GDT: Devils - Leafs 2/4

:devils @ :leafs

(28-20-6) (25-23-5)

Air Canada Centre

7PM

NHL.com game preview (http://www.nhl.com/scores/previews/803_2_preview.html)

I feel a blowout coming.

Will Janssen finally get his fight with Domi?

Interesting game tonight. Will Marty play or rest? Will the Devils have an emotional dip in play after last night emotional game and who could blame them. However, with a win and either a regulation loss by the Flyers or Rangers and we make up some ground.

I'm excited to see Elias play again.

As a Leafs fan and one who lives in the Toronto area, I don't often get to see Devs games and I haven't seen Elias since he's been back. To me, he's been one of the best players in the league for years and is vastly underrated when it comes to any hockey discussion; all you need to do is look at the Devils record since he's been back.

That, and I want to see the development of Paul Martin.

It's sad that as a Leafs fan, all I want to do is watch the other team's players. This is how bad the season has become for us.

Interesting game tonight. Will Marty play or rest? Will the Devils have an emotional dip in play after last night emotional game and who could blame them. However, with a win and either a regulation loss by the Flyers or Rangers and we make up some ground.

That is what worries me the most. Aside from the fact this is a back to back set. But Toronto did play last night too, so I guess that really isin't much of an advantage. This a pretty important game because we could put even more space between us and the Leafs....

Toronto is 1 of 2 teams Marty the Great has a losing record against (10-11-5) Lets hope he can make it dead even annd start another huge winning streak.

I'm no coach and I ain't Marty and I would love to see him in between the pipes tonight because the game is on HNIC, but maybe he needs a rest tonight. Let's give clemmer some work. Wonder if belfour will start tonight? Leafs lost 10 of their last 11 so they will be hungry. Hope Devils crush them!!

I'm excited to see Elias play again.

As a Leafs fan and one who lives in the Toronto area, I don't often get to see Devs games and I haven't seen Elias since he's been back. To me, he's been one of the best players in the league for years and is vastly underrated when it comes to any hockey discussion; all you need to do is look at the Devils record since he's been back.

That, and I want to see the development of Paul Martin.

It's sad that as a Leafs fan, all I want to do is watch the other team's players. This is how bad the season has become for us.

Elias has been very good but as of late he seemed to be struggling. Although he was very good in the Ottawa and Carolina game.

Paul Martin seems to be developing very well as a defensemen. He is really underrated IMO.



As for the game the leafs pretty much destroyed us in december. This should be a sweet pay back. Let's win this one and I hope to see a Janssen fight.

Since we met last our fortunes have diverged a great deal.

You lucky devils are fortunate enough to play a Leaf team that has been as awful as any team in the league since Christmas and are playing three raw rookies on defense and, likely, one total incompetent (Belak) due to injuries. There is simply no excuse for Elias and Gionta and Gomez not to whirl around and through our defense and also know that our goalie is reportedly going to be Belfour who has been consistently inadequate all year.

IMHO, this should be an easy win for you, you can probably safely rest Brodeur, and should look upon this game as an easy win, barring a lazy performance by Devils.

I do seriously hope that neither team suffer any injuries and that you guys have good fortune the rest of the season.

Brodeur is my favourite non-Leaf because of his on-ice talent and off-ice decency and Elias is, besides Ovechkin, my favourite forward to watch.

Should be a good game. Both teams arriving late into last night or early this morning into Toronto. Both team's starting goaltenders (Belfour and Brodeur) played last night, we could see the back ups between the pipes tonight.

Toronto's had our number but both games were last year. I want to see our physical game stepped up tonight.

Since we met last our fortunes have diverged a great deal.

You lucky devils are fortunate enough to play a Leaf team that has been as awful as any team in the league since Christmas and are playing three raw rookies on defense and, likely, one total incompetent (Belak) due to injuries. There is simply no excuse for Elias and Gionta and Gomez not to whirl around and through our defense and also know that our goalie is reportedly going to be Belfour who has been consistently inadequate all year.

