Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Beantown Whitewash

Not a ton to write about in the New Jersey Devils trip to Boston and resulting 3-0 loss to the Bruins.but I have a few thoughts.
Obviously no Devil goals to add,so lets move to the next Devil game in Toronto Thursday night.

Hell Raisers

1) I don't blame the result of the game on this note as officials do not score goals against you,but they were horrible on this evening.
The call that hurt that most wasn't even the worst call (although still pretty awful) as Adam Mair took advantage of a Bruin misplay in the Boston zone with the Devils down a man and tried to sneak the puck by Tim Thomas.
The type of play that happens in a game ,oh 10 times a night between the two teams in hockey.
Thomas takes offense at this effort and leaps on Mair like Mair committed the cardinal sin of trying to score.
Whistle blows-Penalty on Mair! For Interference!?
Boston now has a five on three,Michael Ryder scores and the band plays on.....

2) But,that wasn't the worst call.
Jason Arnott picked up a minor for boarding,when he actually delivered a hit/check that is commonplace and added a tripping minor for not touching anyone as Blake Wheeler added a Ric Flair bump to his repertoire and drew the penalty.
I am not saying these calls cost the game,but still-call the game correctly!

3) If there was a flashlight sized ray of light in this one,it was the penalty killers as the Devils killed off five of six penalties allowing only the Ryder five on three goal.
The Devils even killed off a four minute double minor on Mattias Tedenby for a high stick,so at least that was strong.

4) Tedenby just missed starting the game off with a bang as he was unable to score near the net on two chances seconds into the game.
Tedenby led the team with five shots on goal and obviously didn't score,but simply put-one cannot put the puck into the net without shooting it on the net.

5) Patrik Elias commented after the game on the lack of respect that teams are giving the Devils defensemen in the offensive zone and he is correct.
Andy Greene is the best of the veterans and he is just average and Matt Taormina was showing potential there,but is injured for the time being.
This is an issue,but I don't see it being any larger than it has been since Scott Niedermayer left.
It looms larger because the team is losing and the offense is struggling so much than in the past.

6) I have no idea what the fans behind John MacLean in the photo are doing,but I noticed them during the game.
How they can enjoy a game wearing those things is beyond me,besides they look like they are wearing a huge condom over their entire body...

Photo Credit-AP Photo

No comments: