All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens: Game Stream #28A world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2013-12-03T21:00:02-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/49278052013-12-03T21:00:02-05:002013-12-03T21:00:02-05:00Devils at Canadiens: Zone Exits and Passing Stats
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<p>Another goal from Steve Bernier wasn't enough. This is a look at the Devils performance against Montreal from Monday night. Overall, they controlled the shot attempts, but due to some turnovers and less than stellar zone exit stats, they gave away the points to an opportunistic Canadiens team. </p> The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">Devils</a> came into Montreal on the back of some strong possession games and continued their positive play against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Canadiens</a>. Unfortunately, as John noted in his recap, this game had an all-too-familiar end to it. While the Devils controlled most of the play and out-attempted the Canadiens, they could have dominated even further had it been for some more efficient work in their own end. I’ve broken down the SAG categories to those generated in the Offensive Zone and those generated in the Neutral/Defensive Zones. <p>
<strong>Passing Stats</strong></p>
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<strong>Forwards:</strong></p>
<p> The usual big guns were out in force tonight as <span>Dainius Zubrus</span>, <span>Travis Zajac</span>, <span>Patrik Elias</span>, and <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> accounted for 19 of the forwards 29 SAG. 3 of Elias’ were generated from the Neutral Zone, suggesting passes that led teammates into open ice. <span>Michael Ryder</span> had a very effective game, completing each of his 8 passes in the offensive zone. Jagr, Zubrus, and Bernier were the most wasteful, each missing at least 4 passes. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong></p>
<p> The defensemen had some poor percentages in the offensive zone, but otherwise were efficient. They produced 3 more shot attempts than they’ve been averaging. Of course, you’ll notice the high totals for DZ Attempts, which we’ll cover in the zone exit section, but the Devils spent more time in their own end than they should have. <span>Andy Greene</span> continued to be the most effective blue liner, while <span>Eric Gelinas</span> and <span>Jon Merrill</span> look like a future top pairing. </p>
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<img alt="Game_28_devils_canadiens_passing" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3669867/Game_28_Devils_Canadiens_Passing.jpg"></p>
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<strong>Passing Data Explained:</strong></p>
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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>
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What you see above 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>
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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>
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<img alt="Zone_exits_game_28_devils_canadiens" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3669875/Zone_Exits_Game_28_Devils_Canadiens.jpg"></p>
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<strong>Zone Exit Stats:</strong></p>
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<strong>Forwards:</strong></p>
<p> Jaromir Jagr had 11 exit attempts, at least 5 more than any other forward, and only surpassed by 2 defensemen. He finished at 54.5 PE%, which helped the group’s totals, but not enough to keep them from slipping to 45.3 PE% for the game. Travis Zajac, <span>Adam Henrique</span>, and Michael Ryder all finished under 40 PE%. <span>Damien Brunner</span> filled in nicely for Henrique after his exit, recording all but 1 of his attempts once he was bumped up to play alongside Patrik Elias and <span>Steve Bernier</span>. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong></p>
<p> After two straight games over 50 PE% as a group, the defensemen slipped considerably against Montreal, finishing with 41.3 PE%. <span>Mark Fayne</span> and <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> were the worst offenders. <span>Anton Volchenkov</span> and Eric Gelinas finished at 40 PE%. Jon Merrill and Andy Greene were the only defensemen at 50 PE% or higher. The 63 exit attempts was 10 higher than the defensemen’s season average, indicative of too much time trying to come out of their own end. </p>
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<a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3669855/ILWT_Zone_Exit_Game_28_Devils_Sabres.xlsx">Game_28_Zone_Exits_Canadiens</a>
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<strong>Zone Exits Explained:</strong> 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>
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<strong>Possession Exits:</strong></p>
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(P) Pass: When a player passes the puck out of the zone and it successfully finds a teammate. </p>
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(C) Carry: When a player skates with the puck out of the zone, maintaining possession. </p>
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<strong>Successful Zone Exits without Possession:</strong></p>
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(FP) Failed Pass: When a player passes the puck out of the zone, but it fails to find its target. </p>
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(FC) Failed Carry: When a player skates with the puck out of the zone, but loses possession shortly thereafter. </p>
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(CH) Chip: When the player lifts the puck out of the zone or throws it off the boards and out. </p>
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(X) Other: Any action that results in a successful zone exit not already covered. </p>
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<strong>Unsuccessful Zone Exit:</strong></p>
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(PT) Pass Turnover: When a player fails to clear the zone with a pass and it results in a turnover to the opposition. </p>
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(CT) Carry Turnover: When a player fails to skate out of the zone with the puck and loses possession. </p>
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(I) Icing: An attempt to clear results in icing the puck. </p>
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(T) Turnover: Any action that results in a turnover not already covered. </p>
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What does everyone think of tracking SAG by Offensive zone and the other two zones? StatsGuy suggested it off of the 20-game passing post from yesterday. Let me know what you think! </p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/3/5172538/new-jersey-devils-at-montreal-canadiens-zone-exits-and-passing-statsRyan Stimson2013-12-02T23:16:53-05:002013-12-02T23:16:53-05:00Devils Better in Play, Lose 3-2 in Montreal Anyway
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<img alt="I know they lost. Still, here's a great photo of Bernier re-directing that puck home in the first period." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4ldBADkaEGya9hdChy6ElfIAT5g=/0x23:4000x2690/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/24387363/20131202_kkt_aa5_032.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>I know they lost. Still, here's a great photo of Bernier re-directing that puck home in the first period. | Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This was a throwback to many performances from last season. The New Jersey Devils dominated the puck against the Montreal Canadiens, they couldn't beat one of the league's best goalies, the Habs made their chances count, and it was a 3-2 loss.</p> <p>Overall, we got to see a throwback performance by the <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> against the <a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Montreal Canadiens</a>. That is, it was reminiscent of many games from the lockout-shortened 2013 season. The Devils dominated in possession and even heavily out-shot their opposition. They even scored first. But the opposition just needed three good opportunities and they converted on them. The Devils could only respond to two of them and that was the game.</p>
<p>The twist was that the game was more even since Montreal's third goal. The Devils got sloppier with the puck. Players got gassed, poorer decisions were made, and Montreal played with more pep in their step. Perhaps it was also a result of frustration. They threw 30 shots at <span>Carey Price</span> with most of them coming in dangerous areas, <span>P.K. Subban</span> denied two pucks off the goal line, and <span>Adam Henrique</span> hit a crossbar. They gained Montreal's zone whenever they wanted. The defense read the play beautifully for two periods and made great passes. The line of <span>Dainius Zubrus</span>, <span>Travis Zajac</span>, and <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> bossed Montreal around for the better part of three periods. On most nights, one would expect multiple goals to be scored. Tonight, they only got a re-direction by <span>Steve Bernier</span> and a rare and wonderful shot by <span>Michael Ryder</span> past Price. Even Damien Brunner tried to do things with some success. Plenty went right in this game for New Jersey. And it wasn't enough.</p>
