146 replies to this topic

[SterioDesign]

Just to piss me off even more MTL i going to win tnight

Of course we couldnt beat ward at all the other day and pacioretty just scored from his blue line on him... fvck me

Edited by SterioDesign, 18 February 2013 - 09:47 PM.

[Cowutopia]

I blame Pete's tie.

 

Seriously though, Captain Salvador is barely present, Henrique's game has been off, Zajac looks like he loses his legs after a period, and the energy of the entire team has been beyond flat since the Penguins miniseries. Who is going to step up and lead this team with energy?

 

Gionta may be small and ineffective but that line is the only one that looks like they are skating with all they have consistently.

 

Faceoffs continue to be a major problem. And Gionta's inability to win any is a problem. I wish Gionta would suddenly evolve into a great player, because I am rooting for him and I like him, but it's just not happening. JJ needs to get back here, and I hope no-wing Loki shows me a lot more than what he did today so we can fill out our centers.

 

I...hate to say the team misses the body of Zubrus. That guy may not be able to score but he certainly keeps the forecheck going.

Edited by Cowutopia, 18 February 2013 - 11:37 PM.

[AEWHistory]

That's not really fair. Every team in the league has a system (ok, maybe not Columbus) that has strengths and weaknesses. Also, if you watch any player long enough, you'll be able to predict for the most part what will try to do. We are all just used to Kovy and what he does. I'm sure there are Washington fans that know exactly what Ovechkin is going to do most plays.

Hey now, Columbus absolutely has a system! It is akin to those old vibrating footbal games where you put your players in place and line them up. Then, when you turn it on, they all go in random directions. Once the puck drops the CBJs have the "vibrating board/every man for himself system". The strength of this system is that you never know what they're going to do. The weakness is that it is very difficult to get their little plastic players to work as a team.... and they really can't take a hit at all.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

This is the kind of dangerous thinking that's letting me down lately. The games vs. Penguins and Flyers and Rangers that I think are going to be a struggle end up being a Devils' win, in some cases blowouts. And then the games like the Islanders or Senators or Carolina, we just don't show up for.

 

We should be beating everyone below 8th place, no questions asked. This next 6 day stretch is either going to be amazing for us (anyone would bet on the Devils getting 5-6 points), or it could be a cause of concern (imagine losing 2 of 3 games vs. Washington or Winnipeg). We need to wake up and play our game every night. We don't have too many uptempo rivalry matchups coming up anytime soon, which is all we seem to get up for. Time to start beating the bottom feeders the way we're expected to.

 

We should be padding up our points before what's going to be a really long and difficult half of March and April. You can see right now by looking at the standings how important a good long stretch is. We're still looking great in the conference based on our first two weeks.

 

In bold:  that's oversimplified fanspeak, right up there with "we need to play 60 minutes", and "the Devils need to get up for every game, no matter who the opponent." 

 

Bad teams or mediocre teams beat "better" teams often...it's hardly an unheard of occurance.  No matter how good a team is, every team will lose to some "should beat on paper"-type teams along the way.  It happens.  And the problem with this way of thinking is that fans who speak in absolutes such as "We should be bearing everyone below 8th place" don't tend to look at the other side of the coin, when their team exceeds expectations.  Beating Pittsburgh in a home-and-home is a big deal.  Should that have been expected?  I think most of us would've been happy with 2 or 3 points, and the Devils took all 4, and cleanly at that...no charity points for Pitt.   

 

9-3-4 is still a terrific start.  They got off to an 8-1-3 start...there was going to be some kind of a downturn eventually.   

[SterioDesign]

In bold:  that's oversimplified fanspeak, right up there with "we need to play 60 minutes", and "the Devils need to get up for every game, no matter who the opponent." 

 

Bad teams or mediocre teams beat "better" teams often...it's hardly an unheard of occurance.  No matter how good a team is, every team will lose to some "should beat on paper"-type teams along the way.  It happens.  And the problem with this way of thinking is that fans who speak in absolutes such as "We should be bearing everyone below 8th place" don't tend to look at the other side of the coin, when their team exceeds expectations.  Beating Pittsburgh in a home-and-home is a big deal.  Should that have been expected?  I think most of us would've been happy with 2 or 3 points, and the Devils took all 4, and cleanly at that...no charity points for Pitt.   

 

9-3-4 is still a terrific start.  They got off to an 8-1-3 start...there was going to be some kind of a downturn eventually.   

 

thats true when you take a step back but whats worrying me it that when we lose it's not that the other team has been better, it's that we played miserably and never showed up, thats a concern.

[Pepperkorn]

EXACTLY Rockies!!  - when there is a downturn which of course there always is, you need to keep calm and not say I KNEW we sucked too bad to be winning!  and then proceed to wheel spin and make panic moves.  I don't see the team doing this but this board's fan base sure as shootin' wants them to.

 

Blind winning = dangerous  Mindful winning = duh?  Always good.

 

These are mindful wins and far from surprise losses.

Edited by Pepperkorn, 19 February 2013 - 10:49 AM.

[Triumph]

thats true when you take a step back but whats worrying me it that when we lose it's not that the other team has been better, it's that we played miserably and never showed up, thats a concern.

 

This is just what 76 talked about - that's just not how hockey works.  There's two teams on the ice, not one, just because you're not watching one doesn't mean they're not there.  The Devils aren't significantly outplaying opponents because truth be told, they're not much better than them.