Could this be the best no-Nico, no-Jack, no-Timo, game this season?
What’s on your mind?
[FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q6ZNebLR1E)
[NHL Game Center](https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/njd-vs-pit/2023/11/16/2023020245)
[ESPN Game Cast](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401559476)
[Shift Chart](http://shiftchart.com/game/2023-11-16-devils-penguins)
[2023-24 Regular Season Schedule (November, all times EST)](https://www.nhl.com/devils/schedule/2023-11-01)
by Devil_Dane
22 Comments
Very proud of the way Holtz has been playing
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Real gut check win by this team, things were starting to slide and everyone could feel it. They have too much talent even with Jack, Nico and Timo out to just be a totally dead team.
Responded with probably the most complete performance of the year. Good stuff, now take it to the Rangers.
Everyone is saying it and so will I. Holtz I think had his best game last night. Looked like he belonged there and got rewarded. Mercer had an awesome feed to set him up after he missed the easy pass for Holtz on the breakaway and made up for it.
Also FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY MILLER PLAYS EVERY NIGHT INSTEAD OF SMITH PLEASE
So refreshing to see them play 3 periods.
The team played a full 60 minutes last night. We looked like the fast transition team from last year, great zone exits and rushes without 3 of our best players. That was the third game where the devils held their opponent to 2 goals, the other were wins in Montreal and Chicago. Hopefully we can build off this for Saturday against the rags.
Mercer and Holtz especially looked great, I wish we could have seen that Holtz breakaway if the pass wasn’t flubbed.
Imagine you are a 21 year old intern. What you do for work is on full display world wide. Over the summer both your boss, and your boss’s boss, make public statements basically saying that if you don’t hit certain performance metrics you will be fired. And you have to hit those metrics in an environment a level above anything you’ve experienced to date.
That was basically Holtz’s off season. Dude looks better every game and I am convinced the only reason he isn’t improving quicker is due to finding himself in Lindy’s dog house for whatever reason. Let the kid cook.
Argh. Missed the game. Was it the most complete game we’ve played all season?
Finally a game to be excited about. Depth scoring to keep us in it and the big names to put it away. After the first goal the defense really tightened up on the odd man rushes, sticks seemed to be in every lane. McLeod and Haula looked relentless, and I loved the aggressiveness of the PK- not just the shortie but attacking at the blue line and making it hard to gain the zone. Huge building block; if this team learns how to play without Jack and Nico we’ll be dominant with them back.
That felt like a statement game from Holtz. He looked effective on the forecheck, applied pressure without the puck, and got rewarded for putting himself in high danger areas. Miller was a welcome surprise. If he can play 17 minutes a night like he did last night it will be a huge boon. It might have also been Marino’s strongest game of the year.
Best win of the season so far, in the sense that we really needed this one. Keep it goin boys, and start VV Saturday
Really nice effort from the guys. Happy that Holtz is playing really well. Hopefully Ruff sees that and keeps rewarding him with ice time
Im starting to build a theory that this team plays better as the clear underdog
My thoughts from last night:
– Colin Miller stood out to me last night in his Devils debut. Played a very sound defensive game and isn’t shy about ripping one-timers from the point.
– As much as I shit on him for poor play, Brendan Smith played the way he’s supposed to (no penalties, no bad pinches). I think Ruff will continue with 11F 7D even when Meier comes back (Meier for Willman). I’d love to say that once we get Jack back, Smith will be a scratch, but with the way Bahl’s been looking recently, it’s a toss-up.
– Biggest thing I noticed was our play in the neutral and offensive zone. It may not be the sexy Devils hockey we’ve been spoiled with in recent years, but it’s the kind of hockey we need to get used to playing without our top players. Get pucks deep and avoid turnovers. Our D especially were not pinching as much. After a bad shift in the 1st period where we gave up a 3-on-1 then a 2-on-1, I think we had our best game at limiting odd man rushes.
– Our aggresive PK is still very much a thing; it’s a live by the sword, die by the sword strategy. When it works, it’s SH goals (or good chances to score), little sustained o-zone time by the opposition, and keeping things to the perimeter. When it doesn’t work (like vs Winnipeg), it’s usually a wide open player with a high danger scoring chance.
– Was pleasantly surprised to see Dawson Mercer leading the entire team in ice time (22 minutes). Played one of his best games this year and was so happy that his line connected for a big goal.
– VV continues to play solid enough to win. He doesn’t appear to be fighting it as much as Schmid.
– Rangers 9-0-1 in their last 10. You know they have this game circled on the calendar. A Devils win tomorrow would be a huge statement to the rest of the league (and our fans).
Obviously Timo was the issue
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/s
Dawson Mercer is my favorite Devil since Zach Parise
Anyone else feel like McCleod has been doing his best Jack Hughes impression lately? Yesterday he was flying across the neutral zone with the puck and had a couple of clean o-zone entries and also showing off some moves; seems like he’s really stepping up with Jack and Nico out.
One thing I’ve noticed with Nico and Jack out and with the example of mercer missing the breakaway feed.
Passing hadn’t been as clean as it was last year from my eyeball test.
It was nice seeing their forecheck and defensive commitment payoff but certainly I do think the chemistry with the new players has been warming up, and things felt a bit more connected. Especially mercer to holtz for the redemption goal. Idk if that is a set play but just filthy
Miller really stood out to me on the back line. Very promising start
Mercer/Holtz is seemingly a great combo. They really got each other going consistently last night. Keep them together with either Haula or Palat and you’ve got a top tier 3rd line.
Highly doubt anyone will read this that’s relevant, but to those who were in that group photo at the end of the game down by the glass, you guys are the real MVPs
After an absolute shit week, last night was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits
(Also, don’t eat the food from the GetGo at PPG; it’s a literal 0/10)
Hughes needed to get hurt in order to give Timo the opportunity to step up. Timo got hurt to give our depth the opportunity to gain confidence. Amor Fati
In my opinion, the D activation has been the biggest source of Devils miscues. I’m usually ok with D activation, I played college hockey in a system that encouraged it, but the Devils D core has been overly involved in the offense. Luke and Dougie are especially prone to drifting below the hash-marks on the back side of play, leaving Sigenthaler and Smith (dear god) out to dry. I think there something to be said of them trying to force things too much.
I guess I didn’t notice it so much last year, but Marino has been a much more active puck-handler than I expected this year. Having seen it, I am very curious if all the blame that the fans put on Graves was a result of Marino’s roving. I’ll have to rewatch some games and look for it. Bahl is a solid young D, but he is not where Graves was defensively last year and is getting killed trying to cover the counterattack.
Miller is a very welcome D partner for Luke. Paired with Luke generally playing more “at home”, he is a necessary stabilizing force. Luke gets to play on his natural side, Smith is relegated to more appropriate minutes.
Overall, I was happy to see the Devils play in a more familiar way. They finally looked like the advertised product.