<p>As stated earlier, Montreal just needed a few chances and they got them. The first started with <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> overskating a dumped in puck in the second period. Montreal, who had no semblence of a forecheck until the third period, was able to recover and attack. Subban kept the puck in at the point, Zidlicky broke away from <span>Rene Bourque</span> when the puck got to the point, <span>David Desharnais</span> made a pretty pass to Bourque and all of sudden he's wide open. Bourque beat <span>Martin Brodeur</span> shortside for an equalizer. Later, the fearsome Montreal power play flexed their muscle for about a minute. The Devils couldn't get to the puck at all, Desharnais denied <span>Jacob Josefson</span> from clearing the puck, <span>Andrei Markov</span> recovered and slid it across to <span>Max Pacioretty</span>. Pacioretty took the lone power play shot on net for Montreal and it was in as it was a cross-ice one-timer that no one was going to stop. Minutes after Ryder tied up, the game got chaotic. Teams traded chances. All of a sudden, <span>Alexei Emelin</span> throws a puck towards the net, it bounces off Lars Eller's skate in traffic, and dropped perfectly for <span>Alex Galchenyuk</span> to slam into the net. That's all it took. I'd only say the first goal was really stoppable by Brodeur, though I'd assign more blame on Zidlicky.</p>
<p>I will give the Canadiens this. They did play harder in the third period. After Galchenyuk's goal, the Canadiens found space on the wings, they got a forecheck going, and they stepped up their play in the neutral zone. They came close to scoring a fourth goal, actually. As the Devils started missing passes and losing pucks, the Canadiens jumped up. It was telling that with less than two minutes to play, they denied Brodeur a chance to get out of the net and they filled in spaces beautifully in a 6-on-5 situation. If they were second rate for a majority of the game, then they picked the right time to wake up, to so speak. The third period ended even in shots, though attempts were largely in favor of New Jersey.</p>
<p>All the same, Montreal was French for Toronto tonight. The Canadiens were Maple Leafs in disguise. The Devils out-attempted them 63-39 in all situations and 54-31 in 5-on-5 play. The Devils had the majority of scoring chances. The Devils got some impressive performances from Bernier and Ryder (he did score, I'll give him that) among the usual suspects. That's what makes this loss more frustrating. The Devils did a lot of good things for most of the night and yet did not end up with a result. That was so many games in the 2013 season. It's even worse when you consider Montreal's not nearly as bad as Toronto and they should do much better on Wednesday.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020407.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/ES020407.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/PL020407.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/SS020407.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/TV020407.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Report</a> | The <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/game/2013-12-02-devils-canadiens" target="_blank">Extra Skater Game Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b> In this quick recap, <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2013/12/2/5168818/canadiens-vs-devils-top-six-minutes-jersey-snore" target="_blank">theactivestick noted that the Canadiens did turn into Maple Leafs at Eyes on the Prize.</a> It's entitled "Jersey Snore," for what it's worth. Funny how games where the Devils do really well for long stretches tend to be boring for the opposition's fans.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>This NHL.com video does have proof of Ryder scoring a goal. And a whole lot of big stops by Price.</p>
<p align="center"><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013020407-X-h"></iframe></p>
<p><b>More Bad News: </b>If the loss wasn't enough, then consider that the Devils may be down another man. Adam Henrique didn't take a shift at all in the third period. <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLDevilsPR/status/407701978102239232" target="_blank">The team's official PR account tweeted that he would be out with a lower body injury.</a> I don't know exactly what it could be or when it happened. But that turned out to be a big loss. In the 11:18 he did play, he put three shots on net, hit the crossbar, and got free for one big miss. He was up 10-5 in terms of attempts. He was on his way to having a good game and had he kept getting looks, maybe even score. I missed him out there and not just because Brunner filled in his spot next to <span>Patrik Elias</span> and Bernier. I hope whatever it is, it's minor.</p>
<p><b>Two-Thirds Awesome D: </b> <span>Andy Greene</span> was a boss. <span>Mark Fayne</span> looked good as well. The rookie pairing of <span>Jon Merrill</span> and <span>Eric Gelinas</span> looked like veterans at times, especially early in the game. I really liked what I saw out of them when they weren't gassed. The only pairing that had trouble was Zidlicky and <span>Anton Volchenkov</span>. They were the only pairing that had struggled at times by my eye and it was mostly from Zidlicky. I know he likes to gamble but he really made a mess of it on the first goal against and he nearly got torched by not getting the puck on his pinches. He looked so good to start the game but his performance faded.</p>