IMHO, this should be an easy win for you, you can probably safely rest Brodeur, and should look upon this game as an easy win, barring a lazy performance by Devils.

I do seriously hope that neither team suffer any injuries and that you guys have good fortune the rest of the season.

Brodeur is my favourite non-Leaf because of his on-ice talent and off-ice decency and Elias is, besides Ovechkin, my favourite forward to watch.
You know I was reading the threads in the Leafs forum and I can't recall the last time Leaf fans have been so down on their their team, it's really been that bad huh?

Just heard on CBC, the Devils didn't get into Toronto until 2pm today. Their plane couldn't take off, the players were shaken up, spent the night in a hotel in Jersey, flew into Toronto only 5 hours before game time.

Just heard on CBC, the Devils didn't get into Toronto until 2pm today. Their plane couldn't take off, the players were shaken up, spent the night in a hotel in Jersey, flew into Toronto only 5 hours before game time.
Jeez, that stinks.

Marty is getting his 17th straight start. Hopefully we come out fired up, get a few goals, and keep the pressure on the whole game. Oh, and Janssen fight would be nice too ;)

What were we saying about Rafalski earlier?

Poor pass/dump, poor play at the blueline, poor start for the devils 1-0 Toronto

Wow, that was quick. Leafs score less than a minute in :madfire:

This game started at 7. Oops.

Hopefully NJ can turn it around before the end of the first.

Sorry for another post so quickly, but that delay of game call on Martin was a load of garbage; HE DEFLECTED THE SHOT HE DIDN'T SHOOT IT OUT.

Something tells me it's going to be one of those games.

UPDATE: The Leafs score on the 5-on-3. Kaberle scores with a laser-like shot to the corner. Again, stupid BS call helps the Leafs go up 2-0.

Something tells me it's going to be one of those games.
I think you might be right. Ugh :cry:

Smarty Duckster scores for the Leafs to make it 3-0.

What a poor start, the Devils need to start the comeback. Early penalties didn't help, and the Leafs seem to be all over loose pucks.

Oh dear god. What happened to the team that played last night?

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Two brutal penalty calls. Antropov stepped on Gionta's stick and Martin deflects a shot into the stands and gets a delay of game... FN brutal. The inconsistency of the reffing is uncalled for this year

Not trying to make excuses for them, but they didn't get a proper nights rest and probably didn't have much of a practice today.

Why should we even watch this game? It's Leafs + Refs vs. Devils.

I've never seen a worse call than the one on Martin. Even if he swung at the puck it shouldn't have been a penalty, the damn puck was moving!!! :biglaugh:

Two brutal penalty calls. Antropov stepped on Gionta's stick and Martin deflects a shot into the stands and gets a delay of game... FN brutal. The inconsistency of the reffing is uncalled for this year

I noticed a Leaf deflecting a puck into his own bench just after the Leafs' third goal. No call, naturally*.

*My point is it shouldn't be a call at all. A deflection is just that, a deflection. Not intentional.

Where is the EGG line lately?

Lou better ***** this intermission. I saay Devils score two in the second...

Where is the EGG line lately?
Did you even watch last night?

Wow, I'm kind of glad I can't watch this. Just listening to it might be bad enough.

Devils need to pick it up in the second, there's still plenty of time left.

Mr. Bias Don cherry even said that it was a horrible call and how could they have called it. He said the game has been a gimme

Did you even watch last night?I axctually missed some of it but from what I saw, the line didn't do much....But I still think they have slowed down the last little while compared to the first 7-9 games

Toronto is 1 of 2 teams Marty the Great has a losing record against (10-11-5) Lets hope he can make it dead even annd start another huge winning streak.

Just out of curiousity...who is the other?

Mr. Bias Don cherry even said that it was a horrible call and how could they have called it. He said the game has been a gimme

Well, he's right with the "gimme" remark, but I like MacLean's answer indicating that the Leafs have blown a 3 goal lead recently.

