316 replies to this topic

[Steven M.]

I shouldn't have partied like we won the cup last night, work is going to suck

I agree...

Last night was the most fun I've had at a hockey game in a while... Definitely ready to go back and do it again tomorrow!!

[ThreeCups]

elias' goal was filthy

Simply amazing how calm and cool he was with the puck in that position. Forehand fake, backhand fake, pulls it back a little bit and lets it rip. One of the most impressive Devils' goals to me in awhile...

[Devils Pride 26]

The Maven strikes again with three being the most dangerous lead. Hopefully they learned they can't turn it off. Powerplay worried me a bit, they could barely set up in the offensive zone after they got the lead.

[Steven M.]

So now that I have been awake for a while and shaken off the hangover (kinda) ... some observations from the upper bowl of BankAtlantic center...

That first period was one of the best 20 minutes I've EVER seen played, postseason or regular season. My friends and I were beside ourselves. We kept saying "26 SHOTS!?" It was almost unfathomable. Patty's goal was just dirty, so unbelievable. I was going crazy. One of the best goals I've seen in a long time, unbelievable patience. Marty's pass up leading to Zubie's goal was too sick, and loved seeing Carter score that 3rd one - and you'd better believe I let those Panther fans feel good about the fact that he used to be on their team...

Second period, well, you had to expect some pushback from the Panthers. We were playing in their building in front of a sellout crowd, which I will throw out there that I was underwhelmed by the amount of Devils fans there - I guess making the playoffs for the first time in 12 years brings some old Panther fans out of the woodwork. It was a pretty good atmosphere though. Anyway, yes would have liked to have seen a tighter effort in the 2nd but it's important to remember that the Panthers were trying to win, too. They upped the intensity and we let it slip after that commanding first period. In a way, it was to be expected. I didn't think they'd make it so close.

In between periods I was starting to get anxious & nervous - it felt like deja vu (I was there for the game in November when they went up 3-0 to lose 4-3.) But for some reason this time, I felt confident that they'd hold on. I knew this team had come a long way since that November collapse - and I was correct, as they came out and played an excellent third period, effectively snuffing out any chance for the Panthers to come back. Overall, a solid performance and as others have said, 1 down, 3 to go. It felt good to scream out after the final buzzer, "WELCOME TO THE PLAYOFFS, PANTHER FANS!"

Speaking of Panther fans, most were civil, but there were a few who didn't take kindly to my celebrating... we were walking around the concourse and the entire time I was chanting "LET'S GO DEVILS!" with my two friends, much to the chagrin of Panther fans (pretty sure I heard one person ask 'Can't you just go home in peace?!') Then one Panther fan decided it was time to 'defend his home arena' I suppose and came at me and pretty much shoulder checked me as I was walking around chanting that (not that it really did much considering I am 6' 4" 225lbs... pretty much an immovable object ) So I turned around and was like wooooooooah, tough guy! Then he was trying to fight my friend for NO reason, lmao! He even tried spitting on him! There was an arena guard trying to break it up and he was telling us to go outside I'm like hey man, no one in this group wants to fight. That guy is just a liiiiiiiittle upset, it seems. If only it were the internet and not real life, I could've linked him to that picture of Kovy: "lol u mad?"

So then we took our rolling party to outside the stadium at which point we started chanting "LET'S GO DEVILS!" again in the middle of a humongous gaggle of Floridian fans trying to get back to their cars for the drive home, dejected. Walking through the parking lot, spotted some more Devils fans and got them to join in. Overall, had an awesome time and I hope to see a similar performance tomorrow - except with fewer anxious moments.

[Triumph]

Is it really? Zach hasn't been good at all other than one series against a bad Tampa team when he wasn't even the go-to guy yet and Kovy hasn't done much in the postseason other than a five-on-three goal and an empty-netter against the Flyers. Not to mention they've been streaky at best playing on the same line with each other.

We might be able to beat Florida without them, but they WILL have to come through eventually, either this series or the next.

Is playoff hockey played 7 on 7 or do you have to change which hand you shoot with? Even if Kovalchuk or Parise don't come through in this series, they're excellent scorers and they can't be held off the scoresheet forever.

[Beetlebum]

If anything i'm pleased our secondary guys are scoring and we are still winning.

[lazer]

i think a replay is on @12:30

as great as patty's goal is, it was great to see carter get one too.

im hoping to see some more from him...he drove the net like a fvcking boss and let er rip.

ooooh yeeeeeeah

[chaos212]

Simply amazing how calm and cool he was with the puck in that position. Forehand fake, backhand fake, pulls it back a little bit and lets it rip. One of the most impressive Devils' goals to me in awhile...

Pretty much.