<p><b>Everything but the Goal: </b>In a way, the play by Zubrus, Zajac, and Jagr summed up the night. They were awesome at winning pucks, getting in Montreal's end, and setting up dangerous shots. Yet they could not beat Price except for that one time Jagr curled the puck around him - only to be denied by Subban. When the team needed possession late, even they wavered as pucks bounced off sticks or got away from them. I am not at all complaining how they did tonight. The three combined for seven shots on net out of a total of 16 attempts. That doesn't include the defensemen that bombed away when they fed them the puck. They made <span>Josh Gorges</span>, Subban, Markov, and Emelin look like pylons at times. The problem was that Price played like he was a near 95% save percentage goalie (because <i>he is</i>). A few Canadiens skaters made some vital interventions, namely Gorges stopping Zajac from a one-on-one with the Price. Still, they put in the work and yet ended up with</p>
<p><b>Beefy Night: </b>Steve Bernier was massive. He played like he was Zubrus only with a lot more shots. He got five on net in addition to his re-direction goal. The goal itself was what you want from him. He worked hard to keep the puck on his stick in the corner. He got some help to get it out and then immediately went to the net. As Volchenkov took a wild shot, Bernier was in the right place to tip it in. Bernier nearly fooled Price at least two other times. He's not just up with Elias just to be a physical presence. He's making the most of his time up in the top six and I'm enjoying what he's done so far.</p>
<p><b>Brunner & Ryder Existed: </b>Ryder's shot was fantastic. He didn't do a whole lot beyond that but I'm not going to complain about a guy who snapped a long goalless streak. Brunner was forced into a more prominent role with Henrique out and he tried his best. He finished the night with two shots on net, five attempts blocked, and two misses. Given that we've seen one or zero attempt nights from him, that's rather massive. Brunner even drew a hook for the team's first power play. For once I can say that I wasn't disappointed in either or wondering where they were on the ice. That's a silver lining, at least.</p>
<p><b>I Hate This Power Play: </b>The Devils had three power plays tonight, put up a total of three shots on net, and conceded two shorthanded shots. The bar is set so low for these that I was actually pleased with the first power play if only for gaining the zone twice with the puck. But overall, that's just not good enough. The third one was the most crushing. Not only did it nearly end with a shorthanded goal for Pacioretty, but it came late in the third period with the Devils down 2-3. Emelin flung a puck over the glass. It was a gift of an opportunity. Yet, the Devils struggled to gain the zone. When they did, the puck was passed around three guys with two standing about filling space in front. No one not named Brunner wanted to just rip a shot. Again, we saw Zajac and Elias at the point despite the team having four defensemen that can hold a point on offense (Greene, Zidlicky, Merrill, and Gelinas). Again, there's a lack of movement to open up lanes. It's obvious to anyone that the Devils' power play simply is not working to the level it could be, and it's ineffectiveness was a factor in tonight's loss. Why Dave Barr and Peter DeBoer haven't realized this, I do not know.</p>
<p><b>On Goalies: </b>Well, Price was utterly brilliant. I thought Brodeur was OK. He moved the puck very well outside of the net, as usual. I think the goal allowed to Bourque was stoppable. I'm noticing a rise in short-side shots beating him. But certainly not the other two. He also had to deny Pacioretty on a breakaway and <span>Brendan Gallagher</span> (he played tonight!) on a one-timer in the third to keep it a one-goal game. So it's not as if he had no difficult shots to stop. Aside from the Bourque goal, I don't have any complaints about him. I don't think the Devils would have won with <span>Cory Schneider</span> in net. That said, I also wouldn't complain if Schneider got Wednesday's game. Again, the problem tonight was beating one of the best goalies in the league, not how many Montreal scored.</p>
<p><b>On Sestito: </b><span>Tim Sestito</span> played in limited minutes, registered two shots on net (there's an example of how much in control the Devils were, even <i>Tim Sestito</i> took two shots), and didn't get destroyed. A full fourth line would have been nice tonight but the other three lines were doing enough to make the absence feel small. Sestito very nearly had a very scary cut when Brandon Prust's skate went high and struck him in the face. Thankfully, it was the heel of the skate and not the blade so he just needed a rest. Sestito played as well as one could reasonably expect of him;</p>
