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Post Game Thread: Edmonton Oilers at New Jersey Devils – 21 Dec 2023



2023020501

[NHL.com Boxscore](https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/2023020501)

|Teams|1st|2nd|3rd|Total|
|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|2|0|4|6|
|[NJD](/r/devils)|1|2|0|3|

##Team Stats

|Team|Shots|Hits|Blocks|FOW%|Giveaways|Takeaways|Power Play|PIM|
|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|38|13|15|47.3%|4|12|0/2|0|
|[NJD](/r/devils)|26|22|18|52.7%|14|8|0/0|4|

##Goals

|Period|Time|Team|Strength|Description|
|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
|1st|00:24|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Ryan McLeod (3) snap shot, assist(s): Sam Gagner (4)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343688878112)|
|1st|05:24|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (8) snap shot, assist(s): Mattias Ekholm (8), Connor McDavid (31)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343688889112)|
|1st|13:14|[NJD](/r/devils)|Even|[Dawson Mercer (8) wrist shot, assist(s): Michael McLeod (6)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343690661112)|
|2nd|01:39|[NJD](/r/devils)|Even|Jonas Siegenthaler (1) wrist shot, assist(s): Simon Nemec (3), Michael McLeod (7)|
|2nd|16:26|[NJD](/r/devils)|Even|[Timo Meier (6) snap shot, assist(s): Dawson Mercer (6)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343693299112)|
|3rd|01:40|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Connor McDavid (12) wrist shot, assist(s): Mattias Ekholm (9), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (23)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343694809112)|
|3rd|02:22|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Leon Draisaitl (14) backhand shot, assist(s): None](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343695202112)|
|3rd|02:49|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Adam Erne (1) wrist shot, assist(s): Sam Gagner (5)](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343696192112)|
|3rd|09:04|[EDM](/r/edmontonoilers)|Even|[Ryan McLeod (4) wrist shot, assist(s): None](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6343696496112)|

##Penalties

|Period|Time|Team|Type|Min|Description|
|:–:|:–:|:-:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
|1st|14:36|[NJD](/r/devils)|MIN|2|Simon Nemec holding against Zach Hyman|
|2nd|08:38|[NJD](/r/devils)|MIN|2|Kevin Bahl holding against Zach Hyman|

**Officials**

* Referees: Francois St-Laurent, Pierre Lambert
* Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Jonathan Deschamps

The bot can only be as correct as its sources, the sources it uses are linked below each table. If you notice an error that is not due to an incorrect source or you want to suggest a source [click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=TeroTheTerror&subject=HockeyMod Issue&message=Subreddit:%0A%0AIssue:) to message TeroTheTerror.

by HockeyMod

37 Comments

  1. ViniVidiVelcro

    Lol. Am I still a doomer for saying we will not make the playoffs?

  2. Down_Rodeo_

    Letting Brunette go and not promoting him was stupid. And I don’t want to hear anyone blame the defense when vitek is literally spinning around in net trying to make saves with his back to the other team. He’s a bad goalie.

    Tom needs to make a move this week from a coaching change to a goalie, or the season is truly cooked given how no metro team but the devils are losing in fucking regulation only.

  3. chaos0xomega

    Fitzs commitment to Lindy reminds me a lot of my Directors commitment to incompetent managers at my job. Hopefully they both pull their heads out their asses and make the hard decisions befire its too late.

  4. JackfruitProper

    The question is what coach is available to try to get this team on track?

  5. The_Hoovs

    Idk much about coaching an NHL team, but one thing I think I’d do is call a TO after that second goal to take the lead.

  6. chickenKsadilla

    For everyone clamoring for Brunette and acting like this is some big “I told you so” moment, Nashville has 4 more points than us in 2 more games and that’s with truly elite goalie.

    We have issues. Coaching is not blameless in that. But Brunette wasn’t this magical hall of fame coach that would have us in first right now. For Christ’s sake, his power play was our biggest complaint all of last season.

