All About The Jersey - Game Stream #69: New Jersey Devils at Los Angeles KingsA world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2016-03-13T03:24:24-04:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/109741492016-03-13T03:24:24-04:002016-03-13T03:24:24-04:00Moore OT Goal Drove Devils to Stun Kings
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<img alt="This was not Moore on his way to win the game in overtime. This was Moore making something else happen in overtime. Tonight, Moore played better than usual recently." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yppm7-yYv2J7THdtqOOyevjuKwQ=/0x14:2940x1974/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49063475/usa-today-9180563.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>This was not Moore on his way to win the game in overtime. This was Moore making something else happen in overtime. Tonight, Moore played better than usual recently. | Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils played a better overall game against the Los Angeles Kings than in recent games. What's more is that John Moore scored to win the game in overtime. This game recap goes over both and more.</p> <p>Going into this California road trip, my hope for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> was rather low. They got pounded by Pittsburgh after a not-so-hot 1-2-0 week prior, which was preceded by two blowout losses. On this very late night, the Devils are now 2-for-2 in the Golden State. <a href="http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2016/3/11/11200714/keith-kinkaid-led-new-jersey-devils-3-0-stunner-over-san-jose-sharks" target="_blank">They shutout the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.</a> Tonight, they bested the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a> on their home ice in overtime with a 2-1 final score. It was quite different from Thursday's game. While that score looked better, I'd say this was the better performance by the Devils between the two games.</p>
<p>That game in San Jose was similar to several wins by the Devils this season. They try to hang with a team, though the shots they give up seem more dangerous. The goalie bails them out when the ice really tilts against the Devils, as evidenced by a 16-3 shot period driven mostly after the Devils' lone goal. They get a break - like a defender knocking in a loose puck into his own net - for another goal and they go on to win despite not necessarily being the better team on the ice. In tonight's win, there were stretches where it clear that the Devils were the better team on the ice. Given that Los Angeles is a top possession team, a top team in the Pacific, and have considerably more talent than the Devils, this is a feat. Especially when they had to kill ten shorthanded minutes within the first thirty minutes of regulation. Taking them to overtime was at least a moral victory as their effort and their bodies frustrated a Kings team that didn't play much like I expected save for some parts of the game. <span>John Moore</span> bursting past <span>Jeff Carter</span> and <span>Alec Martinez</span> to beat <span>Jonathan Quick</span> shortside on a Clarkson-esque wraparound with fifteen seconds made it an actual victory. One to cheer loudly for if it wasn't so late in New Jersey (1:08 AM EST) and, in my case, if I wasn't so loud.</p>
<p>Those ten power play minutes for Los Angeles broke up to six in the first period and four on a double-minor in the second. The attempts told a big tale. Shortly after that double-minor ended, <a href="http://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20152016&game=21028" target="_blank">Natural Stat Trick </a>had LA up in attempts 34-16 in all situations, but it was 13-13 at even strength. (By night's end: All situations, 68-51, LA; even strength: 47-43, LA) And the shot totals were smaller as the Devils blocked a load of shots. <a href="https://twitter.com/Kent_Wilson/status/578006797975322624" target="_blank">This quote by Kent Wilson about blocked shots</a> is one I believe is right. However, the high A/B number in the Event Summary for the Devils was driven by those five power plays they killed tonight. Needless to say, I was really pleased with the penalty killing effort. Not only did they frustrate the Kings to only seven shots across all ten minutes (they got more effective with each opportunity); but the Devils got three shots of their own including an <span>Adam Henrique</span> breakaway I'm sure the Kings fans held their breath for.</p>