<p><b>A Warning: </b>I'm going to make this point again in the preview of Wednesday's game, but it's worth making here. Montreal will be better on Wednesday. I can't imagine Michel Therrien was pleased at all with his team being out-shot 30-17 by one of the lowest shooting teams in the league in their own rink. He's glad about the result but likely won't be about the performance. Nearly the entire Montreal roster was defending more than attacking at evens and that includes some players who are usually better than that (e.g. Subban, Markov, <span>Tomas Plekanec</span>, Eller, etc.). I do think the Devils put in an very good performance overall against a very good team, fading late aside. But I don't expect it to happen a second time two days later. Expect a sharper Canadiens team on Wednesday. Another reason to lament this loss.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>How did you feel about this throwback performance from 2013? Can the Devils possibly repeat this against Montreal again? Who among the Devils did you like the most? Who did you like the least? Did you miss Henrique? What do the Devils have to differently - other than score goals - for the return game on Wednesday? Please leave your answers and other thoughts on tonight's game in the comments.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/2/5168960/new-jersey-devils-controlled-play-still-lost-3-2-montreal-canadiens-toronto-in-disguiseJohn Fischer2013-12-02T18:30:03-05:002013-12-02T18:30:03-05:00Devils at Canadiens: Gamethread #28
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<p>This is the gamethread for today's game between the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens. 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> 7:30 PM EST</p>
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<p><strong> The Broadcast:</strong> TV- MSG+ ; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
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<p><strong>The Matchup:</strong> The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/"></a><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> (11-11-5) vs. The <a href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/"></a><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Montreal Canadiens</a> (15-9-3; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Eyes on the Prize.</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The Game Previews: </strong> John's preview from earlier <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/12/2/5162944/new-jersey-devils-at-montreal-canadiens-game-preview-28">this morning is right here.</a> For the opposition's point of view, feel free to read Patrick Perron's post at <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2013/12/2/5166212/avant-match-devils-vs-canadiens">Eyes on the Prize.</a></p>
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<p><strong>The Song for Tonight: </strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasvuHUgUHg">"Home Sweet Home" by Motley Crue.</a> Montreal has always been <em>home</em> and <em>sweet</em> for one NJ Devil in particular. (Although something tells me that certain someone isn't a huge Motley Crue fan).</p>
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<p><strong>Gameday Info: </strong><span>Defenseman Adam Larsson (lower body) has been added to the IR list for the NJ Devils. Ryan Carter (lacerations), <span>Bryce Salvador</span> (foot), <span>Stephen Gionta</span> (ankle) and <span>Ryane Clowe</span> (concussion) are all out. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Davis Dewiske remains out as he recovers from shoulder surgery.</span></p>
<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/2013/12/2/5167686/new-jersey-devils-at-montreal-canadiens-gamethread-28JT Sroka2013-12-02T07:00:01-05:002013-12-02T07:00:01-05:00Devils at Canadiens: Game Preview #28
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<img alt="What you will not likely see tonight: a fight between Adam Henrique and Daniel Briere. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sy6OmITjRW20aidrXF88vjLVnMc=/0x480:4000x3147/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/24294881/20130923_lbm_aa5_379.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>What you will not likely see tonight: a fight between Adam Henrique and Daniel Briere. | Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>New Jersey begins another home-and-home series, this time with the Montreal Canadiens. As this preview shows, the Canadiens have been great in their last ten games with fantastic goaltending and plenty of scoring. Can the Devils rise up to knock them down a peg?</p> <p>Another busy week begins up in Quebec with another home-and-home series against a certain team that likes a certain goalie that we know and love.