  7. MartysBetter29

    Its very much time. As another wise fan said in the GDT, time for Fitz to learn from Shero’s mistakes and pull the trigger before it costs him his own job.

  8. Trade Ruff for Rod Brindamour.

    Trade Meier for Debrincat.

    Trade Vitek for Hasek.

    Replace all the concessions at the Pru for Shake Shack and Chik-fil-a.

    Boom I just saved this season.

  9. Bros. What a terrible game. Nice to see Timo continuing to improve, Toffoli looked slower than a snail. Thinking D’Accord would be a relatively safe upgrade attempt for us. Save a little money, not too much term, worry about a bigger move in the offseason. Going to sleep.

  10. Not a doomer but I need more access to the front office at this point.

    I need proof that something is being cooked cause at this point it’s just the season being cooked with all the silence

  11. Toasttoasttoast1

    Unreal the Ruff defenders. Can’t fathom the mental gymnastics to support the guy whose sole job it is to lead the team despite the apparent dumpster fire

  12. I’ve seen coaches get fired for less and for teams playing better than this team is

  13. Toasttoasttoast1

    Anyone with a devils jersey that shows up to the Pru should get a chance in net. At least the same amount of time that Akira got

  14. Was at the game and heard the real-life divisions in the fan base. Wow! I’ve been going to games for 20 years and I’ve never seen fans openly arguing in the stands. The devils Fandom is about as divided as democrats and Republicans right now. Invoking trump: Not Good!

    When the teams offense was carrying them at the beginning of season but tepidly winning I thought about competitive advantage, the last thing we need is to bring a defense first coach and have 0 defense and also 0 offense. At this point they aren’t scoring enough either so it may be time to cut lindy loose.

    There I said it, fire ruff.

  15. TH3N3G4TIV1

    All I can say is we are nowhere near contenders. Arguments could be made that we can make the playoffs with a hot streak post all-star break. I mean, hell, Florida was ready to punch in the nuclear codes in January last year and ended up squeezing into the playoffs (thanks to us, lol) and absolutely dominated the gauntlet of teams they faced, not saying itll happen with us but it is possible. Changes need to be made, yes absolutely. But I think some fans need to realise that we are waaaayy ahead of schedule in terms of getting this team contender ready they are all wicked young and not even in their primes yet. Give it another season or two. In Fitz, we trust.

  16. Fire Lindy before he goes to bed tonight and hire Craig Berube

  17. Honestly, anyone who doesn’t think Lindy is the problem needs to go.

  18. Thank you Lindy for getting us this far. But from what I saw at the start of the 1st and 3rd periods shows that this group needs to move on.

  19. LaHondaSkyline

    Three out of six Oiler goals were simply Devils D zone catastrophic mistakes. Those mistakes were not Ruff system related, but pure dumb plays by Devils players in their own zone.

    One more goal against was poor goaltending, the 2 on 2 rush where Vancek really should have made the save.

    A fifth Oiler goal was just a hockey goal that happens and is perhaps in part due to Devils poor D zone play. Debatable. One could argue it either way.

    A sixth Oiler goal was just a weird play that happens in hockey.

    So 1 or 2 Oilers goals that are just normal hockey things. But at least 4 (maybe 5) Oilers goals that are completely unrelated to any Ruff system issues, but instead due to Devils players simply screwing up.

    Now, Ruff is not coaching Bahl to just throw the puck to an Oiler in the slot 12 feet from the goal. And his not coaching Vitek to fail to make an easy save.

    Yet…the D zone mistakes are super common, have been an issue since week 1, and are not really getting better.

    And that does raise questions about Ruff’s ability to get this roster to stop making so many D zone dumb dumb mistakes. Nothing to do at all tonight with Ruff’s D zone system. Everything to do with Devils skaters making terrible mistakes. And…why is Ruff not able to get them to show progress in those super common D zone mistakes?

    Nothing Ruff can do about having a terrible goalie tandem (which BTW for whatever reason is far worse than anyone here expected on opening night).

  20. Hitman5286

    Fire Ruff and get VV off this team already. Both had their time in the sun in NJ and both times have expired.

  21. Do I think a new coach **could** help? Yes, maybe.

    Do I think it saves our season? No.

    Nothing is going to save this season unless we start getting even just DECENT goaltending, period.

    Everyone said goaltending was the huge question mark for us entering the year. Fitz felt that Schmid and Vanacek “earned the shot” to be our tandem this year.

    Maybe they did earn the chance, but unfortunately that is simply not working out.

    I agree that the Devils are not coming out with fire every night. Goaltenders letting you down every fucking game will do that to you; I don’t give a fuck how “good” the coach is about getting them ready or not.

    I don’t think Ruff is blameless, and results matter. Dude isn’t perfect but the same fans will just be upset 20 games after replacing him when the same shit is happening with our goalies under the new coach.

    I never thought we were winning the Cup this year… the goal should have always been make the 2nd round and hopefully get to the 3rd. We took a necessary big step back on defense so that our kids could develop for future years, and our goaltending was suspect.

    The reality is that I don’t see us turning this season around, nor do I think we should panic and make big moves just to salvage this season and get into the playoffs when our window really does start 1-2 years away after Luke and Nemec develop a bit more. During that time, we really need to use the incoming cap space to acquire a real goaltender.

    People want to trade for Gibson, who has multiple years left… ok, so what if he helps us this year and we even make the playoffs, but then we’re locked into a goalie who might not be good enough at this stage of his career to take us all the way and win a cup over the next few years when the window truly opens?

    I care much more about being prepared starting next year than I do about salvaging this year. I certainly didn’t expect us to be a bubble team on the outside looking in, but way too many fans and the media hyped this team up WAY more than they should have. Yeah this team looks like crap right now but the reality is simply that our goaltenders are letting us down and we don’t have really any good options to address that right now. Hopefully Fitz does absolutely whatever it takes to rectify it before next season begins.

  22. ElephantRedCar91

    They went from being one of the best teams last season to almost one of the worst this season. Granted they have a winning record but a lot of those wins were by the skin of their teeth.

  23. Sick of paying money to see them play like this. They barely win at home when they do put together a decent game. 4-3 nail biter win against the Wings, 6-4 loss to the Caps, 5-4 nail biter win against the Sabres, 5-1 loss against the Ducks and 6-3 loss against the Oilers.

    Lindy isn’t consistent with his coaching decisions either. He’ll pull the goalie with 7-8 mins down 3 goals one time and then can’t do it tonight

  24. LaHondaSkyline

    Here is my question. Why do the guys in the red jerseys keep passing the puck right to guys in white jerseys that are uncovered ten or less feet from the goal where the guy in the red jersey is standing? Is that part of Ruff’s ‘system’?

  25. sethlyons777

    Glad I watched my Rams beat the Saints instead of endure that torture. This team does my head in.

  26. This is a collective issue, not any one player, coach, or units fault. The goalies have been poor and prone to mental lapses. The defense has been shaky and caught out of position regularly. The offense would be better if they made simple plays more often and stopped always going for wow plays. Overall there are way too many turnovers and mistakes in key parts of the ice, and yes the coaching and adjustments haven’t been there.

    It’s easy to go for the coach but there is much more going on here. I still have faith in this team and think by the end of the year they will be right there, but they need to figure it and correct these growing pains asap. we give up the first goal every game. Where is this teams confidence and pride?

  27. ErnieShovelhead

    My section was out chirped by four young drunken oilers fans on the glass. This team doesn’t give a shit about playing for its fans.

  28. Honestly, the people defending Lindy at this point are of below average hockey IQ. They probably just don’t understand the little intricacies that show up in the game that are actually a byproduct of coaching. Anyone who’s played high level hockey, or any sport for that matter and has played high level HS or college sport understands how vital good coaching is and how it manifests itself in the game.

  29. TheFadeTV

    Hey oil fan here, came down for the game and just wanted to say every devils fan I met tonight was really nice especially compared to the islanders fans, and I’m guessing the rangers fan are gonna be brutal tomorrow night lol

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