<p>Going back to the performance, the Devils really did deserve their first period lead. <span>Tyler Kennedy</span> banked in a rebound attempt by <span>Devante Smith-Pelly</span> for an early goal. From there, despite the three penalties, the Devils enjoyed the better run of play and attacked Quick more outside of special teams. They skated hard, they held up well when the checks were thrown, and the Devils' passes were actually pretty good. In contrast, the Kings looked like the Devils on most other nights this season. They may start going forward decently, but often times, it would become a mess for them as the play progressed. For the league's best team in CF%, it was surprising to me to see the Kings struggle like that. It also helped that the Devils backchecked well, they protected the slot the best they can, and their zone exits were mostly successful. The second period was a struggle largely thanks to one awfully long shift, but I'll go into that deeper into the recap. As a whole, that period wasn't a constant steamrolling like the San Jose game. In the third period, the Devils had a very good start with their carry-over of their lone power play. John Moore nearly scored the second goal then, but Quick robbed him on a one-timer on his right flank. That third was characterized by well-paced action yielding plenty of missed shots, blocked shots, and defended plays. But if the Devils didn't "win" that third, they more than certainly held their own - especially after a late siege by the Kings.</p>
<p>Overtime was won by the Devils. In addition to Moore's goal, the Devils were able to hit back on the Kings more. They took four shots to their two. They made seven attempts to their five. Henrique got another breakaway that forced a tough pad stop by Quick. I liked how the Kings were methodical and patient with the puck, criss-crossing their players to find gaps. But the Devils were very good man-to-man on defense so it wasn't as effective as overtime wore on. In the dying seconds, Moore just turned into a star and crashed the dreams of the Kings going up four points on Anaheim in the standings. Quick probably should have stopped it. Martinez should have taken a better angle on Moore. Oh, well. It was a dramatic end to an exciting overtime that capped off what was more like a "sixty minute performance" for New Jersey.</p>
<p>Such performances are rarely a true sixty minutes since, well, there's an opponent who wants to succeed too. But as well as Kinkaid played, the defense was sharper, the forwards were more up to engage and press some of the issue themselves, and the gameplan was solid. This was a solid win. If you're all about the tank, then you're probably a little disappointed. For the rest - and especially those who stayed up to watch the whole thing - it was a thrill to see the Devils stun another California team.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20152016/GS021028.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20152016/ES021028.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20152016/PL021028.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20152016/SS021028.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20152016&game=21028" target="_blank">Natural Stat Trick Advanced Stats</a> | The <a href="http://hockeystats.ca/game/2015021028" target="_blank">HockeyStats.ca Advanced Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion:</b> Check out <a href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Jewels from the Crown</a> for their opinions and ranked players for tonight's game.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>From <a href="http://www.nhl.com" target="_blank">NHL.com</a>, here are the highlights in this game.</p>
<p align="center"><iframe height="360" width="540" src="https://www.nhl.com/video/embed/recap-njd-2-lak-1-fot/t-279240468/c-42510703?autostart=false"></iframe></p>
<p><b>The Nightmare Shift: </b>Shifts in hockey are usually about 40-50 seconds long. Shifts that go to a minute or longer either have some kind of special circumstance (e.g. a power play, a penalty kill) , or it may mean the player is out there for too long. Players can get tired and tired players are prone to errors and/or just lesser performance. Defensemen Seth Helgeson and <span>David Warsofsky</span> suffered one of the worst shifts I've seen in quite some time. They were stuck on the ice during the second period from when the clock read 8:58 to 5:24. Those two were out there for 3:34. 3:34!! That is an <i>epically </i>long shift. After about a hundred seconds, the fatigue was noticeable. But in the period of the long change, they could go nowhere.</p>
<p>I believe it all started when Helgeson botched a zone exit that could have nipped the whole thing in the bud at the start. Yet, I cannot blame him alone for the shift. Being out there for over three minutes means multiple things did not go their way. The Kings just took the puck, cycled, attempted shots, recovered pucks, and ran with it until <span>Anze Kopitar</span> eventually scored the game tying goal. The puck crossed the blueline, I think, only twice. One allowed the Adam Henrique line to get off as they were gassed first. One just trickled over the line, so L.A. just recovered it and returned to attacking. The defenders were just beat and could do very little. I'm more annoyed with the forwards, who were fresher, in trying to stop the Kings. I think they could have been more aggressive against the Kings who had the puck instead of chasing with two extremely exhausted defenders who can provide only so much support.</p>
<p>Alas, despite the saves by Kinkaid and all of the survival tactics and missed/blocked shots that came during that 3:34 part of the game, it ended with a goal against. Los Angeles was able to get their top unit out there and amid chaos, Kopitar slammed in a rebound in a mess in front similar to how Kennedy scored, only that began with Martinez missing a shot from distance. It was the nightmarish ending for a nightmarish shift. Worse, the Kings started playing much better in 5-on-5 since the goal. Although, that didn't carry over into the third so well.</p>
