All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils at San Jose Sharks: Game Stream #23A world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2013-11-24T15:48:42-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/48993552013-11-24T15:48:42-05:002013-11-24T15:48:42-05:00Devils at Sharks: Zone Exits and Passing Stats
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<img alt="Zone exits and passing data from the Devils-Sharks game" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/t12RqiYd9Bb6vBToVxdF51Kh3wU=/0x143:4000x2810/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23872125/20131123_mje_bs4_888.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Zone exits and passing data from the Devils-Sharks game | Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Devils were pinned back early and often against the Sharks. The Devils played better as the game went on, but settled for a 2-1 loss. This article takes a look at how the Devils poor zone exits doomed them early on, and evaluates their passing stats for the game as well.</p> <p><b>Passing Stats</b></p>
<p><b>Forwards:</b></p>
<p><span>Jacob Josefson</span> had a busy night in the defensive zone, completing 5 of 7 passes. He wasn’t as active in the other zones and failed to create a shot attempt. <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> generated 1 shot attempt on 7 of 9 passing in the offensive zone. <span>Patrik Elias</span> had a strong game, completing 7 of 10 passes in the offensive zone and generating 4 shot attempts. He and <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> (3 SAG) accounted for nearly half of the forward production. Jagr had his usual busy night in all three zones.</p>
<p><span>Travis Zajac</span> and <span>Adam Henrique</span> each had 1 SAG and were active in both zones. <span>Damien Brunner</span> only completed 3 passes on his 7 offensive zone attempts, but he did generate 2 shot attempts. <span>Steve Bernier</span> continued to put up effective passing numbers: 4 of 5 in the offensive zone (6 of 9 overall) and generated 2 shot attempts. <span>Stephen Gionta</span> only had 1 pass attempt in the neutral zone before exiting with an injury.</p>
<p><b>Defensemen:</b></p>
<p>The defensemen were split in terms of good performances and not-so-good performances. <span>Eric Gelinas</span> and <span>Mark Fayne</span> didn’t miss a pass all night, while <span>Andy Greene</span> only missed one in his own zone. Of course, none of one generated a shot attempt. <span>Adam Larsson</span>, <span>Marek Zidlicky</span>, and <span>Peter Harrold</span> all each generated one shot attempt apiece, but their passing was quite inconsistent. All three were between 69 – 71% in their own zone. Zidlicky and Gelinas were effective in the neutral zone.</p>
<img alt="Game_23_devils_sharks_passing" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3622301/Game_23_Devils_Sharks_Passing.jpg"><p><b>Passing Data Explained:</b></p>
<p>Pass: A reasonable and deliberate attempt to get the puck to a teammate which maintains possession or results in a shot attempt. This excludes zone clears, dump-ins, and anything that is akin to a desperate swipe at a loose puck. If a player passes a puck into space or off the boards, it finds a teammate, and it appears it was done deliberately, that shall be a pass. When in doubt, common sense will prevail.</p>
<p>What you see below is a chart illustrating pass completions, pass attempts, and pass percentages for each player in all three zones. A pass that goes across a zone or two will be marked as occurring in the zone it originates from.</p>
<p>Each completed pass that results in a shot taken by a teammate counts as one "shot attempt generated" or "SAG" in the chart below. This is tracked to attempt to determine which teammates are better at generating opportunities to shoot.</p>
<p><b>Zone Exit Stats</b></p>
<p><b>Forwards:</b></p>
<p>Zubrus had a strong night, finishing with a 70% possession exit percentage. It was a high-event game (61 for the forwards, 55 for the defensemen) regarding zone exits as the Sharks continually pinned them in. <span>Michael Ryder</span> also had a strong night, finishing with an 85% possession exit percentage (highest on the team). Zubrus, Ryder, and Jagr (66%) were the only forwards to finish on the plus side of 50%.</p>
<p><b>Defensemen:</b></p>
<p>The defensemen had a combined 14 turnovers, which is atrocious. Zidlicky accounted for 6 of those, so John was right to express concern with Zid’s defensive zone play in his recap. The overall success rate for the team was only 70%, which indicates a struggle to clear the zone, let alone exit with possession (45% for the group). Larsson and Greene accounted for 3 turnovers each; Harrold and Gelinas each had 1. Mark Fayne was the sole defender to escape relatively clean. He was successful on each zone exit and had a 60% possession percentage (tied with Gelinas for highest among defensemen). Greene had a 55% rate and Harrold was last once again.</p>
<p align="center"><img alt="Zone_exits_game_23_devils_sharks" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3622309/Zone_Exits_Game_23_Devils_Sharks.jpg"></p>