I axctually missed some of it but from what I saw, the line didn't do much....But I still think they have slowed down the last little while compared to the first 7-9 games
They scored 2 of the 3 goals last night and had many more chances. I dunno what more you could ask for.

Albelin needs to shoot. He's passed up shooting many times including a bunch with Janssen's line out there. Instead of passing it down the boards to someone who's covered, shoot it and let them battle for the rebound.

Kozlov, its time to do something worthwhile.

Grr, Kozlov, that was your moment to shine.

This guy has officially become worthless.

Why do our breakaways have to go to Kozlov and Rasmussen?

Why do our breakaways have to go to Kozlov and Rasmussen?
I was just thinking the same thing :shakehead

our best chance right there with the egg line

Belfour plays horrible for a month, then against us he's incredible.

Nice play, Gionta tips it in and lifts the rebound over the net. We can't buy a goal tonight.

Sounds like Belfour is playing great. I hate it when we run into a hot goalie.

Right here, right now. Leafs' best player tonight in the box. LET'S DO IT, GUYS!

The refs really do hate us, they block the puck right to the Leafs.

I noticed a Leaf deflecting a puck into his own bench just after the Leafs' third goal. No call, naturally*.

*My point is it shouldn't be a call at all. A deflection is just that, a deflection. Not intentional.

It's never a call when it goes out into the bench. You can shoot it out directly into the bench and it isn't a penalty.

Good teams find ways to win no matter how the calls go. Devils can't embrace some of the excuses the fans and media are clinging to at this point. They've beaten the best teams in the East in Carolina, Ottawa, Philly, and Buffalo. Time to show up and start playing like a unified team in the 3rd period. We're starting to sound like fans from other teams always lamenting the bad calls.

Good teams find ways to win no matter how the calls go. Devils can't embrace some of the excuses the fans and media are clinging to at this point. They've beaten the best teams in the East in Carolina, Ottawa, Philly, and Buffalo. Time to show up and start playing like a unified team in the 3rd period. We're starting to sound like fans from other teams always lamenting the bad calls.

Theres bad calls and there is the call on Martin in the 1st period. The equivalent of that call is if a baseball umpire calls a pitch that bounces on the plate a strike. It's happened to me before, and it takes the fun out of the game. The call on Martin took the fun out of the game for me. It was even worse than the calls against Brodeur and Hasek in the NJ/OTT game a few nights ago.

The checking line is alive and well. Langenbrunner scores (make that Gionta after the scoring change) and then Madden gets a goal on the very next shift.

yes

I happily eat my words :D

in the blink of an eye she's a 1-goal game all of a sudden people!...squeeze those sticks Leafs!! :handclap:

First goal credited to Gionta.

The boys must have gotten into the Starbucks coffee during the 2nd intermission. They look awake this period.

Well that was equally, if not more of a BS call against Wilm

Are these refs insane tonight or what? :madfire:

Well that was equally, if not more of a BS call against Wilm

Are these refs insane tonight or what? :madfire:
It's the same reason they called that penalty on Brodeur in the Ottawa game, everyone's a loser on an even up call.

RAFALSKIIIIIIII...he stinks lately.

With Tampa up 4-0, the Devils should have looked at this game as a must-win just to keep ahead of them. Disappointing end late in the 3rd period after a nice spirited effort earlier. Viktor Kozlov has got to be dealt and quick. The experiment has officially ended regardless of what he's capable of doing in the shootout. Send him anywhere for whatever you can bring back at this point. I'm convinced he'll be a total no-show in the postseason based on his play since the trade. NJ needs some legitimate scoring depth and a bonafied 2nd line scoring center to justify some of the hype they've earned since January.

