All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils vs. Anaheim Ducks: Game Stream #36A world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2013-12-21T08:32:14-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/49932532013-12-21T08:32:14-05:002013-12-21T08:32:14-05:00Ducks at Devils: Zone Exits and Passing Stats
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<figcaption>Al Bello</figcaption>
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<p>This is a look at the (mostly) unimpressive zone exits and passing stats for the Devils 36th game of the season. Call it the "remember, they're still rookies" edition of these stats. Read on for more details. </p> As John noted in his <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/12/21/5231914/one-ugly-point-new-jersey-devils-anaheim-ducks-3-2-overtime-loss">recap</a>, this was a low-event game and the passing/zone exits reflect that for the most part. The game went in waves, with each team controlling the ice for various periods of time. In fact, a lot of the passes for the Zubrus-Zajac-Jagr line came in bunches as they were able to get the puck deep and not give it back for extended periods of time. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/122979/adam-henrique">Adam Henrique</a> was involved early on and got things started with a great pass to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54903/michael-ryder">Michael Ryder</a> for the opening goal. Unfortunately, the game would end with an OT goal for Anaheim. As you’ll see below, proper positioning isn’t the only growing pains <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/88681/eric-gelinas">Eric Gelinas</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/111588/jon-merrill">Jon Merrill</a> are going through. <p>
<strong>Passing Stats</strong></p>
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<strong>Forwards:</strong></p>
<p class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/157186/damien-brunner">Damien Brunner only attempted 3 passes, generating 1 shot attempt before getting injured. He had a solid start and it was a shame to see him go. Get well soon, Brunner. </p>
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Brunner’s injury is exactly the reason why Deboer should not use Gionta, Sestito, or Janssen in the lineup. Their limited quality becomes that much more of an anchor on the team if someone is subtracted from the top 9 forwards. </p>
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<span>Dainius Zubrus</span> was a bit off in the defensive zone, as was most of the team on the night, but was his usual pest in the offensive end, generating 3 shot attempts and 1 shot. <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> finished with similar numbers, but <span>Travis Zajac</span> was the most effective passer on the night: Zajac completed 25/28 passes, generating 5 shot attempts, but only 1 shot. </p>
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Adam Henrique didn’t attempt as many passes as those on the top line, but he made the most of them with 4 shot attempts and 2 resulting in shots (and 1 goal!). <span>Patrik Elias</span> had decent night, completing 15/20 passes, but with only 1 shot attempt. <span>Andrei Loktionov</span> has all but disappeared with the lack of quality line mates. Way to manage your resources, Deboer! </p>
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As a group, the forwards generating 25 shot attempts, 7 of which resulted in shots, about 28%. It’s too soon to say whether that’s good or bad, but it’ll be one of the stats I’ll look at as we get further along into the season: a pass efficiency rating of sorts. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong></p>
<p> Well, consistent with the rest of the game, the defensemen offered little in terms of shot attempts: generating 5, with only 2 of those becoming actual shots. <span>Mark Fayne</span> went 16/18 overall, generating 1 shot; Jon Merrill only missed 1 pass in the defensive zone, going 11/12 and 2/2 in each of the other two zones. <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> failed to create any shooting attempts for his teammates. His passes were lower than normal, with only 13 attempts in the game. </p>
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Eric Gelinas went 8/12 in the defensive end and 3/3 in the offensive end, generating 1 shot attempt. I’ve noticed that his passing and turnovers had steadily gotten worse since <span>Adam Larsson</span> went out of the lineup. Perhaps the Swede is the tonic Gelinas needs. </p>
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<span>Andy Greene</span> was the most active with 24 attempted passes, 20 of those in the defensive end. He generated 1 shot. You’ll see that he and Fayne attempted 36 of their 42 passes in the defensive zone, suggesting they most of their team in their own end. </p>
