Devilsfan118 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Damn there goes the SO. Oh well a win is a win. No more declaring a win during the second period please, haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I would put Rolston as 2nd star for the game, dunno what a rag is doing in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 It's a win. I'm not concerned with style points. 8-1-1, 34 GF, 19 GA in their last 10. When the Devils were 10-29-2 I wouldn't have dreamed of such a run. What sucks is that this hole was just so damned deep...a 10-game run like this, and they're STILL tied for the fewest points in the conference. 18 points back of Atlanta with 3 games-in-hand. It's still a longshot, but at least it doesn't sound as bad as it once did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 It's a win. I'm not concerned with style points. 8-1-1, 34 GF, 19 GA in their last 10. When the Devils were 10-29-2 I wouldn't have dreamed of such a run. What sucks is that this hole was just so damned deep...a 10-game run like this, and they're STILL tied for the fewest points in the conference. 18 points back of Atlanta with 3 games-in-hand. It's still a longshot, but at least it doesn't sound as bad as it once did. The biggest mistake Lou made was waiting as long as he did to fire MacLean. If he fired him after that Islander disaster the day after Thanksgiving and brought Lemaire back then, we'd either be in a playoff spot, or right in the hunt for one right now. Lou waited a month too long. Langenbrunner being dealt has helped too I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satans Hockey Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 fvck THE RANGERS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattyelias Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 26-5-0 gets them to 91 pts and a legit shot at the 8 seed. highly unlikely but you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The biggest mistake Lou made was waiting as long as he did to fire MacLean. If he fired him after that Islander disaster the day after Thanksgiving and brought Lemaire back then, we'd either be in a playoff spot, or right in the hunt for one right now. Lou waited a month too long. Langenbrunner being dealt has helped too I think. Yeah it's definitely obvious Mac was a big part of the problem now but really I still can't blame Lou for not wanting to fire him after 20 games of his coaching career. Who only gets that many games? Especially when Lou put in seven years getting him 'ready' for the job. Unfortunately we couldn't do anything about the Langs problem until after Lemaire came back, that along with our decrepit state is probably what caused Langs to waive the NTC finally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The biggest mistake Lou made was waiting as long as he did to fire MacLean. If he fired him after that Islander disaster the day after Thanksgiving and brought Lemaire back then, we'd either be in a playoff spot, or right in the hunt for one right now. Lou waited a month too long. Langenbrunner being dealt has helped too I think. If he fired MacLean that early, no guarantee Jacques come back. It would have been a really long season for a guy who was just starting to enjoy retirement with his family, and the Devils hole wasn't so big that a) Lou would feel that Jacques is the only guy that could help this team get out of this mess and b) Jacques would realize how much Lou and this team needs his help for him to get back into coaching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devs1965 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The biggest mistake Lou made was waiting as long as he did to fire MacLean. If he fired him after that Islander disaster the day after Thanksgiving and brought Lemaire back then, we'd either be in a playoff spot, or right in the hunt for one right now. Lou waited a month too long. Langenbrunner being dealt has helped too I think. I don't know what others opinions are but not naming a captain since Langers demise I think has helped, the team needs to concentrate on one game at a time and not who said what or why him and not me BS. I really like the new Lemaire sticking with his defensive approach but allowing D men to pinch has paid off. Actually there are so many good things JL has done since taking over but the most important is he gave them back there confidence something MacLean had no idea how to do. Let's Go Devils!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinn01 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I don't know what others opinions are but not naming a captain since Langers demise I think has helped, the team needs to concentrate on one game at a time and not who said what or why him and not me BS. I really like the new Lemaire sticking with his defensive approach but allowing D men to pinch has paid off. Actually there are so many good things JL has done since taking over but the most important is he gave them back there confidence something MacLean had no idea how to do. Let's Go Devils!!!!! I could not agree more. It has all taken so much pressure and weight off the guys's shoulders. Now its time, now or never, to get down and play some hockey. Its about the sport not the title and unfortunately it took them half a season to realize that as a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95Crash Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I love what Lemaire is doing now as much as anybody. We are lucky to have such a good coach. But I don't know that the way he is coaching now is the way he would've coached had he come back in November -- or had he been coach from the start of the season. He took over a last-place team; he knows he is not coming back next year. What does he have to lose? He has no pressure on him whatsoever. Right now, he's probably as relaxed as could be, and it's working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Yeah it's definitely obvious Mac was a big part of the problem now but really I still can't blame Lou for not wanting to fire him after 20 games of his coaching career. Who only gets that many games? Especially when Lou put in seven years getting him 'ready' for the job. Unfortunately we couldn't do anything about the Langs problem until after Lemaire came back, that along with our decrepit state is probably what caused Langs to waive the NTC finally Yeah, hindsight is always 20/20, that much is true. I'm not really blaming Lou for keeping Mac as long as he did, it just turns out that it was the wrong decision to do so looking back. Lou did the best he could do under the circumstances, and I'm sure it had to be hard to give up on Mac so early. So I correct myself- Lou's biggest mistake was hiring Mac in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie McKraut Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 WIN EVERY GAME KILL WITHOUT MERCY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 If he fired MacLean that early, no guarantee Jacques come back. It would have been a really long season for a guy who was just starting to enjoy retirement with his family, and the Devils hole wasn't so big that a) Lou would feel that Jacques is the only guy that could help this team get out of this mess and b) Jacques would realize how much Lou and this team needs his help for him to get back into coaching. This is a good point- never really thought of it that way. But as I said before- hindsight is always 20/20. As much as I'm enjoying this stretch of winning hockey, I can't help but think what would've happened if they fired MacLean in November. Its just my frustration as a fan coming out, ya know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) I don't know what others opinions are but not naming a captain since Langers demise I think has helped, the team needs to concentrate