Well, this game was, uh, something else. Some teams can fuck around for 40 minutes and then hit the gas and effortlessly drive to the win column.
But for last night’s game? The Devils were not that team.
The boys play Tampa Bay this Saturday, then we all get some time off from the rollercoaster that is Devils’ hockey.
What’s on your mind?
*Take warning:* Anyone arriving here to dunk on the Devils, by cynically exploiting a tragic rape case that you really don’t care about, gets blocked. Take it somewhere else and down votes don’t bother me at all.
[NHL Video Recap](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33XbvacMZVY)
[ESPN Game Cast](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401559979)
[NHL Game Center](https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/car-vs-njd/2024/01/25/2023020746)
[Shift Chart](http://shiftchart.com/game/2024-01-25-devils-hurricanes)
[Amanda Stein Game Story: Devils Fall Behind Early, Lose to Hurricanes in Carolina](https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/devils-at-hurricanes-1-25-24-game-story)
[ESPN News: Devils coach Ruff misses 3rd period after hit in face by puck](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39389875/devils-coach-ruff-misses-3rd-period-hit-face-puck)
[2023-24 Regular Season Schedule (February, all times EST)](https://www.nhl.com/devils/schedule/2024-02-01)
by Devil_Dane
11 Comments
We’re reaching the critical point of it not even mattering when Jack comes back. Last night may have been the lowest I’ve felt on this team in a long long time. With all off the injury issues, goalie issues, coaching issues and off ice issues, this team seems like it’s running on empty, as a fan it feels like I am, and they’re certainly not playing like they’re 4pts out of a wildcard spot. Holding on for a miracle trade and injury recoveries just doesn’t seem like it will cut it.
If there’s any good news it’s that the Flyers are falling apart hard it looks like. They’ve lost 4 out of the last 5 and are starting to look like the team everyone expected them to be.
If we can get back healthy post the All Star Break we can still be in this. But man last night was far from encouraging.
That all star break can’t come soon enough. Tampa is red hot I’m not hopeful for that game.
It hurts me to say, but Carolina is such a well coached team. Everything works, they control the boards, don’t let the other team enter their zone easily. It’s tough to beat them. That said, we could have done more. Some puck luck wouldn’t hurt, also
Shout out to the 4th line with a very simple yet effective game. Well deserved goal for the 3
If you told me one team played a tough game the night before and the other had two days off without identifying the teams, I would have said the Canes had two days off and the Devils played the night before…
This is all very frustrating to watch in real time, but when the season is all over and we look back in retrospect, nobody should be surprised that we missed expectations with Hughes, Hischier, Meier, Palat, McLeod, Hamilton, and Siegenthaler all missing extended time (basically the whole season in the case of our #1 defenseman.)
It sucks, but you aren’t going to win many games with guys like Justin Dowling and Santeri Hatakka.
Carolina is the team we wanna be..they play smart. Regardless how they rank physically in the league, they play big…big and physical. They tie up the open ice really well. We cant compete with that.
First off, we need a goalie-I don’t think any of our three options are gonna work, but at the same time we need to solidify our defensive play(not just our roster). It’s like there’s no defensive system. Just go out and try and find someone to cover. Watching the devils play in their end is like watching a beer league team.
Second, the coaching…ruff is starting to get that 1000 yard stare a coach gets when he’s lost control of a team. Just like goalies, there’s no one out there that we’re all drooling over to be our coach. Is Lindy still the guy? Take the 13 game heater we were on last year out of the equation and do we still feel like Lindy is a keeper?
Third, last years playoffs. Yes, we beat the rags. We were down and came back in 7. Loved to beat the rangers, but did we really beat them? Or did they beat themselves? We got crushed by Carolina who showed how far we need to go.
Yes, we’re getting clobbered with injuries and some bad puck luck. On one hand, we’re 5 games over .500 at the half way mark. It’s not terrible, on the other, we look like we have a long way to go.
Result was expected, but still hurts. That game was absolutely there for the taking if the team didn’t sleepwalk through half of it (a WAY TOO COMMON trend this season…)
If they can squeak 2 points out of Tampa Bay at least we can go into the break on a high note. If not, the hill is that much bigger to climb
Next day!! 😆🔫
Carolina did an amazing job keeping us out of their zone for almost the entire last power play.
When I hear people talk about us having a goalie issue, I would like to direct their attention to the Carolina Hurricanes. That is what an issue solved by a better goalie looks like. Their defensive structure is impeccable. Entering the zone was impossible against them. They controlled play, they won all the boards battles, they set up in their zone, they absolutely smothered the shit out of our offense, they are particularly well coached. If they had a high caliber goaltender they would be in the conversation with with the Jets, Bruins, (*shudder*) Rangers, and Canucks.
Then look at our system. The mistakes that we’ve made with decently different rosters over the last year and a half are the same mistakes we keep making. The way that Carolina shut us down last night was the exact same way they shut us down in the playoffs, and nothing has changed that.
The system needs to change. Even with our injuries, even with our collective defense having played enough game to equal one full time NHLer, even with our goalie’s inconsistency, there is enough talent on this team to achieve more. The system needs to change.
I believe in this team. I also believe they are currently set up to fail. Get a coach with some structure in on this team and we could easily go back to out shooting other teams 45-23 every game.