<p><b>Zone Exits Explained:</b> Any attempt made by a player to advance the puck from their defensive zone. These actions fall into the below categories (as illustrated on the below chart).</p>
<p><b>Possession Exits Key:</b></p>
<p>(P) Pass: When a player passes the puck out of the zone and it successfully finds a teammate.</p>
<p>(C) Carry: When a player skates with the puck out of the zone, maintaining possession.</p>
<p><strong>Successful Zone Exits without Possession:</strong></p>
<p>(FP) Failed Pass: When a player passes the puck out of the zone, but it fails to find its target.</p>
<p>(FC) Failed Carry: When a player skates with the puck out of the zone, but loses possession shortly thereafter.</p>
<p>(CH) Chip: When the player lifts the puck out of the zone or throws it off the boards and out.</p>
<p>(X) Other: Any action that results in a successful zone exit not already covered.</p>
<p><strong>Unsuccessful Zone Exit:</strong></p>
<p>(PT) Pass Turnover: When a player fails to clear the zone with a pass and it results in a turnover to the opposition.</p>
<p>(CT) Carry Turnover: When a player fails to skate out of the zone with the puck and loses possession.</p>
<p>(I) Icing: An attempt to clear results in icing the puck.</p>
<p>(T) Turnover: Any action that results in a turnover not already covered.</p>
<p>Every 10 games or so, I’ll post a separate article looking at overall play up to that point.</p>
<strong>Your thoughts:</strong> What do you think of this data? Does it enhance your understanding of the game? Any confusion? Any suggestions? Please sound off and let me what you all think!
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/11/24/5140046/new-jersey-devils-at-san-jose-sharks-zone-exit-and-passing-statsRyan Stimson2013-11-24T01:54:06-05:002013-11-24T01:54:06-05:00No Sweep in CA: Devils Fall to Sharks 2-1
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<img alt="There was a lot of this in the first period: a Shark attempting to beat Martin Brodeur with not much defensive presence by the Devils." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SF9zqsNaXVMh2bEfgS9Tny03arg=/0x126:4000x2793/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23837609/20131123_mje_bs4_853.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>There was a lot of this in the first period: a Shark attempting to beat Martin Brodeur with not much defensive presence by the Devils. | Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils were heavily outplayed in the first two periods to the San Jose Sharks but put up a fight in the third, only to lose 2-1. This recap goes period-by-period through the last game of the team's road trip through California.</p> <p>California is done for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> this season. They will not return there until next season unless the Devils have an awesome run and one of those three team does the same. It did not end with a sweep. There was no dramatic last minute equalizer. The New Jersey Devils got beat by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthefin.com/">San Jose Sharks</a> 2-1. They were outplayed in the first period and mostly outplayed in the second period. The Devils did make it interesting in the third period with a power play goal and coming close to equalizing. It would not be enough.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020352.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/ES020352.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/PL020352.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/SS020352.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/TV020352.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Log</a> | <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/game/2013-11-23-devils-sharks" target="_blank">Extra Skater Game Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b>Over at Fear the Fin, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fearthefin.com/2013/11/23/5139172/san-jose-sharks-recap-outlast-new-jersey-devils-in-2-1-win">Jake Sundstrom has this recap from a Sharks-favoring perspective.</a></p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>This video, as with all of them so far, is from <a href="http://www.nhl.com" target="_blank">NHL.com.</a></p>
<p align="center"><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013020352-X-h"></iframe></p>
<p><b>The First Period: </b>Remember the Los Angeles game? OK, take that kind of performance only the Sharks put up two goals. The first was a blast from distance by <span>Scott Hannan</span> that found the top of the net. The second was a feed by Martin Havlat out to the circle that an uncovered <span>Tyler Kennedy</span> one-timed to the top of the net. <span>Adam Larsson</span> kicking the puck to a Shark to help create the play and, more importantly, <span>Damien Brunner</span> not covering Kennedy helped there. The Sharks out-attempted the Devils 21-10, out-shot them 9-3, and the Devils were held close to ten minutes between their first two shots of the game.</p>
