GDT: Game 1 - New York Rangers @ New Jersey Devils 4/18/23, 7:00PM MSG/TBS

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just got home.

This was a largely a textbook “veteran experienced team shows the young upstarts how it’s done” kinda game.

Score a couple of goals to take the home crowd out of the game?  Check

Goalie combined with his team does more than enough to shut down/frustrate the opposition?  Check

This does NOT mean that this series is over, but it will be tough sledding and it will mean that some of these kids will have to grow up and figure things out quickly for them to topple the Rangers.  Maybe they can find a way and maybe they can’t.  I know what I’m HOPING for, but I also know this wasn’t supposed to be the year that ended with the Devils hoisting the Cup.

That being said, I’d like to see if Ruff is capable of making any adjustments.  That’s been a pretty rare event.

And one last note, to select idiots within our fanbase in attendance…when the Devils are losing 2-0, 3-0, 4-0…for the love of GOD, do NOT start the “Rangers suck Flyers swallow Crosby watches!” chant.  That’s just really fvcking amateur.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Well that was a wake-up call.  But sometimes you need that. Playoffs are a different animal. 

[Devs64]

7 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Just got home.

This was a largely a textbook “veteran experienced team shows the young upstarts how it’s done” kinda game.

Score a couple of goals to take the home crowd out of the game?  Check

Goalie combined with his team does more than enough to shut down/frustrate the opposition?  Check

This does NOT mean that this series is over, but it will be tough sledding and it will mean that some of these kids will have to grow up and figure things out quickly for them to topple the Rangers.  Maybe they can find a way and maybe they can’t.  I know what I’m HOPING for, but I also know this wasn’t supposed to be the year that ended with the Devils hoisting the Cup.

That being said, I’d like to see if Ruff is capable of making any adjustments.  That’s been a pretty rare event.

And one last note, to select idiots within our fanbase in attendance…when the Devils are losing 2-0, 3-0, 4-0…for the love of GOD, do NOT start the “Rangers suck Flyers swallow Crosby watches!” chant.  That’s just really fvcking amateur.

Just finished watching the dvr. Agree with all points. Just want to mention the absolutely horrible PP and PK. Krider, one of the best on the slot, comfortably parks his ass 2-3 feet from VV and just waits for a shot...wtf?

Shesterkin came up big as expected. If he gets in their heads, they are in trouble no matter how well they play.

And finally, Jack Hughes can't win games single handedly. Everybody needs to be better and make Rangers earn every scoring chance. 

Go Devils.

[Jerrydevil]

I think you've got to let it play out before you call for the coach's head. It's Game 1. However, I do feel for fans that ponied up big bucks to watch that in person. 

[NJDfan1711]

It's amazing how many hard core Devils fans here haven't learned from literally the first 5 games of this very season. Oh what short term memories we have.  90% of the people here absolutely forgetting what happened, and echoing and mirroring the worst of this fanbase with the "Fire Lindy" chants, only to look like ridiculous fools two weeks later and chanting apologies. 

Obviously I want us to win for my pure love of the team, but man if you guys aren't making it easy to want us to win if for nothing else than to show how much you are overreacting after one game. 

I'm by no means trying to downplay our performance tonight, but my God, it would be nice if you guys didn't overplay it. How about some optimism and faith for Christ's sakes. 

If you're going to wave the white flag and just give up after one game, then in all honesty don't bother watching on Thursday and just sell the rest of your tickets for this series. We don't need your negativity. 

I'm going to choose to focus on a couple positives and reasons to be hopeful for thursday. For one, this team is still loaded with talent and there are countless examples of that from this past season. Number two, despite a lack of execution tonight, the guys did not give up, which is something we saw throughout the entire season. Number three, there's obviously an enormous amount of pressure and a lack of experience in these types of situations; something that we can learn from and continue to improve upon and get better as a series goes along. 

I'm not here to debate anybody and you Negative Nancy's are certainly entitled to your opinions, I'm just going to have to prepare myself to simply skip over those comments because after one game it's already quite nauseating. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by NJDfan1711

[Devs64]

1 hour ago, 2ELIAS6 said:

Man, I feel so flat after this fvcking joke of a performance. I can only hope this is first game jitters. Where the fvck has palat gone? I really hope this isn’t what he’s going to be here. Just flat, I’m fvcking deflated. Was going to spend the money to go Thursday, that’s definitely not happening anymore 

Wr are not Tampa Bay...

