to handle it. They throw sh!tfits and right away the sky is falling and everything that came before the slump is forgotten, and somehow the losing exposes the Devils for what they really are. And not only is the slump destined to continue, but all the teams chasing them are also all going to go on prolonged winning streaks.

Are the Devils an elite team? Probably not, but I don't think anyone really thought they were. There's teams in the playoffs that are going to present matchup problems for the Devils. They have some weaknesses. But they are extremely likely to make the playoffs, and if they get favorable draws, they could win a round or maybe even two, which is a nice step forward off last season.

[njdevil26]

The Devils are 5 points ahead of 8th place Winnipeg with THREE games in hand. I'm not worried about them. 6 points ahead of Wash and NINE points ahead of Buffalo with a game in hand. Beat Washington tonight, and they will be 8 points ahead. I think we're alright.

Step off the ledge people.

[jim777]

We played hard against both the Rags and the Bruins. Wins would have been better, but I'm not worried (nevermind 'terribly' worried) at this point.

[SMantzas]

Something to note. During this losing streak, every loss has been by one goal (not counting the rags eng). So we've done quite well against the stiff competition, but are not getting any bounces or puck luck

[Colin226]

Something to note. During this losing streak, every loss has been by one goal (not counting the rags eng). So we've done quite well against the stiff competition, but are not getting any bounces or puck luck

Exactly.. And did this team look like a defeated, confidence-lacking group yesterday? The Bruins played us tough and we came back from a 2 goal deficit in the first 10 minutes.. I think if we just keep playing our game we'll be more than fine

[njdevil26]

We played hard against both the Rags and the Bruins. Wins would have been better, but I'm not worried (nevermind 'terribly' worried) at this point.

Played EXTREMELY well against Vancouver but Schneider was outstanding.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Played EXTREMELY well against Vancouver but Schneider was outstanding.

Not looking at the score and looking only at how the games were played, only the Tampa game looked like a loss. The Devils played well enough to win the other three, but bad bounces, missed calls, fluke this, fluke that, whatever you wanna call it, the games just didn't go our way.

As long as the losing streak doesn't get in any of the players' heads, I think the team will be fine. That said, a win tonight would be really nice.

[NLinfante]

The most important aspect of last night's game was that we put some pucks in the net. I dont believe that a small losing streak (when the team is still playing pretty well) gets into the guy's heads nearly as much as not scoring for a few games. I think Zach getting one vs Tampa late as well as last night is huge for his confidence as we head down the stretch. Kovy is streaky, and Clarky has already given us more than anyone really expected...we're going to need Zach to play like the best US born player in the game if we want to have continued success.

[EdgeControl]

Bruins really carried speed into our zone all game. after that start the wheels could have come off, but the boys rallied and showed that they can skate too. it has to be good for the teams psyche even if we did blow the lead, 4-0 would have been a downer

zach showed extra hustle even for him, poni was all over, I thought A-train won his battles. I liked our aggressive pinching and the way greene is carrying the puck in. (even if zid did get caught)
Zid looks like he has a small footprint behind and near our net, I thought he'd be a little quicker with his blades

marty kept us in it and got us a point, a big point

[DevsMan84]

Good to see the Devils scoring again. These slumps happen but we competed well in every one of them except for the Tampa game.

I am still on the fence right now if Zid is an upgrade over Foster. I kinda miss Foster's shot on the PP. I'll give Zid a few more games.

Edited by DevsMan84, 02 March 2012 - 10:47 AM.

[Beetlebum]

Good to see the Devils scoring again. These slumps happen but we competed well in every one of them except for the Tampa game.

I am still on the fence right now if Zid is an upgrade over Foster. I kinda miss Foster's shot on the PP. I'll give Zid a few more games.

Excellent sign that you think he may not be a upgrade over Foster.