Sunday, March 16, 2014

Struck down in Tampa

The New Jersey Devils looked to have struck early with a goal past Tampa Bay's Ben Bishop,but the goal was waved off and the Devils would threaten no further as the Lightning took a 3-0 dagger and shoved it into the hearts of the Devils.
Obviously,no Devil goals,but Martin Brodeur finished with 29 saves in defeat.
The fading Devils are off until Tuesday and the Boston Bruins.

Hell Raisers

1) Martin Brodeur played well.
Much better netminding than the Devils got from Cory Schneider in Miami,so I cannot blame Brodeur in defeat.

2) The Devils goal that was wiped off the board was for inadvertent interference.
The same play that saved the Devils win in Philly.
Sometimes what goes around does indeed come around.
The only difference was that it was a Tampa defenseman that knocked Ben Bishop down and the refs thought it was Dainius Zubrus.
The Devils missed a break there,but the call still was fair using the refs thought that it was Zubrus.

3) I've noted that Jon Merrill is a favorite of Peter DeBoer's and I'm Ok with that.
Mainly because I feel that the team should be playing Merrill as well.
Unfortunately,I also think that Eric Gelinas and Adam Larsson should be playing too.
One is scratched a lot and the other is in Albany,but my larger point is this-Merrill makes mistakes like he did in this one in committing a penalty that resulted in a penalty shot attempt and he plays the next game.
Gelinas commits an error and he's scratched for a week.
Larsson doesn't even get that much and is exiled to the AHL.
If there is one unanswered question from this season,the Merrill vs Gelinas/Larsson issue is my choice...

4) The Devils only put 23 shots on net,few of them good chances and just looked dull.
Where did the team go right after the break that was firing shots on net with abandon and as a result getting rebound opportunities?
Another question to ponder.

5) The Devils were shut out for the eighth time this season.
I know that I have more unanswered questions,but imagine this season,if you cut that number in half,would it be enough for the playoffs?

6) Sorry so many unanswerable questions tonight,but I'm just very frustrated with the team over the weekend.
The team needed a split and instead came up with two disappointing efforts and zero points.
I'll shake my head for a few days after this...

Back later or tomorrow with the Browns signing of Ben Tate!

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