[MadDog2020]

 

[NJDfan1711]

7 minutes ago, Jerrydevil said:

I think you've got to let it play out before you call for the coach's head. It's Game 1. However, I do feel for fans that ponied up big bucks to watch that in person. 

Why feel bad for people in attendance? Yeah a loss like that sucks, but people are making it out like the team quit on them and weren't trying. Hats off to the Rangers, they were just better. Yes, you can obviously make the argument that their coach prepared them better, there's an argument to be made there, but he also has a roster of more experienced players who have been in these situations before, with less pressure on them playing on the road with a better goalie in net. 

We didn't play our game. Rags neutralized our speed, the PP sucked, and when we took bad penalties the Rags made us pay. It's really pretty simple, and certainly things that we can correct next game. For those reasons, I'm still optimistic. I wish more people felt the same way.

 

 

[MadDog2020]

 

[Jerrydevil]

Just now, NJDfan1711 said:

Why feel bad for people in attendance?

Just because they didn't get their money's worth and the tickets are very expensive, that's all. 

[slasher72]

Ruff has 66 wins and 79 losses in the playoffs. His last time taking a team to the playoffs before tonight was with the Stars and they were eliminated twice in the first round.  Not a huge vote of confidence.  

[smelly]

This game came down to one thing:  the Devils defense was manhandled -- overwhelmed, actually -- both physically and mentally in the forecheck all night.  It was painful to watch.  Marino, Bahl and Siegenthaler looked simply overmatched, and their mental decisions were horrendous.  Graves wasn't anything special either.  Amazingly, from my seat in the lower bowl Severson was by far the best NJ blueliner -- not even close.

If tonite was a true reflection of the disparity between the NJ defense and the NYR forecheck, this series will be over in a blink, and deservedly so.

It's late early now.  If I am Fitzgerald and Ruff I am seriously considering inserting both Luke and Smith into the lineup in Game 2 -- the former because he has shown in a limited NHL audition (and a lengthier college career) that he can start the breakout effectively, the latter because he has the physical size and strength that Marino lacks and Bahl doesn't use.

Edited April 19, 2023 by smelly

[Nicomo]

6 minutes ago, Jerrydevil said:

Just because they didn't get their money's worth and the tickets are very expensive, that's all. 

Yep. A hard fought 4-3 loss would be one thing, but to literally pay hundreds of dollars to watch them absolutely get their doors blown off is quote another. I’d be furious if I paid to go to that game. 

[Nicomo]

2 minutes ago, smelly said:

This game came down to one thing:  the Devils defense was manhandled -- overwhelmed, actually -- both physically and mentally in the forecheck all night.

0/4 on the PP (0 SOG) was certainly just as much of a factor. 

Vanecek also wasn’t very good. Nothing was really clicking in any area for them tonight. 

[smelly]

2 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

0/4 on the PP (0 SOG) was certainly just as much of a factor. 

Vanecek also wasn’t very good. Nothing was really clicking in any area for them tonight. 

Neither matters if they can get out of their own zone, instead of being penned it and turning the puck over all night.

[slasher72]

Marino, Siegenthaler, Bahl and Graves aren't anything special. At least not compared to the other teams in the playoffs. We'll upgrade the D but it's going to take time. 

[Nicomo]

9 minutes ago, smelly said:

Neither matters if they can get out of their own zone, instead of being penned it and turning the puck over all night.

Ofc it matters. They weren’t pinned in their own zone during all those PP’s. They just couldn’t get any shots through. Which was a MAJOR problem. 

[RizzMB30]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Just got home.

This was a largely a textbook “veteran experienced team shows the young upstarts how it’s done” kinda game.

Score a couple of goals to take the home crowd out of the game?  Check

Goalie combined with his team does more than enough to shut down/frustrate the opposition?  Check

This does NOT mean that this series is over, but it will be tough sledding and it will mean that some of these kids will have to grow up and figure things out quickly for them to topple the Rangers.  Maybe they can find a way and maybe they can’t.  I know what I’m HOPING for, but I also know this wasn’t supposed to be the year that ended with the Devils hoisting the Cup.

That being said, I’d like to see if Ruff is capable of making any adjustments.  That’s been a pretty rare event.