With Tampa up 4-0, the Devils should have looked at this game as a must-win just to keep ahead of them. Disappointing end late in the 3rd period after a nice spirited effort earlier. Viktor Kozlov has got to be dealt and quick. The experiment has officially ended regardless of what he's capable of doing in the shootout. Send him anywhere for whatever you can bring back at this point. I'm convinced he'll be a total no-show in the postseason based on his play since the trade. NJ needs some legitimate scoring depth and a bonafied 2nd line scoring center to justify some of the hype they've earned since January.

I want Satan!

I want Satan!
Milbury isn't the GM over there anymore...we might have a shot if he was though.

I want Satan!
You're kidding, right?

I don't usually make excuses but I think their sluggish play in the first two periods had to do with arriving in Toronto at 2 in the afternoon. I heard it from the CBC broadcast but did they announce it on FSNY?

Looking ahead, we've got three games left; Tampa, away at Boston, and then back home against the Isles. I'd like to think we can pull a streak before the break.

I didn't see this Leaf win coming.

But... we were outplayed by Devils. Eddie let in one softie and gave up too many rebounds but he stopped a lot of good chances.

Best game he has played in a while.

This kind of thing happens when a goalie steals a game.

Hope Matvichuk is OK.

Good night and good luck.

Sounds like the Devils had a tough night last night (And I know this was already brought up) but the plane was apparently at full speed for take off and the plane wouldn't lift so the pilot had to hammer the brakes and the plane stopped just before the end of the runway. There was alot crap flyin around in the cabin. A little white knuckle excitement for the boys, kudos to the pilot.

Sounds like the Devils had a tough night last night (And I know this was already brought up) but the plane was apparently at full speed for take off and the plane wouldn't lift so the pilot had to hammer the brakes and the plane stopped just before the end of the runway. There was alot crap flyin around in the cabin. A little white knuckle excitement for the boys, kudos to the pilot.
Must've been a ****in' Leafs fan.

Just out of curiousity...who is the other?
Vancouver, I believe.

I'd love a guy like Dumont on the Devils, but Buffalo isn't letting him go anytime soon.

BTW, how is Kozlov so good in shootouts, but he misses a penalty shot? Its the same thing!!!

BTW, how is Kozlov so good in shootouts, but he misses a penalty shot? Its the same thing!!!
Well, he can't get them all.

kozlov had belfour beat... he just couldn't lift it

I did not see the 1st period(thankfully), but I did catch all of the 2nd at work, and if the Devils had had a little more finish around the net, they probably would have been tied after 2 periods. Kozlov had Belfour at his mercy and you could see him trying to lift the puck into the top of the net and the puck rolled on him. Horrible luck. That was just one of many chances in that period that we failed to convert. Even though all losses suck, by the sounds of it, the Devils played a decent game after the slow start. What happened to Matvichuk BTW??? Just noticed he only played about 5 minutes....

I think Matvichuk pulled his groin. Hopefully he is ok, we need him.

Got in a hole with some bad bounces ... they never stopped playing though -- unlike in Florida (where I guess they never started playing). I think I'll compare everything against that Panthers game.

We shoulda had the equalizer with the quality of chances, like a penalty shot, a breakaway and same of the other scoring chances. We need to be able to win these kind of games.

It was a great effort, but ultimately it still feels disappointing because it is something the Devils have to be able to do to win when it counts most.

They had a lot to overcome though. Sometimes you can't do it.

I'm really wavering on this game. But when it comes down to it, you still just want those points.

I think we can throw this game out the window, considering the the emotions spent on Scott Stevens night and all their flight problems. However, they need to come out and beat Tampa, that's a big game. And nice 3 game winning streak would be nice going into the Olympic break.

Too many teams fighting for the last few playoff seeds for them to be throwing games like this away with a horrible 1st period collapse. Devils can't afford to come out looking unprepared. You blink and three or four teams will change positions everynight. No sense allowing the month of January's successes to slip into a quick oblivion with nights like that.

Too many teams fighting for the last few playoff seeds for them to be throwing games like this away with a horrible 1st period collapse. Devils can't afford to come out looking unprepared. You blink and three or four teams will change positions everynight. No sense allowing the month of January's successes to slip into a quick oblivion with nights like that.
It looked like someone told them the game was a 7:30 start.