<p>I felt real bad for Helgeson on this shift. I thought he denied a goal earlier on it. Shortly before Kopitar fired a puck into the net, he was in the crease trying to help. He ended up taking the follow-through of Lucic's stick in the mouth after his attempt right before Kopitar's goal. Helgeson was bleeding on top of being sore and bushed as he headed towards the bench. I don't blame him or Warsofsky for what primarily happened. It was a long shift that turned into something incredible and they could only do what they could do. He received a very long break to get cleaned up and returned to action before the period ended.</p>
<p><b>So Close, Yet So Far: </b>Moore's one-timer during the Devils' power play in the third period was the closest they came to scoring before overtime. The Kings were arguably closer. Near the end of the game, <span>Dustin Brown</span> fired a puck off a long rebound and hit the crossbar. A little later, he got another attempt with Kinkaid sprawled out on the ice with his pads spread. Brown couldn't lift the puck to give the Kings the late go-ahead goal. I'm very pleased he did fail to do what he wanted, though.</p>
<p><b>Standouts for Them: </b>While the shot count was rather low, Quick did have to stop two breakaways and a bit more than a handful of scoring chances. I thought he was alright until the very end. <span>Drew Doughty</span> and <span>Jake Muzzin</span> looked head and shoulders above the other Kings defenders. While other Kings forwards had better nights in possession, the Kopitar line put up the most shots (7), scored their lone goal, and Kopitar himself just threatened whenever he had the puck going forward. Like most of the Kings skaters tonight, it didn't necessarily go the way they would have wanted it. That left plenty to be desired throughout the lineup.</p>
<p><b>Standouts for the Devils: </b><span>Keith Kinkaid</span> played very well again. He nearly reached a hundred minutes on a shutout streak. I think he'll be satisfied with the result all the same. The Devils' penalty kill was excellent and that was due in part to <span>Adam Larsson</span> and <span>Andy Greene</span>. They were very good all night long. John Moore played a far better game than his last few. He wasn't necessarily picked on, he didn't concede too many pucks, and he picked his spots well to attack. Scoring the game winner doesn't hurt either. I liked <span>David Schlemko</span> as well, but Moore having a good game stood out to me more. Up front, I enjoyed <span>Kyle Palmieri</span> and Adam Henrique. While on separate lines, they were quite good in generating shots and trying to move the play forward. I thought <span>Reid Boucher</span> was good in spots. Lastly, I honestly didn't mind how <span>Stephen Gionta</span> and Tyler Kennedy performed. Goal aside for Kennedy, he wasn't a waste of space more often than not. Gionta nearly got a goal himself, he did quite a few things right on the PK, and he showed more speed than we've seen in other games. The two played like they were expected to play like when put into the lineup in this season.</p>
<p><b>Those Calls: </b>Five calls for the Devils, all in a row. Sadly, most were legit. If you want to get annoyed, then do so at <span>Bobby Farnham</span>. He slashed Tyler Toffoli's stick out of his hands, which was just silly and not long after the Devils' first penalty kill. In the second period, he high-sticked <span>Nick Shore</span> and drew some blood while on offense. That was four minutes of a 4-on-5 situation the team wished they didn't have to deal with. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hockeywilderness.com/">Wild</a> Thing could've been a lot smarter tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if he sits when <span>Jordin Tootoo</span> is available to play, who was held out tonight with an upper body injury.</p>
<p>The only call I have an issue with his is the goaltender interference call on <span>Mike Sislo</span>. Quick bent over to cover a puck, Sislo hit him, a small melee ensued. However, the replay showed Muzzin checking or at least contacting Sislo forward. That would surely caused him to hit Quick. Unfortunately, that was missed but Sislo's hit wasn't so Sislo got two minutes. I think that was a poor call as being hit or contacted into the goaltender usually isn't interference.</p>
<p>As far as why play didn't stop when Helgeson got hit in the mouth by Lucic's stick? Although some follow-throughs on shots are tagged with a penalty when they are high, I believe because it happened so fast, it wasn't necessarily clear to the officials, Helgeson was down so any follow-through would be low, it was likely an accident more than anything else, and shortly after the strike, the goal happened. Blood should cause a whistle, but it may not have been immediate after the strike. It happens, I suppose.</p>
