15 replies to this topic

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

This is an absolute mystery to me.

Regular Season:
Devils had the best regular season PK percentage in the history of the NHL at 89.58%
NHL RECORDS (team)
In addition they had 15 shorthanded goals, most in the NHL (2nd: MTL with 10)
http://www.nhl.com/i...ame=penaltyKill


Postseason:

Devils had 73.2% PK percentage (3rd worst) and only 1 SHG
http://www.nhl.com/i...ame=penaltyKill
In addition, the terrible PK in the post season absolutely killed them in game 6.


What the hell happened?

Edited by halfsharkalligatorhalfman, 12 June 2012 - 11:11 AM.

[NJDevs4978]

Tri said it was Marty's fault in chat lol.

Personally I think their confidence in the PK was shot after the first three games in the Panther series. They never really recovered, other than having a couple of good games against the Flyers. And we faced bad PP's the last two rounds and still leaked goals.

[Daniel]

It doesn't help when you're not playing the Islanders, Hurricanes, Leafs, et al.

[Triumph]

Unfortunately behindthenet stopped recording numbers after Game 4 of the ECF, but here were their numbers:

Regular season 4 on 5: .920 SV% (#1 in NHL), 42.7 SA/60 (4th best), 16.7 S%, (T-#1 in NHL), 12.8 SF/60 (#1 in NHL)

Playoffs 4 on 5 (through GM 4 of ECF): .806 SV% (2nd worst), 47.5 SA/60 (5th best), 5.9 S%, 12.0 SF/60

I think the shots against definitely got worse against the Kings - on Goal #1, the Kings had the Devils' PK absolutely down to a T, they knew that Henrique would come out to challenge there, and got a perfect tip play. But mostly what happened is that the puck stopped hitting the goalie.

[Devilsfan118]

I think the Panthers really threw the Devils PK off its rhythm. They weren't nearly as aggressive as they had been in the regular season. They looked a lot less confident.

[NJDevs4978]

It doesn't help when you're not playing the Islanders, Hurricanes, Leafs, et al.

The last two teams we played had substandard PP's though, it wasn't about quality of competition. Maybe the Panthers unlocked the way to beat the PK, who knows. I don't even remember our SHG, must have been an empty netter.

Either way, this is one of the three big mysteries of the playoffs along with Kovy's injury and wtf happened to Elias.

[Triumph]

I think the Panthers really threw the Devils PK off its rhythm. They weren't nearly as aggressive as they had been in the regular season. They looked a lot less confident.

It's all right there in the numbers - the Devils were allowing 5 shots per 60 minutes of PK more (through Game 4 of ECF). That's kind of a lot, but it still only amounts to an extra shot per 12 minutes of PK. All else being equal it's an extra power play goal every 40 4 on 5 power plays against. That's not a lot. The puck stopped hitting the goalie.

The last two teams we played had substandard PP's though, it wasn't about quality of competition. Maybe the Panthers unlocked the way to beat the PK, who knows. I don't even remember our SHG, must have been an empty netter.

Either way, this is one of the three big mysteries of the playoffs along with Kovy's injury and wtf happened to Elias.

Short-handed goals are to a large degree luck. Remember when the Devils were giving up short handed goals at a ridiculous rate? I think the Devils gave up 1 short handed goal in the last 60 games they've played, or something crazy like that.

The Kings PP really shouldn't be as bad as it was.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

So why did it "stop hitting the goalie?" Seems bizarre especially since Brodeur seemed to step up his game big time 5 on 5.

[Triumph]

So why did it "stop hitting the goalie?" Seems bizarre especially since Brodeur seemed to step up his game big time 5 on 5.

Those are just the bounces of the game. I mean, if you watch all the PP goals the Devils allowed in the playoffs, how many of them were chances from the slot? A lot of them were either shots from the point/outside that made it through, shots from the point that got tipped, or rebounds. Things like that amazing backdoor play to Kovalchuk in Game 6 weren't typically what were happening to the Devils (until the Finals). Even the best PKs allow around 40 shots per 60 minutes of 4 on 5 time, some of those are going to go in.

[sundstrom]

But mostly what happened is that the puck stopped hitting the goalie.

tri answered this even more already but it's a lot to do with this, level of competition, and luck.

if we want to get specific, i think the devils played the 5 minute PK wrong anyway. in a case like that, when a team has SO much time to get something, the object should be making them waste as much as possible. once they got into the zone, the devils continued to chase. i'm not saying go to a wide passive box, but i would have looked to collapse (ala NYR) and let the kings spend 30 second clips passing around looking for a shot instead of having openings in high scoring areas like they did. also, if you're looking at it in the context of the game, the devils were likely in a position to take liberties clearing guys out around the net and slot because the refs wouldn't have called more.

if they are collapsed in that instance, you could argue the first two goals don't happen because brown would not have been able to get into the slot and carter wouldn't be able to be in that close to marty

[AEWHistory]

I think I can tell you what happened. PK is all too often about systematizing and schemes for hor the (usually) four guys on the ice deal with the odd man advantage of the opposition. During the regular season there just isn't the time for each team to sit there and dissect each opponents entire gameplay system (eg- the PK) when you may only play this team once in a season and move on to another competitor. But during the playoffs you are facing the same exact team upwards of 7 times and the games are spread out. There is (relatively) plenty of time to look at film and find themes, rhythms, and so on. This can be the failing of over systematizing. In the regular season you may set records but in the playoffs you will be exposed by good research.

That's my $.02

[Vic Rattlehead18]

I didn't bother reading anything so I don't know if was mentioned. But I noticed we weren't agressive anymore early in the playoffs. The first goal last night though was too agressive. 3 devils players followed each pass but henrique left his lane open because of this and that's when brown scored

[maxpower]

Regular season coaching vs. playoff coaching, I think. Harder to prepare for one-offs than it is when you know you'll be playing a team for two weeks.

Then a team has success and gives everyone a treasure trove of video. I also think a degree of their success was intimidating pointmen and for whatever reason it didn't come together in the playoffs. I mean watching Elias was frustrating, he keep going for the chip over the blue line and the blow-by and I don't think it worked once and I don't think he even cleared the zone half the time. LOL

[95Crash]

I didn't bother reading anything so I don't know if was mentioned. But I noticed we weren't agressive anymore early in the playoffs. The first goal last night though was too agressive. 3 devils players followed each pass but henrique left his lane open because of this and that's when brown scored

On the second goal, I thought Tallinder was a little too slow to react when he muffed the puck in the left corner behind Brodeur. He coughed up the puck to Richards, who easily fed Brown out in front, who fed Carter for the tip-in.

[Martyisth3b3st]

Doesn't it have something to do with the fact that a) teams had days, weeks even, to prepare for the penalty kill? If the Devils have *this* set up with *those* players who will be *here, here and here*, I can't imagine that repition against it in practice and a week-and-change worth of playing against the same guys doesn't make moving the puck a little easier.

[Colin226]

I thought we got less aggressive with our PK.. The Kings had an insanely aggressive PK and you saw how it overwhelmed us.. We were overwhelming teams with ours by getting in people's faces and blocking passing lanes, but we seemed to hang back a bit in this series