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<span>Anton Volchenkov</span> played his usual game, going 6/6 in the defensive end and 2/4 in the zones outside his skill set. He was the only defenseman to generate more than 1 shot attempt, so that there tells you all you need to know about the offensive contribution from the blue line. </p>
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<img alt="Game_36_devils_ducks_passing" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3750159/Game_36_Devils_Ducks_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 results in 1 of 3 outcomes: 1) Maintaining possession; 2) Allows for the recipient of the pass to make a “hockey move” (dump in, deflection, another pass etc.); 3) A shot attempt. 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. You’ll also see a “shot generated” or “SG” column to track the highest quality of shot attempts. The last column totals the percentage of shot attempts that result in shots on net. </p>
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<strong>Zone Exit Stats</strong></p>
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<strong>Forwards:</strong></p>
<p> You’ll see blanks for Brunner and Loki due to injury and limited opportunities. As a group, the forwards right on 50% PE. The best performers on the night in terms of volume were Michael Ryder (10 attempts, 9 with possession) and Patrik Elias (11 attempts, 7 with possession). </p>
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Zubrus (43%) and Jagr (33%) were not their usual selves, though <span>Reid Boucher</span> managed 3 of his 6 attempts to maintain possession. <span>Stephen Gionta</span> finished with 2/3 of his exits the possession variety. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong></p>
<p death taxes and turnovers in his own end by eric gelinas. he committed more against the ducks blue line as a whole only with fayne greene others. group finished at about their season average of pe which is constant reminder inefficient defensemen are. gelinas brought down other were higher.>
<img alt="Zone_exits_game_36_devils_ducks" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3750151/Zone_Exits_Game_36_Devils_Ducks.jpg"></p>
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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 reaction do you have to these stats? How do they compare with your viewing of the game?
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https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/21/5231798/anaheim-ducks-at-new-jersey-devils-zone-exits-and-passing-statsRyan Stimson2013-12-21T00:10:26-05:002013-12-21T00:10:26-05:00One Ugly Point: Devils Fall to Ducks, 3-2 (OT)
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<img alt="Seconds before the Devils lost in OT, Gelinas his arm is on the left) has already fallen and Merrill (behind Palemier) is just trying to stick with Palmieri (foreground)." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uxtxH3cG5mjEf3UAJnac9wQsXn4=/0x0:3871x2581/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25501271/458201835.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Seconds before the Devils lost in OT, Gelinas his arm is on the left) has already fallen and Merrill (behind Palemier) is just trying to stick with Palmieri (foreground). | Al Bello</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks played an ugly, low-event, game where little things turned into goals. The Devils lost 3-2 in overtime and this recap goes over how it all went from an unfortunate injury to which defensive pairing looked bad. </p> <p>Picture a puck being knocked off someone's stick by a defender, squirt beneath the defender's skates, and then have a forward pick up possession only to have a shooting attempt denied some other way. Picture that tens of times and you pretty much have this game in a nutshell. The <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> went up against the red-hot <a href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Anaheim Ducks</a> and the two teams effectively had a rock fight on the ice. The two teams traded chips, stick-checks, unaccounted blocks, and all manner of pressing hockey for most of the game. One could argue this is how the Devils should perform against a team that has not only won their last six games but also has significantly outshot their competition this season. It looked like an even affair overall, though the third period saw the biggest swings of play. Alas, while the Devils earned a point, they could not get the second one as <span>Kyle Palmieri</span> scored on a wraparound in OT. Fittingly, the puck itself had to be launched up and over <span>Cory Schneider</span> off the stick of <span>Jon Merrill</span>. A bounce decided the game.</p>