It looked like someone told them the game was a 7:30 start.

I don't really agree. They got some bad luck and a marginal call and, it happens.

What's always heartening is that they're not reacting the way they did earlier in the year. They just kept plugging and eventually got back in the game.

Of course we still want more, though.

I don't really agree. They got some bad luck and a marginal call and, it happens.

What's always heartening is that they're not reacting the way they did earlier in the year. They just kept plugging and eventually got back in the game.

Of course we still want more, though.
I know they had some bad luck and bad calls, I haven't seen them play as scrambly as hey were in the first ten minutes in a while. It was like chaos. After Poni hit the post they got it together, but it was real close to being 4-0.

I don't really agree. They got some bad luck and a marginal call and, it happens.

What's always heartening is that they're not reacting the way they did earlier in the year. They just kept plugging and eventually got back in the game.

Of course we still want more, though.

Speaking from personal experience, in hockey and in life you make your own breaks. Hard work, discipline, dedication, perserverence, and a sharp mental focus go along ways in turning the tide when it comes to letting trivial things get you down like bad luck and blown calls. Players and fans alike have to resist the urge to redirect the blame and responsibility for their own failures and miscues on things like bad luck and/or the refs making bad calls. Things don't always go your way. You have to suck it up and press onwards. Before you know it, a makeup call going the other way generally balances these things out before the end of the game anyways. Did you read Brian Gionta's comments in the Star Ledger today about being accountable and taking full responsibility for the the way they came out in the 1st period? He and Lou Lamoriello both said essentially the same thing with regards to not making excuses for what happened.

I do agree with your 2nd and 3rd points though. There seems to be less of a killer instinct going on with the EGG line and the team overall over the last 5 or 6 games. Elias' accelerated play has slowed significantly. Certainly not surprising and completely understandable given how strong he played initially. The olympic break should be pretty beneficial to banged up/tired players like him, Marshall, Matvichuk, and Rasmussen. Brodeur may need the rest the most of them at this point.

I understand the 'make your own breaks' concept.

The fact just was that there were a few breaks against them in the first period. That's how they got in the hole. I wouldn't even say it was because they came out particularly flat, although they themselves said that.

They dug out of the hole by continuously working in that game, even when they couldn't capitalize on some things, they still kept working.

That's admirable ... and more important, it was what they had been able to do a lot earlier this year.

But one last thing, I don't think Marshall looks anything near tired. He's playing very hard with Brylin and Parise, and he's helping make that line go where Kozlov didn't.

I know they had some bad luck and bad calls, I haven't seen them play as scrambly as hey were in the first ten minutes in a while. It was like chaos. After Poni hit the post they got it together, but it was real close to being 4-0.

Well maybe, but that was mostly penalty kill time, including 5-on-3. Most teams get kind of scrambly during and a little after that.

To tell you the truth I'm not remembering the pre-penalty time that well a few days later ... so maybe that in itself does tell me something about how we were doing.

For one night we're all Isles fans. :clap:

I don't usually make excuses but I think their sluggish play in the first two periods had to do with arriving in Toronto at 2 in the afternoon. I heard it from the CBC broadcast but did they announce it on FSNY?Sounds like the Devils had a tough night last night (And I know this was already brought up) but the plane was apparently at full speed for take off and the plane wouldn't lift so the pilot had to hammer the brakes and the plane stopped just before the end of the runway. There was alot crap flyin around in the cabin. A little white knuckle excitement for the boys, kudos to the pilot.Taking off is the most dangerous part of flight. The Devils could have lost more than a game. It sounds like a really skilled pilot was at the yoke.

Here is Tom Gulitti's article in the Bergen Record, "Devils suffer through scary flight to Toronto (http://www.bergen.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMzImZmdi ZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY4NzUyMTImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZU VFeXk2)."