on one game at a time and not who said what or why him and not me BS. I really like the new Lemaire sticking with his defensive approach but allowing D men to pinch has paid off. Actually there are so many good things JL has done since taking over but the most important is he gave them back there confidence something MacLean had no idea how to do. Let's Go Devils!!!!! Obviously, moving Elias back to center has worked out pretty well. Lemaire is getting them to play a puck posession game in the mold of the new NHL. But what I'm impressed most with is the fact that the d has done a much better job of getting the puck to the forwards. Our transition game has imrproved to at least a respectable level. Don't get me wrong- the defense is still the weak link here. But I'm impressed that Lemaire has been able to get that type of improvement out of this group of d-men in that regard. And I haven't even mentioned that the overall defensive zone coverage is night and day from when Mac was coaching the team. Edited February 4, 2011 by MadDog2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newarkdev01 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The D defintely looks better but still makes stupid mistakes. I don't know why Lemaire is insisting on leaving Kovy out for a double shift on the PP, he looks tired and it hasn't been effective. I honestly wish he would revert to the one thing that did work prior to his arrival. Kovy needs to spend his offseason working with Parise on his short game, he has way to many breakaways that he is unable to close on, makes me appreciate Patty and Parise so much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Obviously, moving Elias back to center has worked out pretty well. Lemaire is getting them to play a puck posession game in the mold of the new NHL. But what I'm impressed most with is the fact that the d has done a much better job of getting the puck to the forwards. Our transition game has imrproved to at least a respectable level. Don't get me wrong- the defense is still the weak link here. But I'm impressed that Lemaire has been able to get that type of improvement out of this group of d-men in that regard. And I haven't even mentioned that the overall defensive zone coverage is night and day from when Mac was coaching the team. It isn't pretty that's for sure. The Devils are basically winning playing 95-98 trap hockey. Taking advantage of 3 Rangers turnovers tonight and turning them into quick strike goals. It is the perfect system for this team with limited talent/speed. This is what Lemaire does best. I really only think there is a handful of coaches who could turn this ship around like Lemaire has. I don't think this is so much about how bad Mac was, but rather how good of a coach Lemaire can be for certain teams. This team hasn't gotten pretty lucky over the last few games though. Something that wasn't happening earlier in the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Yeah, hindsight is always 20/20, that much is true. I'm not really blaming Lou for keeping Mac as long as he did, it just turns out that it was the wrong decision to do so looking back. Lou did the best he could do under the circumstances, and I'm sure it had to be hard to give up on Mac so early. So I correct myself- Lou's biggest mistake was hiring Mac in the first place. Well you can never tell how good or bad someone as a coach is going to be until they actually do it, although you would have thought with all the attention Lou gave Mac over the last seven years that he more than anyone should have known enough to know it wasn't going to work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 you guys are all ridiculously underrating the role of chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 So it's just a coincidence that the Devils were one of the worst teams in history for half a season and now are looking far closer to the team we thought they were going into this season under a real NHL coach? Replacing MacLean with Lemaire and subtracting Langenbrunner had nothing to do with chance, those were big moves that were needed to end a malaise that really had started the second half of last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) I don't think it was that simple. everyone from top to bottom was responsible for what happened in December, which turned an early season swoon into a toxic waste dump. we could have gotten to where we were, say 12/31/05, and gotten back into this. they couldn't score to save their lives, which I guess is where you could say chance came in, if you were so inclined. but what happened in December is a patented el foldo. and they probably won't rampage for the rest of the season, just go back to what they should have been, a team that isn't incredible but wins more games than they lose. Edited February 4, 2011 by maxpower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChilltownDevs2673 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) Glad we beat the Rags!! I agree that there was a malaise that did get tagged to Johnny Mac and Jamie. However if McLean couldn't motivate them then the players had to motivate themselves and they didnt and thats on them. Lemaire IS playing trap hockey and it worked years ago and it works now for this team. This is the way the team should of been playing all year. If we had this turnaround at Thanksgiving I'd be more certain that wed make the 8 seed even the 7. This is going to be improable and the biggest comeback in a season if this team can pull it off. I believe that they can; they have horribly underachived all season. Let's just keep the players motivated tonight at the Rock, show them we appreciate them taking down our bitter rival, that we appreciate them fighting to get back in the hunt, and that we are behind them no matter what; good, bad or indifferent!! This is our team; Jersey's Team and this is when they need us the most right now!! So let's go out there and show them that the players and the fans are part of this big great, crazy, proud family called the New Jersey Devils and that we stick together no matter what!!! Now let's continue to get back into this fight and take it to the Panther's tonight!!!!!! LET'S GO DEVILS!!!!!!!!! Edited February 4, 2011 by ChilltownDevs2673 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Good win last night. Elias-Rolston-Zubie looked fantastic again. Not too impressed by the third period, but otherwise the team played with the old Devils grit and Marty saved our bacon again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franconianhell Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Not that big of a game, and marty with a little moment that nearly got me a nightmare. But 2 points, a team that played as a team, and a win at the garden! We finally left last place I hope they are not too tired and get the streak going on tonight against florida... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 So it's just a coincidence that the Devils were one of the worst teams in history for half a season and now are looking far closer to the team we thought they were going into this season under a real NHL coach? no, i didn't say that. what i said is that you guys are underrating the role of chance. max is correct that by december the team had folded up shop, but there were lots of games in october and november that could have been won or at least closer with decent shooting luck. i mean, how many scoring chances did NJ have last night? 6? all 3 goals that went in on lundqvist were stoppable shots. hockey players aren't robots. teams are probably streakier than we'd expect by chance alone. i'm saying if the team had gotten the bounces early in the season, maclean might still be here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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