<p>For the fans of "little things matter" in hockey, all five goals had some component that made the difference between scoring and not scoring. The game's first goal was created by an icing by the Ducks. While Bruce Boudreau used his timeout, it didn't deter from <span>Adam Henrique</span> taking the puck away from <span>Ben Lovejoy</span> after the faceoff and then tossing it over to <span>Michael Ryder</span> for a one-timer on Jonas Hiller's flank. The Ducks' second period equalizer began with an icing by the Devils. <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> was out there for well over a minute and headed to the bench. He didn't see a pass coming his way (I can't recall if it was <span>Eric Gelinas</span> or <span>Andy Greene</span>) and so he had to stay on. After the puck dropped, <span>Teemu Selanne</span> fished the puck out of the dot amid bodies, tossed it back to Lovejoy, he threw it to <span>Cam Fowler</span>, and Fowler sniped a shot through a double-screen. Icings aren't always big deals, but these two helped make a difference tonight.</p>
<p>Of course there was more "little things matter." The Ducks' third period goal started thanks to a bad pass by Eric Gelinas that went right to <span>Mathieu Perreault</span>. While the Devils converged, Selanne got it out and up to Palmieri. <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> kept with Palmieri, who just threw the puck in front. It bounced twice off Gelinas' skates and behind him. Perreault slammed the loose puck into the net. The puck ricocheting off skates was just bad luck. The bad pass was awful and Selanne getting in position to get it and play Palmieri into the zone was massive. The Devils' response had no such bounce or turnover, but guys were caught puck watching. During a power play, Jaromir Jagr was actually played into the zone on a proper zone entry. All four penalty killers were watching Jagr by the sideboards. <span>Andrew Cogliano</span> was caught too up high. So Jagr had a passing lane and an unnoticed Andy Greene driving to the net behind Cogliano. Pass, shot, game-tying goal. Had four Ducks not fixated on one man for so long, perhaps I'm writing about a 2-1 loss.</p>
<p>But, again, the Ducks did win it in OT. Merrill getting his stick at the post wasn't a problem. The problem came earlier on the play. <span>Stephen Gionta</span> and <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> both went in on a forecheck in overtime against Fowler. You know, in 4-on-4 hockey. Neither threatened and Fowler made an easy pass up to Perreault. All of a sudden, a 3-on-2 was possible. But Palmieri took matters into his own hands and went right at Gelinas. He skated diagonally to get on his left, curved around him like he was a pylon, and then brought his stick around the net for the wrap. Merrill and Schneider did what they could. Neither could have assumed that the puck would just come out instead of curve in. I think they were well-intentioned. If you want to fault someone, look at the other three guys. But if the forwards didn't make a bad decision to go aggressive - which was odd as the Devils were very tame in OT - and if Gelinas did anything different, then there's no play.</p>
<p>I said it was a fitting ending in that neither team really jumped out in this one. Overall, the game itself was even by plenty of standards. The game ended 24-21 in shots in favor of Anaheim, while the Devils led in overall attempts 36-34. Both teams took penalties they probably shouldn't have taken. While the Devils did get a PPG, the penalties served to make the game murkier at 5-on-5, which ended 24-22 in attempts (yes, <i>attempts</i>) in favor of NJ. Both goalies were OK. Schneider made a number of important stops, while the post helped Hiller out thrice among his stops. I thought the Devils had a good first period and Anaheim owned the first half of the third period (I don't think the Devils had a shot on net for nine, ten minutes in that one), and there were some good performances mixed in with some bad ones. Ultimately, the game came down to what breaks each team got. Anaheim got this one. It wasn't as crazy as a clearance bouncing off a teammate's leg and into the net, but it was a break nonetheless.</p>
<p>So I shrug at it. The "smiley of the game" would have a backslash in it. An overtime loss to a crazy-hot team in the NHL's strongest division isn't that a bad result. Though it would have been nice had Jagr hooked up with Greene for another one-timer (he missed the pass in OT) or if those pucks off the posts went in. It didn't.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020534.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/ES020534.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/PL020534.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/SS020534.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/TH020534.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/game/2013-12-20-ducks-devils" target="_blank">Extra Skater Game Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b>Surely, those at <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Calling</a> are pleased with seven straight wins.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>Indeed there were highlights, even though the game looked like two teams trying to squeeze blood out of a stone on offense at times. Here's the video from <a href="http://www.nhl.com" target="_blank">NHL.com</a>:</p>
<p align="center"><iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013020534-X-h" frameborder="0" width="640" height="395"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Knee Injury: </b>The Devils suffered another injury to one of their forwards tonight. <span>Damien Brunner</span> got hit in the corner by Mark Fristic late in the first period. He immediately went down to the ice. Play continued for a few more seconds before the ref, who looked at him several times even as he tried to <i>crawl </i>(tell me again about player safety, officials), blew the play dead. He was helped off the ice, he put no weight on his right leg, and did not return. It wasn't a dirty hit; an accidental knee-on-knee collision. Like in life, bad things just sometime happen from that.</p>
<p>I'd say he was missed tonight. He was flying early alongside <span>Patrik Elias</span> and Adam Henrique. He didn't play enough to say whether he would go on to have a good game, but his first few shifts were positive. I really enjoyed the last few games from Brunner, where he would take more initiative on offense and play more around the net as opposed to just in space. Michael Ryder was moved up to play in his spot, which obviously worked out to a a degree since he did score a goal. But he wasn't always "there," especially early in the third period when the Devils got no offense going. The third line with <span>Andrei Loktionov</span> and <span>Reid Boucher</span> were just total non-factors without Ryder. Maybe Ryder wouldn't have made much a difference as they did little without him; but it's a possibility. The fourths weren't all that bad (I didn't like Gionta "honoring" Brunner with an offensive-zone hooking minor) but I'd like to think if Brunner was active for the whole game, then maybe we don't see Gionta or <span>Tim Sestito</span> late in games. An injury to anyone playing significant minutes will effect more than just his line; and that's what I saw even though the Devils tried to make due.</p>
<p>How severe the injury is has not been revealed. <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/brunner_still_being_evaluated_after_leaving_with_apparent_knee_injury_brodeur_to_start_vs._caps/">Tom Gulitti reported at Fire & Ice after the game</a> that he's still being evaluated according to Peter DeBoer. I'll leave how that effects tomorrow's game for whoever's writing the preview. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, regardless of what the actual injury is.</p>
<p><b>Redeemed: </b>While making 14 saves on 17 shots does nothing good for a save percentage, I liked what I saw out of Cory Schneider. He did have to take a delay of game penalty for getting into no man's land with the puck in front of the goal line and an on-rushing Duck forechecker. I'd say that was his biggest blunder. He didn't see Fowler's goal whatsoever, he got beat on a point-blank shot off a loose puck in front of the crease, and Merrill's stick helped Palmieri's attempt get up and over. None were soft goals or one's he should hope to have back. I don't think he had a fair chance at either. A week after a nightmarish first period performance in Pittsburgh, Schneider did his job as best as he could. I'd say he did well. Maybe he should bribe the scorer to count more shots to help his save percentage?</p>
<p><b>What Do You Have When an Offensive-Minded Defensive Pairing Puts Up No Offense: </b>I'm sure you have a witty answer for that one. So I'll just be serious. The pairing of Marek Zidlicky and Eric Gelinas was awful tonight. You know it's bad when they both kicked off overtime looking like a kid afraid to just get his feet wet on the beach as they skated around in their own end against one forechecker. (In retrospect, it was a sign of how lame the Devils would play in overtime.) While this game was limited in 5-on-5 attempts, this pairing was the only one of New Jersey's three that were forced to defend more often than not. I don't know if I want to see Ryan's tally for these two from this game; I expect it to the be a low number in terms of exits and passes. On top of all of this, the two had no shots on net. Yes, no shots on net. I repeat: no shots on net. The Truth was not at the Rock, and Gambling Marek rolled more snake eyes on his decisions more often than not.</p>
<p>Between the two, Gelinas was simply poor. I can't recall if he made that ill-advised pass to Jagr to create the icing that led to Fowler's goal. (A part of me hopes it wasn't Andy Greene since he was a boss tonight, but I always stand to be corrected.) But he was featured in a bad way on the other two goals against. His pass into the neutral zone was awful and created the whole situation to begin with. He got torched by Palmieri going inside-out into the zone. He was tentative when he should have been aggressive in my opinion. Everyone has a bad game and rookie defensemen tend stand out when they're bad. The good news - and I'll go into why in a little more detail on Saturday - is that I think highly enough of Gelinas that it's just a bad game.</p>
<p><b>Quacking: </b>Palmieri and Perreault were great. Selanne made two little plays that ended up being big, though I'd say he was the second best 40+ year old in the game tonight. Better them doing well than <span>Ryan Getzlaf</span>, <span>Corey Perry</span>, and Dustin Penner. While they combined for six shots on net, I can't really recall any great opportunities created by them. I suppose that's a reason to be a bit down about this loss; the Devils managed to prevent two top scorers in the league from dictating this game. While Fowler looked good at times, he had to spend a lot of time in his own end. I wonder how much better he would have played if he didn't have Lovejoy as a partner. Good on the Devils to pound that pairing, though the other two did rather well.</p>
<p><b>A Few Words (For This Site at Least) On Discipline: </b>Too many men on the ice, a delay of game by the goalie, and an offensive zone hooking call. While the Devils did only concede six shots and nearly scored a shorthanded goal in the first period, these were bad calls to take. I hope they got it out of their system tonight because it could be lethal tomorrow.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b> The Devils do not reach NHL .500 and they'll need at least a point tomorrow to end the week with a positive record. I want to know how you feel about this game, especially in light of their situation. Are you like me and not really that unhappy about what happened tonight? Or do you think the Devils dropped a point in this one? Who on the Devils did you think had a notable - good or bad - game? What do you think the Devils should have done differently (other than the obvious answer of score more goals) this evening? Do you think they can recover for tomorrow?</p>
<p>Please leave your answers and other thoughts about this overtime loss in the comments. Thanks to everyone who commented in the Gamethread and followed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust">@InLouWeTrust </a>on Twitter. Apologies for the site being down at points during the day; I hope it's all good now and I thank you for your patience. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/21/5231914/one-ugly-point-new-jersey-devils-anaheim-ducks-3-2-overtime-lossJohn Fischer2013-12-20T18:00:02-05:002013-12-20T18:00:02-05:00Devils vs. Ducks: Gamethread #36
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<p>This is the gamethread for today's game between the New Jersey Devils and the Anaheim Ducks. 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+ ; Radio - 880 AM WCBS</p>
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<p><strong>The Matchup:</strong> The <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link"></a><a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> (14-15-6) vs. The <a href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/"></a><a href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Ducks</a> (24-7-5; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Calling.</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The Game Previews: </strong> John's preview from earlier <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/12/20/5228960/new-jersey-devils-vs-anaheim-ducks-game-preview-36/in/4993253">this morning is right here.</a> For the opposition's point of view, feel free to drop by <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Calling.</a></p>
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<p><strong>The Song for Tonight: </strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZFkOeI2q38">"The Hunter" by Danzig.</a> I am fairly sure this song was not written about duck hunting but hey let's all just close our eyes and pretend it's 1988 for a bit shall we?</p>
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<p><strong>Gameday Info: </strong><span>Ryane Clowe</span> will not return to action tonight for the NJ Devils but <span>Cory Schneider</span> will get the start in net. <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/">Check in</a> with Tom Gulitti for this and all the latest NJ Devils news.</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/2013/12/20/5230886/new-jersey-devils-vs-anaheim-ducks-gamethread-36JT Sroka2013-12-20T07:00:03-05:002013-12-20T07:00:03-05:00Devils vs. Ducks: Game Preview #36
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<img alt="It would be great to see something like this in Newark, though not in the final minute of regulation to get a game-tying goal." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bSCMdCS6C85GgisyDHa-1IUvAes=/0x120:4000x2787/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25454005/20131120_ajl_al2_340.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>It would be great to see something like this in Newark, though not in the final minute of regulation to get a game-tying goal. | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils need to win to get to NHL .500 but the Anaheim Ducks are not only very good but also on a six-game winning streak. This preview will touch on Anaheim's hot streak as well as Cory Schneider getting a chance to redeem himself.</p> <p>There will likely be no accidental own-goal winners tonight. Especially not with how the opponent has been playing as of late.</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>7:00 PM EST</p>