</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>7:30 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> (11-11-5) at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Montreal Canadiens</a> (15-9-3, SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Eyes on the Prize</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>On Saturday night, the Devils hosted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.diebytheblade.com/">Buffalo Sabres</a> and went right to work against them. They controlled the neutral zone, denied the Sabres more often than not in their zone entries, and tilted the ice against Jhonas Entroth. Alas, the Devils couldn't find the back of the net. They found a crossbar, Enroth, and the back endboards among their many chances. The Sabres resembled a hockey team in the second period as they threatened to score on their second and third power plays in the period and the Devils' own passes and puck control became sloppy. Fortunately, <span>Cory Schneider</span> bailed the Devils out - even if he did force himself to make a last-second sliding stop off a giveaway. The third period returned to what we saw in the first period, with the same result: no goals for New Jersey despite their best efforts and very little offense from Buffalo. Overtime was necessary. The two teams moved up and down but couldn't find the opportunity until <span>Steve Bernier</span> carried the puck to the right circle. He had the space, he decided to take a chance, and he fired a wrister that cleanly beat Enroth and thrilled the Rock. The Devils won 1-0 in OT; <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/12/1/5161874/steve-bernier-snipe-snatches-success-new-jersey-devils-buffalo-sabres" target="_blank">my recap of the game is here.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Canadiens Game: </b>Montreal hosted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> on Saturday night and it didn't take long for the home team fans to get happy. <span>Max Pacioretty</span> got things going early with a power play goal less than a minute into the game. <span>P.K. Subban</span> continued to dominate and scored his first goal in a long while late in the first period for a 2-0 game. While Toronto tried to put up a fight, Montreal continued to pour on the scoring. <span>Tomas Plekanec</span> made it 3-0 with less than five minutes left in the second. Pacioretty put up a shorthanded goal minutes later to extend it to 4-0. The Maple Leafs would get on the board rather quickly. James van Reimsdyk scored not long after their power play didn't convert and <span>Mason Raymond</span> fired a backhander seconds later to make it 4-2. But Montreal kept the Maple Leafs honest in the third, <span>Carey Price</span> stood tall in net yet again, and they were able to hold on to win. <a href="http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2013/12/1/5162166/canadiens-vs-maple-leafs-game-recap-pacioretty-powers-streaking-habs-to-win" target="_blank">Andrew Berkshire put this full recap together at Eyes on the Prize of the decisive victory.</a></p>
<p><b>A Sense of How the Canadiens Are: </b>Normally, I tell you about the goal to this game, one aspect of the game I think the Devils need to do to win tonight among other points. Before I do that, I think it's worth understanding where the Canadiens are at the moment. They're 7-1-2 in their last ten games and they are feeling <i>good</i>. <a href="http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/about-last-night-148" target="_blank">Mike Boone's post Leafs-win article at Hockey Inside/Out is a good and rather sunny look at Montreal.</a> Please read that before you move on it.</p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Make this game as ugly as possible. The Devils aren't likely going to match Montreal shot for shot or even attempt for attempt if the Canadiens are able to freewheel it on the ice. The Devils absolutely need to slow the tempo early on and make the neutral zone a real obstacle for the Canadiens. Montreal has plenty of scorers, an awesome defensive pairing that has brought a lot of offense to the table, and an amazing goaltender. By doing this, they can quell the first two of that trio. Hopefully, that should keep the game in reach for the Devils.</p>
<p><b>Like A Wall: </b>Carey Price and <span>Peter Budaj</span> have been nothing short of sensational in net. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=MTL&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves" target="_blank">Just look at their numbers.</a> Both of them have even strength save percentages above 94%. 94%! Price's 94.6% is one of, if not the best, even strength save percentages in the league right now. Both Price and Budaj have been strong on penalty kills and only Price has had a shorthanded blemish. Despite all of the scoring the Canadiens have, they're not a great possession team (<a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=corsi_pct&sit=ev&type=total" target="_blank">below 50% at even strength Corsi</a>, just <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total&sort=fenwick_pct&sit=5v5close" target="_blank">a bit above 50% Fenwick in close score 5-on-5</a>) or even a high-percentage shooting team at even strength. They average <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=avgShotsAgainstPerGame&viewName=summary" target="_blank">over 30 shots per game against overall.</a> It is a testament to how excellent Price and Budaj have been in net that Montreal has a solid goal differential at evens. Clearly a big reason why they're fighting for the top of the Atlantic right now.</p>
<p>What can the Devils possibly do against the probable start from Price? Continuing on from the goal, I'd suggest that they try and hit him with volume. Keep shots low in the hopes he's putting out rebounds and strike him. The Devils would be foolhardy to pass up looks on net for a riskier lateral move or just throw pucks into traffic and hope for the best. Test him early and if pucks are bouncing off of him, then the forwards need to crash the net more than get behind it for possession.</p>
<p><b>So Many Scorers: </b><span>Adam Henrique</span> scored his sixth goal on Friday night. He is second on the Devils in goals right now. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20142MTLSASALL&sort=points&viewName=summary" target="_blank">The Canadiens have six forwards with at least six goals:</a> Pacioretty, <span>Brendan Gallagher</span>, and Plekanec each have nine; <span>Lars Eller</span> has seven; and <span>Alex Galchenyuk</span> (benched for a significant part of the Toronto game) and <span>Michael Bournival</span> (missed the Toronto game) each have six. That should put some perspective on how deep Montreal's scoring has been at forward. Among them, the most dangerous are Plekanec and Pacioretty. Plekanec reminds me of <span>Patrik Elias</span> in that they play so much in all situations while producing points. Pacioretty is coming off a three-point night and even though he missed nine games, he's right behind Gallagher, who has 80 shots, with 76 shots on net. He just shoots and makes offense happen.</p>
<p>If those six weren't enough, they've been getting some contributions from former Devil Brian Gionta (four goals), Daniel Briere (five goals), <span>Rene Bourque</span> (five goals), and <span>David Desharnais</span> (only two goals, but five assists too). I just named ten forwards who have found the back of the net several times already for Montreal. Even if they throw a less useful player like <span>Brandon Prust</span> or <span>George Parros</span> out there, the Canadiens can damage a team in many different ways. The Devils cannot allow them loads of space to skate ahead and make plays happen. Again, they just about have to slow them down and even play more conservatively to keep their top players in front of them unless they want to hope the goalie can bail them out for sixty minutes.</p>
<p><b>Super Special Teams: </b>All of those forwards I just named have something else in common: they each have at least one power play goal. <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sf&sit=pp" target="_blank">Montreal has a top ten shooting rate on power plays</a> and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=powerPlayPercentage&viewName=summary" target="_blank">their success rate of 24% is the third highest in the league.</a> The Canadiens can wreck a team on their power play. While they are one of the best PK teams in the league, the Devils struggled with Buffalo's power play on Saturday night at times. Hopefully, they'll be sharper tonight. They may have to be. Should the Devils take some unnecessary calls, you better believe they'll make the penalty kill pay if they make stops whenever possible. Ideally, the Devils will have to be very disciplined tonight but that's easier said than done - especially with <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> out on the ice.</p>
<p>Even if the Devils get the better end of calls, it may not result in much. That's usually because the Devils are the worst team in the league at generating shots on power plays. They struggle to break out of their own end and make two to three passes to gain the zone, much less get set up for shots on net. Montreal has one of the best penalty killing units in the league. They are <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=sa&sit=sh&type=rate" target="_blank">a top ten team in terms of fewest shots allowed</a> and<a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=penaltyKillPercentage&viewName=penaltyKill" target="_blank"> their success rate of 85.3% is the fourth best in the league.</a> They even have four shorthanded goals scored, which suggests that they can apply high pressure successfully. The Devils' pointmen on the power play will have to be careful. Of course, even if the Devils do manage to get in the zone, getting pucks in the net will remain a challenge because Price has been just superb in shorthanded situations this season.</p>
<p>Overall, the Devils would be wise to keep this game at 5-on-5. It'll be enough of a challenge to play against Montreal. They do not need to give their special teams a chance to show off how good they have been in 2013-14.</p>