<p><b>One Last Thought: </b>If you saw the shot count and concluded that this was a boring, slow game, then I don't think you actually paid attention to this one. The misses and blocked shots represented much of the game, but those attempts are still attempts at goal. Those don't happen if the teams aren't trying to go for a goal, aren't working to get into the offensive zone and get a good look at the net, and aren't looking to break a deadlock or in L.A.'s case for part of the second, tie up the game. If the Devils played like this more often, then I think they would be a much more watchable team down the stretch. Even if they lose more games than they win for the rest of the season.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>I stayed up to watch the whole thing and I think you get what I think about this one. What do you think of this win? Are you pleased they got it? How did you react when Moore scored in overtime? Do you think the Devils' performance was better tonight than it was in San Jose and on other nights? Who impressed you on either team? Who failed to impress you on either team? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's win in the comments.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who commented in the Gamethread and/or followed the site's account on Twitter, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/aatjerseyblog" target="_blank">@AATJerseyBlog</a>. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2016/3/13/11213634/john-moore-ot-winner-drives-new-jersey-devils-to-stun-los-angeles-kingsJohn Fischer2016-03-12T21:30:02-05:002016-03-12T21:30:02-05:00Gamethread #69: Devils at Kings
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<p>The New Jersey Devils will continue their march through California by playing the Los Angeles Kings, who may want revenge for Valentine's Day. This gamethread is a place where users can discuss tonight's game until the recap is (eventually) up.</p> <p><strong>The Time: </strong>10:30 PM EST</p>
<p><strong>The Broadcast: </strong>TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><strong>The Matchup: </strong>The New Jersey Devils (32-29-7) vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a> (40-22-4; SBN Blog: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com">Jewels from the Crown</a>)</p>
<p><strong>A Song for Tonight: </strong>Los Angeles? That's a city home to a lot of heavy and/or underground music! 80s glam metal? Yes. Metal? Sure. Punk and hardcore? You bet. One of the bigger bands in hardcore call L.A. home: Terror. This is the title track from their 2013 album: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7r3NiNXKCA">"Live By The Code."</a> Now do a stage dive before Scott Vogel demands it.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMs9yNlBp4c"></a><strong>The Reminder of Rules: </strong>The rules remain the rules. Here's a quick reminder. Please keep your comments clean, legal, and all about the game itself. Other scores are OK, but let's make sure the comments here are primarily about the <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Devils</a> and this game. Also, let's respect each other, there's no need for drama or unwelcome nature of any sort. This is a gamethread, let's keep the .GIFs away (they slow things down), and <em>let's focus on the game.</em> Thank you for reading and commenting. Go Devils!</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2016/3/12/11183612/gamethread-69-new-jersey-devils-at-los-angeles-kingsJohn Fischer2016-03-12T07:00:03-05:002016-03-12T07:00:03-05:00Game Preview #69: Devils at Kings
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<figcaption>Change the location, reverse the jersey colors, and this could be a picture from tonight's game. | Jim McIsaac/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils will continue their march through California by playing the Los Angeles Kings, who may want revenge for Valentine's Day. This game preview summarizes how things have went since that game.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">Devils</a> continue to cross California. Tonight, they are in their biggest city.</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>10:30 PM EST</p>
<p><b>The Broadcast: </b>TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><b>The Matchup: </b>The New Jersey Devils (32-29-7) vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a> (40-22-4; SBN Blog: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com">Jewels from the Crown</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>On Thursday night, the Devils were in San Jose. The first period went decently enough. Then in the second period, business picked up. <span>Devante Smith-Pelly</span> scored from above the left (his left) circle on the team's third shot of the period at 3:14. That would be the last shot on net the Devils would have in the period. San Jose opened things up and dropped hammers on <span>Keith Kinkaid</span>. The Devils conceded sixteen shots and thirty-two attempts in the second period. Amazingly, Kinkaid got them all. In the third period, the ice wasn't as tilted. It helped that <span>Brent Burns</span> accidentally did a solid for <span>Travis Zajac</span> early in the period. Zajac curled around the net, turned, and fired a high shot on <span>Martin Jones</span>. Jones stopped the shot but the puck trickled past him. As the puck was heading towards the line, Burns dove to try to clear it away. Instead, he knocked the puck off the post and just over the line to make it 2-0. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthefin.com/">Sharks</a> still looked to get back into the game, but they didn't thoroughly thrash the Devils like they did in the second period. It was a better period - and a bit lucky with the goal and Burns missing a gimmie on a power play - and it ended well with Zajac tacking on an ENG. Yes, the Devils beat San Jose 3-0. My light recap is here.</p>
<p><b>The Last Kings Game: </b>On Wednesday, the Kings hosted Washington, who is on the same sort of trip as New Jersey. It looked like Los Angeles would teach the rulers and masters of the Eastern Conference a thing or two about how to reign. The Kings made it rain goals in the first period. <span>Vincent Lecavalier</span> converted a power play early on. <span>Jake Muzzin</span> and <span>Milan Lucic</span> scored within two minutes of each other to make it 3-0. The Caps were frustrated and it showed. They would not fight back immediately, though. The second period was mostly even with the score staying at 3-0 for the home team. In the third period, the Caps proceeded to show the Kings a thing or two about the old adage about three goal leads. <span>T.J. Oshie</span> converted an early power play to kick off the comeback. Past the halfway mark in the third, <span>Nicklas Backstrom</span> cleaned up a loose puck off two <span>Alex Ovechkin</span> shots that drew a lot of attention and <span>Jonathan Quick</span> away from his net. With less than five minutes to go, <span>Dmitry Orlov</span> walked in with the puck from the center point into the slot and beat Quick with a backhander. The three goal lead was erased in 16:38 of the third period. Overtime would be necessary. Fortunately for the home fans, the Kings made sure the comeback wouldn't yield a win for Washington. <span>Drew Doughty</span> found Lucic and <span>Jeff Carter</span> in position to go 2-on-1 on Orlov. Doughty passed it to his left to Lucic, Lucic made a great feed to a solitary Carter. Carter went in and beat <span>Braden Holtby</span> on his second touch of the puck to make it a 4-3 final. It was scary, but they got the points and a temporary first place spot in the Pacific Division. <a href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2016/3/10/11193258/capitals-kings-recap-reverse-comeback" target="_blank">Chris J got this recap up at Jewels from the Crown.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils-Kings Game: </b>It was a day traditionally meant for romance. It was also a day to go to the Rock for an matinee game between the Devils and Kings. If you love goal scoring, than this wasn't your game. There was one, just one, goal in this game. It came on a first period power play for New Jersey. Travis Zajac won a faceoff and knocked the puck back to <span>David Schlemko</span>. Schlemko moved to his left, fired a long shot, and it went in. <span>Joseph Blandisi</span> apparently deflected it in. Either way, it was a PPG - and the lone goal. The Kings struggled for offense at times. Whatever they did get was denied by Kinkaid. The Devils didn't much going on offense either (as usual, 18 shots on net to Los Angeles' 28), except when they were on a power play. The Devils prevailed 1-0 for the first NHL shutout of Kinkaid's career. Given the date, he certainly won't forget that one. <a href="http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2016/2/14/10990164/kinkaid-shines-as-devils-blank-kings-1-0" target="_blank">Alex wrote up a recap of the win here.</a> Chris J had<a href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2016/2/14/10990358/kings-devils-recap-snooze-button" target="_blank"> a more negative take on the game at Jewels from the Crown.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Do what you must, but the Devils need to attack more than they have been. While the Devils pulled off an surprising, stunning, and somewhat sweet 3-0 shutout over San Jose, they did it with sixteen shots on net. One of which was an empty net goal. The Sharks put up sixteen shots on net in <i>one period</i> of that game. I know score effects were at hand and the Sharks have much more talent on offense than New Jersey. But to go from scoring a goal and then not having a shot on net until the next goal - which was put into the net by a defender - is rather bad. What's even sadder is that it tied the season-low for SOG by the Devils and it's the fourth time they did it in 2015-16. Somehow, they went 3-1 in those games. It worked on those three nights, but it's not going to work on most nights as teams are likely to score more and put the Devils in a tough spot. The Devils do need to push forward more. If they can't get out of a completely tilted rink, then they must when it's not if only to keep the opposition honest.</p>