<p><b>The Broadcast: </b>TV - MSG+; Radio - 880 AM WCBS</p>
<p><b>The Matchup: </b>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> (14-15-6) vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Ducks</a> (24-7-5; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Calling</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>On Wednesday, the Devils hosted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silversevensens.com/">Ottawa Senators</a> and the night went smoothly. Well, it didn't start that way as Marek Zidlicky took a hooking minor on his first shift. <span>Adam Henrique</span> fed <span>Stephen Gionta</span> on a shorthanded two-on-one for a goal to turn that negative into a positive. The Devils continued to attack as the Sens had little answer for the lines centered by <span>Travis Zajac</span> and <span>Andrei Loktionov</span>. <span>Reid Boucher</span> put back a hard missed shot by <span>Eric Gelinas</span> for his first NHL goal to increase the scoring. An early power play in the second period looked to be typical for the Devils (not a lot happening) until <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> got the puck right in front of Robin Lehner. The legend put one through the legs to make it 3-0. The Sens would get on the board when <span>Colin Greening</span> re-directed a shot by Mike Zibanejad to convert a power play, but whatever good work they put into get into the game was snuffed out by <span>Martin Brodeur</span>. <span>Damien Brunner</span> powered through <span>Jared Cowen</span> and beat Lehner one-on-one to close out the second period with a 4-1 score. The Sens would narrow the gap to 4-2 in the third when <span>Milan Michalek</span> split <span>Mark Fayne</span> and <span>Anton Volchenkov</span> on an impressive move that beat Brodeur; but Gelinas responded with a wrister that found the net about a minute later. The Devils cruised to a 5-2 win, their second in a row. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/12/19/5226448/new-jersey-devils-crush-ottawa-senators-5-2" target="_blank">My recap of the crushing win is here.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Ducks Game: </b>On Tuesday night, the hot Ducks went into Detroit in the hopes of stretching their winning streak to six games. <span>Tomas Jurco</span> scored his first of the season 3:10 into the game to put the visitors down early. But they responded. Oh, how they responded. Jakub Silfverberg, who played in his first game back from injury, tied up the game seconds after Jurco's goal. Minutes later, <span>Daniel Winnik</span> found <span>Nick Bonino</span> across the slot on a wraparound pass; Bonino's one-timer made it 2-1. Later, Corey Perry and <span>Sami Vatanen</span> (at the final second!) scored to make it 4-1 by the end of the first period. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.wingingitinmotown.com/">Red Wings</a> were just stunned. The Ducks never really let up in the first, though only <span>Saku Koivu</span> scored to extend the lead to 5-1. The third period was two teams playing out the game, <span>Daniel Cleary</span> got a consolation goal within the final two minutes, and the Ducks indeed got their sixth win in a row. <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/2013/12/17/5221856/ducks-dominate-detroit-in-silfverbergs-return" target="_blank">They dominated as cjr1014 explains in his (her?) recap at Anaheim Calling.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils-Ducks Game: </b>The Devils traveled to the Honda Center for the first of three games in four nights against the three California teams in the league. All tough opponents then and now. After an initial "feeling out" process, <span>Matt Beleskey</span> opened up the game with a goal. It was a shot that Martin Brodeur should have had. But the Devils would manage as they got a gift of a call. <span>Mathieu Perreault</span> lifted <span>Marek Zidlicky's</span> stick into Andy Greene's face, which drew blood. The refs gave a double minor to <span>Teemu Selanne</span>, who was just in the area. The Devils scored on both minors: first from Zidlicky and second from Gelinas. The refs definitely gave some calls back to Anaheim early in the second, which yielded a 5-on-3 conversion from Bonino (who had to collect a re-directed puck off his skate to get a shot off at all). A later power play was converted by <span>Ryan Getzlaf</span> to make it 3-2 as the Ducks dominated the second period. The Devils were out in full-force in the third period with loads of shots at <span>Jonas Hiller</span>. It looked like the Ducks were going to escape until <span>Patrik Elias</span> saw Jaromir Jagr freely moving into the slot in the game's final minute. Pass, shot, score - and overtime. The overtime period featured a lot of up-and-down action until the deciding score. Travis Zajac kicks a puck on net, <span>Ben Lovejoy</span> tries to clear out the rebound, but his attempt goes right off of <span>Corey Perry's</span> leg and into the net. Yes, Perry backchecked his way into an own goal in OT. It was a crazy night for those who did stay up and watched it - and for those who saw the score the very next day. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/11/21/5128464/new-jersey-devils-stun-anaheim-ducks-4-3-overtime-ben-lovejoy-own-goal" target="_blank">My recap of the 4-3 OT winner is here.</a> For the opposition perspective, Chris Kober was in disbelief in <a href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/2013/11/21/5128942/overtime-own-goal-and-phantom-high-stick-cost-ducks" target="_blank">his recap at Anaheim Calling.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Get heavy against Anaheim's top unit. The Ducks are hot right now. They won six in a row. And leading the way is their top line of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and <span>Dustin Penner</span>. Getzlaf and Perry are among leading scorers in the league. Perry has shot the most on the team with 132, he's second in the NHL with 22 goals, and he's got 15 assists to go with that. Getzlaf is their all-situations man and he's got 16 goals on 84 shots and 23 assists. Penner has not been a weak pancake but a strong waffle with ten goals, 66 shots, and 14 assists in 29 games. They're remarkably productive, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?season=2013&pos=F&min_gp=25&team=ana&sit=5v5" target="_blank">they've been positive in possession </a>(Penner's getting up to 50% soon), and they're big. The Devils need to be able to match these guys well. Otherwise, they could be in for a rough ride.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the Devils do have a unit that I think can handle them. Travis Zajac, Jaromir Jagr, and <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> have been deemed the "heavy" unit for the Devils this season. At their best, they just pound opponents along the perimeter to create space for others to attack. Zubrus has been a train. Jagr's puck-control while pivoting is a sight to behold. Zajac makes it all work together. Plus, Zajac and Zubrus are very good defenders in their own right. I'd much rather see this line try to go up against Getzlaf's unit than the others. Patrik Elias, Adam Henrique, and Damien Brunner have been playing well but I don't see them doing well against a sizable line. I'd rather have them go up against their second unit consisting of <span>Andrew Cogliano</span>, Saku Koivu, and Jakub Silfverberg. And I don't want to think about the bottom six seeing Getzlaf's unit regularly. If the Devils want to cool off the Ducks, then they need to limit the damage that Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner can do. I believe the Zajac line should be the ones to get that job. If they succeed, then I like the Devils' chances tonight.</p>
<p><b>Hot Sticks for a Hot Run: </b>Ducks are a strange team in terms of possession. They're actually <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total&sit=5v5&sort=corsi_pct" target="_blank">a little bit below 50% in all shooting attempts in 5-on-5 play.</a> But <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total&sort=fenwick_pct&sit=5v5close" target="_blank">in score-close situations, they're quite good in terms of Fenwick</a>, which is a good sign for a team's possession. They're not that far behind New Jersey, actually. Yet, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=shots_diff&sit=ev&type=rate" target="_blank">they regularly out-shoot their opponents at even strength.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=shots_diff&sit=ev&type=rate" target="_blank"></a>That the team is not a very strong possession team (but not a bad one) makes one wonder why their record is so good. Well, here's a number to know: 9.6%. That's <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total&sort=shooting_pct&sit=ev" target="_blank">the Ducks' shooting percentage at even strength</a> and it's the second highest in the league prior to Thursday's games. In all situations, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=shooting_pct&sit=all&type=total" target="_blank">their shooting percentage of 9.9% is the third highest in the league. </a> Since the Ducks regularly out-shoot their opponents, they've racked up a lot of goals to make the most of that advantage. Their top scoring forwards have led the way. Perry, Getzlaf, Bonino, Penner, and Cogliano all have shot above 12% this season. They have a combined 67 goals or about 58% of the team's goals. With three of them on the same line, it's imperative the Devils stop them. Hence, the goal. But it's not just "stop those three and you win," it's more like "stop those three and it's a little easier. The other skaters can't fully relax when Bonino and Cogliano come out. Especially with Silfverberg back in action. He already registered a goal in his first game in a while; he could catch just as much fire soon.</p>