And one last note, to select idiots within our fanbase in attendance…when the Devils are losing 2-0, 3-0, 4-0…for the love of GOD, do NOT start the “Rangers suck Flyers swallow Crosby watches!” chant.  That’s just really fvcking amateur.

It's about how this team bounces back from tough losses, which this team, Vanecek included, are usually pretty incredible about bouncing back after bad games. This was a bad game. 

I don't know if this was something that Ruff instilled in this team this year or this year's team naturally does it, but we have to hope it's still there. Also we should consider how well this team played on the road compared to at home too. Win tomorrow and have the advantage going in to MSG.

Rags just connected on their powerplays and blocked a fvck ton of shots. 

Even after watching that performance tonight, I am still calling Devils in 5. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by RizzMB30

[Nicomo]

8 minutes ago, slasher72 said:

Marino, Siegenthaler, Bahl and Graves aren't anything special. At least not compared to the other teams in the playoffs. We'll upgrade the D but it's going to take time. 

This is quite an overreaction. Marino was largely fantastic all season, and when Siegs is on his game (which is more often than not) he’s solid as can be. Neither one needs to be replaced. 

[RunninWithTheDevil]

JFC I know Ruff isn't in the cards for this teams future but this isn't on him. The defense was atrocious and the PP was non-existent. Get on the players or even Brunette if you wish, but this comes down to lack of on-ice execution by a young team who got the Game 1 playoff yips

[NJDevs4978]

Tonight's game gave me serious 2022 Mets in late September vibes

Edited April 19, 2023 by NJDevs4978

[Jerrydevil]

10 minutes ago, smelly said:

If tonite was a true reflection of the disparity between the NJ defense and the NYR forecheck, this series will be over in a blink, and deservedly so.

I don't think it is a true reflection, I'm not willing to give the Rangers that much credit. I also think that the Devils have the capability of coming at the Rangers in waves, rolling four lines and dominating at even strength. 

Or, we could get swept and bow out meekly. That would be surprising and disappointing. 

Fortunes can change quickly in the playoffs, and what was true one game might not be so in the next.

If we lose Game 2 (looking too far ahead, I know), we could see Schmid and we could see Luke Hughes, too. I'm guessing Lindy won't do too much different in Game 2, but I could see Brendan Smith in for Bahl or Miles Wood being replaced. Benching Graves would be pretty drastic.

[Jerrydevil]

1 minute ago, NJDevs4978 said:

Tonight's game gave me serious 2022 Mets in October vibes

I didn't get that vibe! This felt like one bad game to me but talk to me if the Devils turn in a stinker in Game 2.

[RizzMB30]

1 hour ago, slasher72 said:

Again, Fitz better think long and hard before inking Ruff long term.  If he wants to stay on board in some capacity to help develop talent, great. But as a head coach we need someone better. Someone that's been in the playoffs and had success this decade. 

He's already on his 3rd year here. Do you consider that short-term? He did develop talent. He might want to retire soon too.  Nobody knows the answer to that question anyway and frankly, it's a rather silly question to be asking after game 1 of the playoffs. Just as silly as saying Ruff needs to be fired for losing game 1 of the quarters OR game 1 and 2 at the start of the season. A lot of boo-hooing, woe is me stuff. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by RizzMB30

[Devs64]

5 minutes ago, Jerrydevil said:

I don't think it is a true reflection, I'm not willing to give the Rangers that much credit. I also think that the Devils have the capability of coming at the Rangers in waves, rolling four lines and dominating at even strength. 

Or, we could get swept and bow out meekly. That would be surprising and disappointing. 

Fortunes can change quickly in the playoffs, and what was true one game might not be so in the next.

If we lose Game 2 (looking too far ahead, I know), we could see Schmid and we could see Luke Hughes, too. I'm guessing Lindy won't do too much different in Game 2, but I could see Brendan Smith in for Bahl or Miles Wood being replaced. Benching Graves would be pretty drastic.

It's not game 1, but game 2 that IMO usually sets the tone in the series. No excuse for tonight's performance, except the lack of experience. Rangers didn't impress me at all. We just made it easy for them and Shesterkin shut the door which he always does pretty well. I'm not saying Devils already know how to win game 2, but what I'd like to see is:

1. Luke Hughes (at least give him a chance)

2. Less figure skating in the offensive zone. Puck to the net and crush the net. Make Shesterkin work!!!

3. Better PP