<p>For those that don't remember or didn't see Los Angeles game, the play was dominated by the Sharks. They gained the zone with purpose and control. If they lost the puck deep, they worked hard to win it. Their forecheck was strong and their defensemen were often in the right place to keep pucks in play. Their transition game also stood out. Some of the few Devils' attacks resulted in a puck bouncing out with all three forwards in deep or bunched up, allowing the Sharks to pick it up and go right at it. They didn't generate much on said rushes due to some crucial interceptions by the defense. But it wouldn't be long before the Sharks recovered the puck and went right to work. <span>Martin Brodeur</span> was under siege early and often. I don't think he had a fair chance at either goal; but the way the team is playing, they needed a Schneider-in-LA performance. Brodeur (and I would guess Schneider) wasn't likely at all to do that so it was what it was. It should've been three to nothing, actually. Only Tommy Wingels losing an edge on his skate denied him a glorious chance, actually. <span>Andy Greene</span> hooked <span>Brent Burns</span> down low in another scrum so the high-shooting Sharks power play got a late opportunity. The Devils were able to kill the first period portion of that man advantage so it ended 2-0.</p>
<p><b>The Second Period: </b>The second period was an improvement in some sense. The Devils actually got some shots on <span>Antti Niemi</span>. Seven, to be specific, though one was just a dump-in on net. They were only out-shot 12-7. They were out-attempted only 18-16. More crucially, the Sharks were held scoreless.</p>
<p>It was not without trying by San Jose. They generated quite a few odd-man rushes that ended with nothing. <span>Logan Couture</span> was left all alone in front only to be robbed by Brodeur. Their power play started the first twenty seconds and got a full two minutes with strong possession. They continued to pin the Devils back on several shifts - especially after that second power play (thank <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> for that; thank him quite a bit for poor play actually, he's been especially bad by my eye) - as their defense denied several zone exit attempts. Brodeur was better in the second, as was the luck. The Sharks still looked superior for the most part. I doubt they'll just sit on this lead. They certainly didn't in the second.</p>
<p>That said, the Devils continued to look out of sorts. Their zone exits have been poor, though the Sharks' defensemen have been excellent in reading them. Their passes through the neutral zone were often off. They didn't establish a forecheck. They did get some good shifts but only one really had some sustained pressure. The Devils' shots often came from distance. I'd normally be irked by that but given that the Devils weren't even doing that in the first period, I'm not so bothered by it. If that wasn't enough, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/NHLDevils/status/404474012811923456">it was reported during the period by the team that they would be shorthanded. </a>Stephen Gionta left the game with an ankle injury, the same one that has kept him out a few games. So down to sixteen skaters and <span>Cam Janssen</span> and down 2-0. At least the bleeding was stopped for twenty minutes.</p>
<p><b>The Third Period: </b>I don't know what Peter DeBoer said during the second intermission but it clearly worked as the Devils actually played a decent period of hockey. They were even with San Jose in shots, 9-9. The Devils just out-attempted the Sharks 19-18. The Devils in general looked better if only because they actually strung two passes together through the neutral zone. More importantly, they made it a game. But the Sharks did enough to keep the Devils honest. They defended well when they needed to be desperate. Niemi moved very well in net to make important stops. Therefore, they sealed off the win.</p>
<p>I will say the Sharks didn't look nearly as dominant as they did in the first two periods. Maybe it was because New Jersey wasn't conceding possession like it was going out of style. Maybe it was because the Devils actually made successful zone exits. Maybe it was because the Devils actually got some offense going. Maybe it was because they were up 2-0. I think it was a little bit of all of that. The Sharks did have some excellent shifts like the many they had in the first forty minutes. But those were few and far between. A miscommunication for a Devils line change gifted the Sharks a power play and put up no shots. That was weird to see given how much they looked like they were running a power play at even strength so many times tonight. Brodeur kept his team in it for sure, which was important when, say, Wingels got a free one-timer at point-blank range or when <span>Peter Harrold</span> and <span>Eric Gelinas</span> got torched.</p>