<p><b>Stud Pairing: </b>P.K. Subban is arguably one of the best defensemen in the league. He's Montreal's best skater by far. He plays tough minutes, he leads the team in shots with 87, and he's their leader in points with four goals and 19 assists. I almost want to suggest that a winger keep an eye on him every time he's out there when Montreal has the puck. Subban has been an absolute force at both ends. He's <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?team=mtl&sit=5v5close&season=2013&min_gp=1&pos=D" target="_blank">one of the two active Montreal defensemen with a positive Corsi percentage per Extra Skater.</a> The other is his partner Andrei Markov. What a difference a healthy Markov makes. He's been active on offense with 50 shots, two goals, and fifteen assists. He's averaged over 25 minutes per game, most of them with Subban and mostly against difficult competition. The Devils will see a lot of them tonight and it's going to a massive challenge to go at them.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the other Montreal defensemen have not been nearly as impressive. The pairings that do not include Subban or Markov are not positive possession players. They even include <span>Douglas Murray</span> from time to time. I would think that the Devils just need to accept that Subban-Markov are going to be great so therefore they have go right at the other four. I want the Devils to be more aggressive at <span>Alexei Emelin</span>, <span>Josh Gorges</span>, Murray, Raphel Diaz, and whoever else could be on their blueline. Force them to be as good as Subban-Markov probably will be. The Canadiens, again, give up a significant number of shots per game so it can be done. Hopefully, the Devils will be able to do so.</p>
<p><b>Where I Justify an Odd Call Up: </b>On Saturday night, <span>Ryan Carter</span> got knocked out by <span>Marcus Foligno</span> in a fight. He will not travel with the team. So on Sunday, <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/devils_place_larsson_on_ir_sestito_called_up/" target="_blank">Tom Gulitti reported at Fire & Ice that the team called up Tim Sestito from Albany.</a> At first glance, this seems like a bad decision. Sestito brings little of consequence to the table. He wasn't doing a whole lot in the AHL and we've seen him enough times in the NHL to know he won't do much at this level. Why him and not someone else?</p>
<p>Well, consider what drove the decision. Carter is a gritty "energy" bottom-six winger. As well as <span>Joe Whitney</span>, <span>Scott Timmins</span>, and <span>Reid Boucher</span> have done so far, they don't appear to fit that role. <span>Stefan Matteau</span>, who would have been my choice, has got into a groove right now and perhaps it isn't the best time to interrupt that. Sestito can come in, fill in the ten or so minutes Carter would otherwise play, and if he can do it without getting destroyed, then that's all he has to do. As much as I want to see the lines from Friday's Carolina game, that's not possible. Even if <span>Damien Brunner</span> stays in the lineup, the team has now has three forwards for two spots. Between Mattias Tedenby, <span>Cam Janssen</span>, and <span>Tim Sestito</span>, I'll suffer Tedenby and Sestito. This way Tedenby isn't asked to do what Carter does because he really isn't suited for it and Peter DeBoer doesn't have to shorten his bench to eleven forwards almost immediately. It's not a great situation but it is what it is. Besides, the Devils' top forwards will have to carry the night even if Carter was healthy. The fourth line won't likely win or lose this game.</p>
<p><b>Do Better, Brunner: </b>Brunner was benched for the whole third period against Buffalo. I can't pick out a specific reason why but I would guess DeBoer wasn't pleased with his performance in the second period. He didn't seem all that upset about it <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/deboer_thinks_carter_will_be_all_right_henrique_battles_ott_in_ot_brunner_lost_in_line_shuf/" target="_blank">according to this post-game article by Gulitti at Fire & Ice.</a> Perhaps he knows what he did wrong? I hope so if only so he can correct it. The Devils would be better off if they didn't have to rely on <span>Jaromir Jagr</span>, <span>Dainius Zubrus</span>, and <span>Travis Zajac</span> for over 23 minutes in a second straight game. I'd love to have them play well and they probably will since they've been great together. But with a busy week of games, I don't think it's wise to completely lean on them. So do better, Brunner, for the benefit of you and the team.</p>
<p><b>Another Homecoming: </b><span>Martin Brodeur</span> will <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/devils_place_larsson_on_ir_sestito_called_up/" target="_blank">start tonight's game as per Gulitti.</a> Brodeur has had some fantastic nights in Montreal. He may need to have another one tonight for the Devils to have a chance. He didn't do well on Wednesday against Carolina. If he can avoid getting beaten easily short-side, then I think he'll rebound. But will he be utterly great? I don't know. Giving up a lot of rushes and open looks to anyone against any goalie is a bad idea. Again, all the more reason for the Devils to make this game ugly and low-event as possible so Montreal doesn't get as many opportunities as they could.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>What do you expect to happen tonight? How do you see the Canadiens right now? Who do you think has to be great for New Jersey tonight? Will the Devils shock Montreal? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/2/5162944/new-jersey-devils-at-montreal-canadiens-game-preview-28John Fischer