<p><b>Help for the Goal: </b>Fortunately, there's an idea to help the New Jersey Devils do that tonight. <a href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2016/3/10/11192816/i-watched-the-game-did-washington-capitals-target-rob-scuderi-in-3rd" target="_blank">From Jewels from the Crown, Sheng Peng made this awesome post</a> highlighting Rob Scuderi's defensively play in the third period. Scuderi was recently paired with Los Angeles' top defenseman, Drew Doughty. Peng notes how Washington absolutely picked on him between the two. That led to more offensive zone entries and subsequently more offense. Are the Devils as good as the Caps? Absolutely not. Did it lead to the Caps' comeback to tie? Not really. Is Scuderi vulnerable? Quite possibly, given his <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&names=&team=L.A&pos=6&start1=2015-10-01&xaxis=61&yaxis=96&caxis=9&saxis=103&mintoi=0&tab=2&usedaterange=0&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">42% CF% and negative relative Corsi with his even strength usage at War on Ice.</a> Could Scuderi have a good night? Sure. But if Hynes wants a little more offense to at least keep the Kings away a bit, then having his forwards go after #7 in the 7-8 defensive pairing is a good idea.</p>
<p><b>Possibly No Changes for N.J.: </b>The Devils did not have a full practice on Friday. Only the scratches and <span>Yann Danis</span> skated according to<a href="http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/is-time-running-out-for-cammalleri-and-elias-both-still-need-to-make-a-big-jump-to-return-1.1526783" target="_blank"> this post by Tom Gulitti at Fire & Ice.</a> <span>Jon Merrill</span> and <span>Tuomo Ruutu</span> were held out of the San Jose game. However, given that the team won 3-0 in San Jose, I can see John Hynes deciding to go with the same squad again. He's already going with Keith Kinkaid again, although that shouldn't be much of a surprise. I don't think Ruutu provides much of an upgrade on the fourth line. I don't think Merrill is really that much of an upgrade on the other defensemen given how he's played in the past few weeks.</p>
<p>In general, I'd like to see a better effort out of everyone. On paper, it seemed the Zajac line was the only one not getting into trouble. Then again, San Jose and their second period deluge of firing pucks put a lot of Devils in the red whether they had much to do with it or not. Still, I'd like the Devils to avoid that fate while still keeping up with the Kings. They did it on Valentine's Day. We'll see if they can do it again.</p>
<p><b>Since V-Day...: </b>The Kings have been receiving plenty of contributions from their top players since February 14. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=game&report=skatersummary&startDate=2016-02-14&endDate=2016-03-11&gameType=2&sort=points&aggregate=1&teamId=26&pos=S" target="_blank">Per NHL.com</a>, Drew Doughty has provided the most points. <span>Tanner Pearson</span> has provided the most goals with five and he's been tied with key offensive contributors, Jeff Carter and <span>Anze Kopitar</span>, in points. Several other Kings have chipped in one or two goals, but those four names stood out since these last two met.</p>
<p><b>The Main Kings: </b>Let's get familiar with who the significant players are on Los Angeles. <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://leftwinglock.com/line-combinations/los-angeles-kings/?team=los-angeles-kings&strength=EV&gametype=1" target="_blank">A look at Left Wing Lock's line combinations from the last game</a> shows that the big line the Devils will have to worry about the most will be Kopitar's unit. Not just because they're all listed at being at least 6'3" in height, but Milan Lucic, Kopitar, and Carter provide a delectable mix of speed, soft hands, strong shooting, and hard hits. While Lucic hasn't had the most productive season, <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&names=&team=L.A&pos=5&start1=2015-10-01&xaxis=61&yaxis=96&caxis=9&saxis=103&mintoi=0&tab=1&usedaterange=0&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">he's been quite good from a possession standpoint per War on Ice.</a> Kopitar and Carter have <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=skatersummary&season=20152016&gameType=2&sort=points&aggregate=0&teamId=26&pos=S" target="_blank">led the team in points</a>, with Carter leading in shots as well. This will be a dangerous unit.</p>
<p>So will be one centered by Vincent Lecavalier. No, it's not the mid-2000s. He's been centering Pearson and <span>Tyler Toffoli</span>. If the Kopitar line is the "now" line for the Kings, then Toffoli and Pearson are the "immediate future" forwards to lead the offense. Both are twenty-three and both have been quite productive. Pearson hasn't just been productive as of late, but his twelve goals and eighteen assists surpass his totals from his second NHL season. Toffoli has been more impressive as his twenty-four goals lead the team, his nine power play goals are tied with Doughty for the team lead in that category, and his SOG total is second only to Carter. Lecavalier sticks out like a sore thumb; <a href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2016/3/7/11171328/vinny-lecavalier-is-bad" target="_blank">this post by nickc79 at Jewels from the Crown from a few days ago goes into more detail as to why.</a> Yet, the two younger wingers make the line one for Devils fans to look for - and probably concerned about.</p>