<p>The goal itself was a bit fortunate. It came right at the end of the sole power play for New Jersey - a hooking call against <span>Jason Demers</span>. It started well enough and Zajac had a fantastic look on net for a one-timer. But he couldn't get enough on the puck and it was sent wide. Then the Devils' power play reverted to giving away possession (glare at Brunner for his awful, no-look pass right to a Sharks PKer) and not getting anything set up. Yet right at the end, <span>Patrik Elias</span> retrieved a puck from Greene and fired a shot at the top of the left circle. It gone in the net to the surprise of many. Niemi most of all since he never saw it thanks to Bernier and <span>Justin Braun</span> standing right in front of the goalie. The goal came with one second left on the power play and with plenty of time left in the game for an equalizer.</p>
<p>The Devils made their efforts (e.g. Ryan Carter's hustle showed up and it was cool) but they were denied one way or another. Ryder had a great opportunity in the slot only to be blocked out bravely by <span>Joe Pavelski</span>. Zajac snagged a juicy rebound by Niemi in the slot but Niemi got in front of that. With the extra skater, Peter Harrold had a great look but the keeper got in the way again. Niemi went from having little to do to feeling plenty of pressure, much like the Sharks' defense. Unlike Los Angeles, there would be no dramatic equalizer. The Devils were destined to lose big to an awesome team based on the first period. They instead lost 2-1 and it wasn't as awful/awfully luck as the Los Angeles game. I can't say I'm too unhappy about what happened.</p>
<p><b>Three Injuries: </b>That said, there were three injuries of note tonight. As noted earlier, Gionta re-injured his ankle and left the game early. In the third period, Adam Larsson had an awkward collision feet first into the left corner chasing down a puck. He got up and finished his shift, which was one of the few heavy-attacking ones by San Jose which not coincidentally also had Ryder and Brunner on the ice. But he went the locker room past the halfway point of the period and did not return. I suspect he's hurt from that collision. Lastly, Brodeur made his last save of the game on Burns and immediately went down. Burns' shot caught him in the back of the helmet, around the neck area. It stunned him as he didn't move lying on the ice. He stayed in the game, which was no big deal as the Devils were going to pull him once they got the puck going forward - which they did. Brodeur said after the game he feels OK but will get his neck checked out to be sure <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TGfireandice/status/404496037810692096">according to this tweet by Tom Gulitti.</a> That would be good news, at least. One doesn't like to see injuries happen. I hope Gionta doesn't try to come back from this ankle injury (is this the third time?) too quickly. I really hope Larsson isn't seriously injured.</p>
<p><b>Scattered Thoughts: </b>Anyone who seriously thinks the Devils play up to their level of competition needs to seriously watch the first two periods of this game and the Los Angeles game. Yes, the Devils put up a fight in the third period but goodness two of the best possession and high-shooting teams in the league wrecked the Devils. I'm looking forward to games not against top teams in the Pacific for a while.</p>
<p>Anyway, Greene had a lovely interception on a 2-on-1 in the second period. Had the Sharks scored there, I would use the video here with the subtitle "Why We Should Get Mad at Marek Zidlicky Pinching" since it created the play. Speaking of, Zidlicky got owned repeatedly by the Sharks, he took a dumb penalty, his pinches were all over the place, and I have a feeling Ryan's zone exit count will show that #2 didn't have a good night. He can be frustrating at times.</p>
<p>Speaking of the D, I liked what I saw out of Gelinas and the coaches would agree. He got 21 minutes in a close game against a top opponent. I think he's set here for the time being.</p>
<p>Brunner returned to the lineup and he didn't have a good game. His lack of coverage on Kennedy cost the team a goal. He attempted a more difficult pass in an early 2-on-1 when he should've let it rip. He had one shot total. And he didn't do a whole lot in general in his 13 and a half minutes. Come on, man. Even Jaromir Jagr backchecks harder and knows when to just have a go. <span>Jacob Josefson</span> got into the lineup and didn't stand out too much. Then again, he was mostly in his own end trying to defend given that his Corsi differential was -12 (1 for, 13 against). He did save a goal in the first period by sweeping a loose puck away from a nearly empty net. So there's that.</p>
<p>The Zajac, <span>Dainius Zubrus</span>, and Jagr line did plenty of good things late. Alas, they couldn't get the goal. On the flipside of forwards, I don't see the purpose of Janssen in the lineup. Not that his exclusion would have led to a totally different game but Carter looked so much better when he had two NHL players as his linemates.</p>