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[chaos212]

I was a bit nervous we were going to follow the Penguins in their game one. Glad we were able to pull out a win

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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Fanspeak nonsense? Daneyko mentioned it in the post game about the devils and playing 60 mins. Players and coaches prech it. Maybe its nonsense to those who don't know the meaning and flippantly dismiss it but its a term used to gauge effort and concentration level. This term has been used in hockey for decades. Its not fanspeak.

The way fans use the term, it IS fanspeak nonsense. If their team has a game like Friday night's, where they come out blazing, struggle for a while, then settle things down, a lot of fans will start with the "60 minutes" nonsense...the Devils have to learn to play 60 minutes, blah blah blah. Basically, the way the fans say it, the Devils should be in control from the opening face-off to the final horn, and if they're not, well, it's because they didn't play 60 minutes. It's like they dismiss the fact that there's another hockey team trying to win the game, and an opposing coaching staff trying to make adjustments, who are also trying to do the best that THEY can for 60 minutes.

I understand the way coaches and players say it...they understand that there's ebb and flow in a hockey game, and that sometimes their team will be off and the other team will have the upper hand for minutes at a time, but by doing their best to keep up the effort and concentration, they give themselves a chance to weather some of those storms.

[hockey3893498]

The way fans use the term, it IS fanspeak nonsense. If their team has a game like Friday night's, where they come out blazing, struggle for a while, then settle things down, a lot of fans will start with the "60 minutes" nonsense...the Devils have to learn to play 60 minutes, blah blah blah. Basically, the way the fans say it, the Devils should be in control from the opening face-off to the final horn, and if they're not, well, it's because they didn't play 60 minutes. It's like they dismiss the fact that there's another hockey team trying to win the game, and an opposing coaching staff trying to make adjustments, who are also trying to do the best that THEY can for 60 minutes.

I understand the way coaches and players say it...they understand that there's ebb and flow in a hockey game, and that sometimes their team will be off and the other team will have the upper hand for minutes at a time, but by doing their best to keep up the effort and concentration, they give themselves a chance to weather some of those storms.

there's only so many times you can credit the other teams without looking at yourselves. Giving credit to other teams too many times is often overlooking your own problems. If i am a coach/player of a team who is prone to playing jeckyll and hyde hockey i'd be more concerned about my own team then standing up and crediting another each time the ugly head rears. IMO, giving credit to other teams for showing up and trying to win is just as much fanspeak as the 60 minutes notion.

ask yourself if the pittsburgh penguins are giving credit to the flyers right now or trying to figure the fvck out why they gave two games away in trainwreck fashion they had won?

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Goal by Devils' Patrik Elias was one for the highlight reel

http://www.nj.com/de...k_elias_wa.html

"Defenseman Bryce Salvador said he was almost hit by one of the plastic rats tossed onto the ice several times by Panthers fans.
...
Salvador joked that Anton Volchenkov, prone to taking pucks off his face, was disappointed he didn't get hit in the head by a plastic rat."

[Steven M.]

That's hilarious!

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

there's only so many times you can credit the other teams without looking at yourselves. Giving credit to other teams too many times is often overlooking your own problems. If i am a coach/player of a team who is prone to playing jeckyll and hyde hockey i'd be more concerned about my own team then standing up and crediting another each time the ugly head rears. IMO, giving credit to other teams for showing up and trying to win is just as much fanspeak as the 60 minutes notion.

ask yourself if the pittsburgh penguins are giving credit to the flyers right now or trying to figure the fvck out why they gave two games away in trainwreck fashion they had won?

So I guess you thought the Penguins had Game 2 wrapped up because they had a 5-4 lead about one minute into the 3rd period? That makes a lot of sense.

Clearly the Penguins are having some serious problems right now...20 goals allowed in three games attests to that. You missed the point of my earlier posts anyway...I'll leave it at that.

[hockey3893498]

So I guess you thought the Penguins had Game 2 wrapped up because they had a 5-4 lead about one minute into the 3rd period? That makes a lot of sense.

no. you see instead of throwing around credit to others because its the easy thing to do, i was too busy trying to figure out how a team blows (2) two goal leads in a playoff game after blowing a 3-0 lead the game before. that makes sense.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

no. you see instead of throwing around credit to others because its the easy thing to do, i was too busy trying to figure out how a team blows (2) two goal leads in a playoff game after blowing a 3-0 lead the game before. that makes sense.

Game 1 saw the Penguins leading 3-1 after two periods. Game 2 was tied 4-4 heading into the third. You have a better case that Game 1 got away from the Penguins, but two-goal leads are hardly iron-clad, especially when Fleury's only stopping about 80% of what's coming his way. Like I alluded to previously (the part you left out of your quoting me), clearly the Penguins are having some serious problems from the net on out, and the Flyers are pouncing in a big way.

And why don't you blow up my "credit to others" comment just a little bit more out of proportion? I wasn't even referring to the Flyers/Penguins series when I said it, nor did I say that it applies to every single hockey game ever played.

[Devilsfan118]

Disappointing effort thus far.