<p>On defense, the Devils will get to see a lot of Doughty. That Doughty-Scuderi pairing must be recent because I don't have an explanation as to why a big-minute defender like <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&names=&team=L.A&pos=6&start1=2015-10-01&xaxis=61&yaxis=96&caxis=9&saxis=103&mintoi=0&tab=1&usedaterange=0&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">Doughty is so high in CF% and Scuderi is in the relative basement according to War on Ice.</a> Either way, Doughty's production alone makes him a threat. He's the team leader in power play points, he's tied with Toffoli for the most PPGs, and he's one of L.A.'s leading scorers with thirteen goals and thirty one shots. Again, the Devils should pick on Scuderi. They may not be able to pick so much on Jake Muzzin and <span>Alec Martinez</span>. Muzzin has been an advanced stats wonder for a while and this season is no different. He gives you points, positive play, and plenty of ice of time. Martinez, not as much, but he's no drag on either side of the numbers like Scuderi. It's a solid pairing as far as I can tell and not an easy match-up for New Jersey either.</p>
<p>In net, expect Jonathan Quick and expect him to be quite good. OK, he was lit up for three goals in less than twenty minutes by Washington in his last start. Remember that it's Washington and they're a great team. These are the Devils. It's likely going to be a little different. Quick has been very good this season <a href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=goaliebystrength&season=20152016&gameType=2&sort=evSaves&aggregate=0&teamId=26&pos=G" target="_blank">with a 93.2% save percentage at even strength according to NHL.com.</a> The PK save percentage isn't bad at 86.4% but it's not nearly as impressive as his EvSv%. Fortunately, even strength is the most common situation in hockey games. If it's not Quick, then it'll likely be <span>Jhonas Enroth</span>, who's been very good in spot duty for Quick. All the same, short of a bad night for the crease protectors in Los Angeles, I wouldn't expect too many to get past Quick.</p>
<p><b>Be Careful with the Fouls, Devils: </b>Relative to the league, Los Angeles has been very productive on the power play this season. They don't go on the power play all that often, their power play opportunities total is in the bottom five of the NHL. When they do go on the man advantage, they have scored 44 goals for a conversion rate of 22.4%. That's a top-five conversion rate. Interestingly, there are four players who have excelled for the Kings in terms of drawing calls. <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&names=&team=L.A&pos=5&start1=2015-10-01&xaxis=&yaxis=&caxis=&saxis=&mintoi=0&tab=1&usedaterange=0&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">From War on Ice</a>, in order from the most to the fourth-most: Kopitar (+11), Carter (+9), Pearson (+8), and <span>Dustin Brown</span> (+7). Oh, can Dustin Brown be dirty and floppy. Just watch him in Los Angeles' bottom six. He's been unlucky as only eight of his 177 shots on net actually went in this season; but he's still getting the better of opponents in terms of penalties. On the flipside, the Devils may want to get <span>Nick Shore</span> into bad spots. Since he's got a -11 penalty differential at evens, he could help the Devils get on a power play or two. All the same, handing the Kings power plays is just an invitation for Doughty, Toffoli, Kopitar, etc. to fire away and make the night harder for Kinkaid and the team.</p>
<p><b>Does the Opposition Want This Game?: </b>The Kings are in a three-way dance with their in-state rivals for first in the division. You bet they want this game to keep ahead of Anaheim. I'm sure they're appreciative that the Devils spoiled the Sharks on Thursday; but not to a point where they would be fine with not getting two points tonight.</p>
<p><b>One Last Thought: </b>You know how the Devils are near the bottom in possession (<a href="http://war-on-ice.com/teamtable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&xaxis=3&yaxis=27&saxis=48&caxis=4&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&start1=2014-10-01&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1&usedaterange=0&tablegroup=1" target="_blank">29th with 46.6% CF%</a>)? The <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/teamtable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=2&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&playoffs=All&xaxis=3&yaxis=27&saxis=48&caxis=4&start0=20152016&end0=20152016&start1=2014-10-01&end1=2016-03-12&splitseasons=1&usedaterange=0&tablegroup=1" target="_blank">Kings are in first with a CF% of 56.1% according to War on Ice.</a> The Kings have been very strong in that regard for years and this season's team is no different. That's a big reason why this game will be difficult and why the Kings have just been difficult to a play against this season.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>The Devils continue their difficult road trip into Los Angeles tonight. What do you think will happen? Can Kinkaid stay hot and the rest of the team find a way to get enough goals to prevail? Would you even want that to occur? Or do you think the Kings will do what the Sharks were unable to do: score some goals and control the game? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2016/3/12/11209454/game-preview-69-new-jersey-devils-at-los-angeles-kingsJohn Fischer