<p>The Sharks looked like a machine at times. Their D looked fantastic controlling the points. Niemi was solid as one could expect. heir top two lines - that's <span>Joe Thornton</span>, <span>Tomas Hertl</span>, & Brent Burns and Couture, Marleau, & Wingels (especially him, he could've scored two tonight) were fierce. Even their fourths came out wildly ahead in possession. They're a superb team and I'm glad the Devils only have to see them one more time this year because I'm sure they are frightening to defend. It didn't turn out as bad as the LA game but being out-shot 26-15 and out-attempted 50-37 in 5-on-5 play still isn't good.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b> The road trip through California is over. It was ugly for a majority of the game but the Devils put out a better effort and lost only 2-1 to a very good Sharks team in their house. There's that. So what did you think of the Devils' performance? Who, if anyone, had a good game for the Devils? Who, among several I'd think, had a bad game? How impressed were you with the Sharks tonight? Are you satisfied with this road trip? Please leave your answers and other comments about this game in the comments. Thanks to everyone who stayed up to follow the game in the Gamethread and on Twitter with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust" target="_blank">@InLouWeTrust</a>. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/11/24/5138968/no-sweep-california-new-jersey-devils-fall-san-jose-sharks-2-1John Fischer2013-11-23T21:30:02-05:002013-11-23T21:30:02-05:00Devils at Sharks: Gamethread #23
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<p>This is the gamethread for today's game between the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks. This is a post where users can discuss what happens before, during, and after the game until the recap is up.</p> <p> </p>
<p><strong>The Time:</strong> 7:00 PM EST</p>
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<p><strong> The Broadcast:</strong> TV- MSG PLUS; Radio - WFAN 660 AM & 101.9 FM</p>
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<p><strong>The Matchup:</strong> The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/new-jersey-devils" class="sbn-auto-link"></a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/new-jersey-devils" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> (9-8-5) at The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/san-jose-sharks"></a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/pittsburgh-penguins" class="sbn-auto-link">San Jose Sharks</a> (14-3-5; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.fearthefin.com/">Fear the Fin.</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The Game Previews: </strong> John's preview from earlier <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/11/23/5135054/new-jersey-devils-at-san-jose-sharks-game-preview-23">this morning is right here.</a> For the opposition's point of view, feel free to read The Neutral's post at <a href="http://www.fearthefin.com/2013/11/23/5136774/sharks-vs-devils-hertl-vs-jagr">Fear the Fin.</a></p>
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<p><strong>The Song for Tonight: </strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKml8LwF_0M">"Fast as a Shark" by Accept.</a> Well "score more goals than a shark" was a tad long for a song title so I can understand. Either way it's German heavy metal circa the 80's ladies and gentlemen...are we really going to complain? Are we? I thought not.</p>
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<p><strong>Gameday Info: </strong><span>New Jersey will once again be without defensemen <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54973/bryce-salvador">Bryce Salvador</a> (foot), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54383/anton-volchenkov">Anton Volchenkov</a> (lower body) and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/111588/jon-merrill">Jon Merrill</a> (facial lacerations) as well as forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54766/ryane-clowe">Ryane Clowe</a> (concussion). There are no injuries to report for the San Jose Sharks.</span></p>
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<p><strong>The Reminder of Rules: </strong>This is a place where you can comment about this game before, during, and after it's played before the recap is up. This is a place where we <em>primarily</em> discuss the Devils game. An odd mention of other NHL games is OK, but it shouldn't dominate discussion. All comments will be clean, respectful of each other, relevant to the game, and legal (read: no streams). Please refrain from super-big pictures and .GIFs to keep the gamethread moving for everyone. If you do post pictures make sure to post a title in the comment. Go Devils.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/11/23/5138334/new-jersey-devils-at-san-jose-sharks-gamethread-23JT Sroka2013-11-23T07:00:02-05:002013-11-23T07:00:02-05:00Devils at Sharks: Game Preview #23
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<img alt="Couture! Fayne! Tonight! (Note: This picture is from October 2011; Fayne has his old number, so you know it's dated.)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/60qjRx2cvIwxuyS-y9E5DNinP4Y=/0x15:933x637/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23762921/129899559.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Couture! Fayne! Tonight! (Note: This picture is from October 2011; Fayne has his old number, so you know it's dated.) | Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils have a shot at sweeping their California road trip with a win tonight. The problem is that the San Jose Sharks have been an excellent team. This previews goes over how good they are while touching on why this is a successful Devils trip regardless.</p> <p>The road trip through California ends tonight in the Bay Area, and it's entirely possible there could be an improbable sweep.</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 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> (9-8-5) at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthefin.com/">San Jose Sharks</a> (14-3-5; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.fearthefin.com/">Fear the Fin</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>The Devils went into Los Angeles on Thursday night and got dominated. The Devils were out-shot 22-5 through the first two periods. No, their scorer wasn't being dumb; the Devils legitimately only got five shots on net and allowed 22. It was actually worse than that considering all of the shots from all kinds of ranges that missed the net and got blocked out somehow. <span>Cory Schneider</span> simply put the team on his back and made so many stops off open shots, breakaways, odd man rushes, and rebounds. The Devils' skaters were simply lost. Then in the third period, <span>Ryan Carter</span> throws a backhander from the circle on net that somehow beat <span>Ben Scrivens</span>. It was a magic, seeing-eye shot completely against the run of play. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Kings</a> would respond quickly with yet another two-on-one. Anze Kopitar's shot did get up and over Schneider (Andy Greene's stick may have helped) and <span>Justin Williams</span> tapped in the loose puck. But the Devils somehow weathered some storms and fought back a bit to not get horribly out-shot in the third and get to overtime. <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> and <span>Dustin Brown</span> got minors which led to a wide-open 3-on-3 session that nearly led to goals. Right after the penalties ended, Zubrus intecepted a pass by Kopitar, got it out to <span>Marek Zidlicky</span>, Zidlicky gained the zone and held up, and then feathered a beautiful pass to Jagr. Jagr's hands turned from stone to gold and buried it beneath Scrivens' left pad for a totally unexpected 2-1 OT win. In a game where the Kings out-attempted the Devils 76-38 overall, the Devils simply Leafed the Kings. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/11/22/5132532/new-jersey-devils-arrive-at-staples-center-six-minutes-into-the-third">Mike graciously stayed up late to recap the stolen win.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Sharks Game: </b>While the Devils were drowning in possession in L.A., the Sharks were hosting the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rawcharge.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>. While the Lightning put up an effort, the Sharks simply beat them down. <span>Tommy Wingels</span> scored early off a feed from <span>Logan Couture</span>. Before the end of the first, <span>Brad Stuart</span> fired one in from distance. Past the halfway point, Wingels got a second goal off a feed from <span>Patrick Marleau</span>. In the third, <span>Brent Burns</span> (his first game back in weeks) tipped in a puck and seconds later, Marleau threw up a backhander that got in. The Lightning were hanging around from a shot and possession perspective but the Sharks hung a five-spot on <span>Anders Lindback</span>. Come to think of it, the fact that shots ended 37-36 in favor of Tampa despite San Jose's increasing lead is more of a testament to how well the Sharks played. Anyway, <span>Tyler Johnson</span> would beat <span>Antti Niemi</span> but that would be one of the few positives for the visitors. San Jose won big. Over at a similarly dominant Fear the Fin, <a href="http://www.fearthefin.com/2013/11/21/5132626/wingels-scores-twice-and-both-of-them-count-as-sharks-rout-bolts">The Neutral had plenty of good things to say in his recap.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b> Skaters, for the love of all that is good, show up for your goalie. What happened in L.A. is not going to be repeated anytime soon; especially against this high-quality opponent.</p>
<p><b>A Storm of Shots: </b>The San Jose Sharks currently lead the league with <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=avgShotsPerGame&viewName=summary">an astounding average of 36.1 shots per game.</a> It shouldn't surprise you that they have <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sf&sit=ev">the second highest shots for per 60 minute rate at even strength</a> (32.6) and the <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sf&sit=pp">very highest shots per 60 minute rate on power plays</a> according to Extra Skater. Whereas the Devils have two skaters at 50 shots (Jagr and <span>Damien Brunner</span>), the <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20142SJSSASALL&sort=shots&viewName=summary">Sharks head into this game with five players with more than 50</a>: Couture (83), Marleau (77), <span>Joe Pavelski</span> (62), <span>Tomas Hertl</span> (59), and <span>Tyler Kennedy</span> (55). Regardless of who is in net tonight for New Jersey, they are going to have a lot of work to do. The Devils were miserable at possessing the puck in L.A., as there were several giveaways, bad passes, and lost pucks that the Kings turned into offense. The Devils absolutely have to be better tonight unless they want to get rolled for a second straight game by the Sharks. Though, a lot of the Sharks' opponents have been rolled regardless.</p>
<p><b>Good Percentages: </b>While they're not as dominant as the Kings in terms of Corsi percentage, the Sharks are<a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total&sort=corsi_pct&sit=ev"> a top-five team according to Extra Skater (and seventh in Fen-Close%),</a> they actually find the net more often than them at evens. Extra Skater has their <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sf&sit=ev">even strength shooting percentage at a potent 8.6%.</a> Their <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=shooting_pct&sit=pp">power play shooting percentage is rather low at 11%</a>, but given all of their shooting, goals definitely get scored. As a result, the Sharks are <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=avgGoalsPerGame&viewName=summary">second only to Chicago with a goal per game rate of 3.46</a>. That's bad enough for any opponent, much less a Devils team that's at 2.18 goals per game.</p>
<p>Making matters worse is that the Sharks have been adept at keeping pucks out of the net. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=avgShotsAgainstPerGame&viewName=summary">They have averaged 27.5 shots allowed per game</a>, which is a top-ten rate. They're <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sa&sit=ev">a bit better in shots against per 60 minutes at evens with 27</a>, also a top-ten rate in the NHL. Their penalty kill has been pretty good with an 83.6% success rate and <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sa&sit=sh">a league median SA/60 in shorthanded situations</a>. When the shots do get through, they're usually stopped. The Sharks have enjoyed <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=save_pct&type=rate&sit=ev">very good goaltending with a team save percentage of 93.1% at evens</a>, also a top-ten rate. Niemi has <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=SJS&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves">had very good numbers so far this season</a> and just stopped 36 out of 37 from Tampa Bay on Thursday. Backup Alex Stalock has been used sparingly, but he was fantastic in his appearances this season.</p>
<p>Essentially, the Sharks aren't as strong as the Kings in terms of possession but they're still quite good, they shoot more often, more of those pucks get in the net, and very few get past them. The Sharks are a great team and the Devils will have a big challenge tonight short of the Sharks just not showing up for this one.</p>
<p><b>So Many Scorers: </b>When the whole team shoots and scores a lot, then it follows there are a lot of individual players who have been productive. That means there are a lot of individual players to be concerned about. This is a nightmare for a coach to gameplan for match-ups. More so in this game since the Sharks will have the last change.</p>
<p>Let's put it in perspective. Jagr leads the Devils with nine goals and eighteen points. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=SJS&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary">The Sharks come into this game with five players with at least that many points and two of them have more goals</a>. Marleau (11 goals, 12 assists), Couture (8 goals, 15 assists), and <span>Joe Thornton</span> (2 goals, 21 assists) are tied with 23 points each. Each has played over an average of 18 minutes per game (Marleau's just over 20), so the Devils will see plenty from them. They'll also see a lot of Pavelski, who has eight goals and fourteen assists while averaging over 20 minutes himself. Following that big four (all are in the top 30 in NHL scoring) is the rookie sensation, Hertl. He leads San Jose in goals with twelve. He may not shoot 20% for a whole season but he's going to threaten.</p>
<p>The Sharks have received plenty of help beyond that quintet. Wingels is coming off a two goal night that puts him at seven goals and nine assists for the season. He's been with Marleau and Couture in the last game, which makes for a dangerous line. Brent Burns is back in action and his tip-in places him at five goals and four assists in nine games this season. He was on the wing of Thornton and Hertl against Tampa Bay too, another part of another dangerous line. Even if the Devils keep either of those two lines at bay somehow and someway, note that Pavelski's been with a struggling <span>Marty Havlat</span> and Tyler Kennedy, who has two goals and seven assists. If that wasn't enough, even the defense has chipped in, <span>Dan Boyle</span> (five goals, four assists), <span>Jason Demers</span> (nine assists), <span>Justin Braun</span> (two goals, five assists), and <span>Marc-Edouard Vlasic</span> (three goals, eight assists) have contributed from the blueline. The Devils cannot simply try to focus on one line. They need to be able to get stops from all targets. It would be great if they had twelve forwards who to help out and a consistent defensive effort. Basically, the opposite of what was seen in LA.</p>
<p>Oh, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?team=sj&season=2013&min_gp=1&sit=5v5">of course almost of these guys have strong possession numbers per Extra Skater</a>. I cannot stress enough how good this 14-3-5 team is at scoring and controlling play.</p>
<p><b>You <i>Especially</i> Need to Play Better: </b><span>Peter Harrold</span> got absolutely wrecked against the Kings and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Ducks</a>. I dare suggest that no one defense really had a good game considering the team got out-shot by a near 3-to-1 ratio. But he's got pinned, hemmed, and stapled to their own end at times. Harrold's play on the puck has really taken a turn for the worse in recent games. I would like to see him rebound if only because he will be playing in the foreseeable future. If he doesn't, then he should very well be the #7 guy when <span>Anton Volchenkov</span> returns at this rate.</p>
<p><b>Lesson Learned?: </b> One of the changes Peter DeBoer made for the Los Angeles game was to scratch Damien Brunner. Brunner has been remarkably unproductive with no points in his last ten games and he has done very little away from the puck. He was replaced by <span>Mattias Tedenby</span>, who did nothing of note in 7:55 of ice time. I can agree with the decision to bench a guy for a game to give him a wake-up call. In retrospect, perhaps <span>Jacob Josefson</span> should have been included instead.</p>
<p>In any case, I do hope Brunner gets back in the lineup tonight. (The Devils did not practice on Friday so that's not known.) The Devils really could use all the offensive help they can get. As much as I enjoy his hustle, he tends to get too aggressive which can result in a penalty or missing a play. I do hope the night off gave him a chance to reflect on what's been going on, don't always go "all or nothing" when attacking, and perhaps learn to give something resembling an effort on defense. If he can get back to shooting, then I think the points will come. I also want him to do well so DeBoer can feel comfortable giving <span>Michael Ryder</span>, another "only noticeable when shooting" forward who doesn't play defense, the same treatment in the near future. His play definitely warrants some kind of "Get it together, man" action.</p>
<p><b>Does It Matter Who's In Net: </b>At this point, does it? I would prefer Schneider if only because he's faced a deluge of shots on Thursday and should be well-equipped to face another one against a high-shooting San Jose team. I hope the Devils will be much better at keeping the puck on their sticks and hitting passes in stride but even so, the Sharks average over 36 shots per game. They're going to get rubber on net. That said, I won't complain much if <span>Martin Brodeur</span> gets this start since he's been doing well as of late too. We shall find out later today along with any other changes at forward. Again, I'd hope Brunner's back in for Tedenby and while I'd like to see <span>Cam Janssen</span> get taken out for this game (the Devils do not need an "enforcer" for this game, they need someone to enforce some possession and offensive pressure), I'm not holding my breath.</p>
<p><b>Four in Three: </b> A well-placed shot from the slot, a beautiful empty netter, a dramatic one-timer for an equalizer, and an OT winner under the pad. Jaromir Jagr has four goals in his last three games and I can't wait to see what he does tonight. Hopefully, Hertl will get an up close and personal look at it.</p>
<p><b>Road Trip Success Regardless: </b>As much as I want to see the Devils win, well, whenever possible, short of an embarrassment or an injury-laden game, I'm pretty pleased with how this road trip went. It's clearly their best so far in terms of results. The Devils have played two strong teams and found a way to earn at least four out of six points even though they were out-played in mostly four of those six regulation periods (second in Anaheim, regulation against L.A.). Goaltending has been on-point and the team got some good breaks (e.g. the OT winner in Anaheim, Carter's back-hander). The Sharks may be the best of the trio but the Devils got the job done as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully, the team does put out at least a decent effort and, who knows, maybe they'll continue to get points.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>The Devils got one more tough game before returning home. Will the Devils put out a better effort? Will they be disciplined both in terms of fouls and in terms of their play on the puck? Who do you want to see start this game? How would you handle Couture-Marleau, Thornton-Hertl, and Pavelski being on different lines? Can they be handled? Can the Devils sweep California or will they return home looking to rebound after a loss? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about this game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/11/23/5135054/new-jersey-devils-at-san-jose-sharks-game-preview-23John Fischer