<p><b>The Young Defenders: </b>Anaheim has three young defensemen that are ones you need to know. The first is <span>Cam Fowler</span>. He's 22 and already leads the Ducks in average ice time per game with 24:01 as well as in scoring among defensemen with three goals and 16 assists. Fowler's their leader and if it wasn't for someone named Drew on another team, he could arguably be the brightest young defensemen in California. The Devils' best forwards will see a lot of him. The second is Sami Vatanen. This small 22 year-old defenseman has been <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?season=2013&pos=D&min_gp=25&team=ana&sit=5v5" target="_blank">Anaheim's best defenseman in terms of possession</a> (and Fowler's no slouch) in 5-on-5 play. He scored a goal and an assist in Detroit to bring his scoring totals up to four goals and five assists. While he's not necessarily an offensive force, he'll definitely chip in. Hopefully the wingers don't leave him too much space. Third, there's 19-year old <span>Hampus Lindholm</span>. He's more than just holding his own. With an average ice-time of 19:22, more shots on net than the other Anaheim defensemen with 67, and two goals to go with nine assists, he has shown the organization that he can become a very good player. Doing all of that any age is pretty good. At 19, it's just impressive. <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?season=2013&pos=D&min_gp=25&team=ana&sit=5v5" target="_blank">He's not a positive player in possession so far</a>, but he's not that far off from breaking even. Bruce Boudreau has kept these guys on separate pairings with less heralded defenders, so it's not as if the Devils can pick on any one pairing. But if one looks unsure (don't expect it to be Fowler), then that may be the one to go up against.</p>
<p><b>Even Strong in the Net: </b>The Ducks aren't just enjoying hot sticks, but their goaltenders have been very good in net at even strength. The <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?sort=save_pct&sit=ev&type=total" target="_blank">team's 92.7% save percentage ranks in the top ten in the league.</a> Jonas Hiller and Frederik Anderson <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=ANA&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves" target="_blank">have been excellent at evens.</a> I think Hiller will likely start if only because he's been getting the majority of games; but either could provide a real challenge. Not an insurmountable one. The Devils did ring up five on a goalie who has done similarly well at even strength prior to Wednesday's game. Then again, I expect Anaheim to put up more of a fight in their own end and in the neutral zone. And if Hiller does start, then the Devils' power play may want to take more chances at shooting the puck. His penalty kill save percentage has not been good at 84.5%. Then again, expecting the Devils power play to be successful appears to be a fool's game this season.</p>
<p><b>Cory's Chance at Redemption: </b>Last week, <span>Cory Schneider</span> conceded the game's first goal in Pittsburgh after he mishandled a dump-in from the neutral zone. He was fighting pucks early and was beaten two more times. The Devils in front of him stunk but he definitely was not good. As a result, Martin Brodeur got the very next game, earned a shutout and another start (and did well). But this is the first game in a back-to-back. <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/schneider_to_start_in_net_for_devils_vs._ducks_friday_clowe_unlikely_to_play_this_weekend/" target="_blank">Tom Gulitti reported at Fire & Ice on Thursday</a> that Cory Schneider will start this game with Brodeur likely getting the game in D.C. So it is now that Schneider has his chance to rebound. I certainly hope he does. I do think he's the better goaltender, even though Brodeur's now a touch ahead of him in even strength save percentage. But he's got to show it. He's got to get results and for that, he's got to play well. That means not pushing every shot out and not giving up gifts to the other team. It will not be easy. Anaheim's offense would provide a challenge much less an Anaheim team that has won six straight. But it never really is easy for a goalie in any game. Good luck, Schneider.</p>
<p><b>No Clowe: </b>Ryane Clowe's road to recovery continued with another practice. However, it does not appear he'll play just yet. <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/schneider_to_start_in_net_for_devils_vs._ducks_friday_clowe_unlikely_to_play_this_weekend/" target="_blank">Gulitti's report on Clowe after practice further shows that he's not quite ready to get in a game.</a> It's going to rough no matter when it happens since he hasn't played in months. It is still positive news that the discussion is "When we'll we see Clowe?" as opposed to "Does Clowe exist?"</p>
<p>With his absence, guys like <span>Tim Sestito</span> and Reid Boucher remain in the mix. I don't think Boucher's status would be in doubt. He was great on Wednesday and I expect him to be alongside <span>Michael Ryder</span> and Loktionov again. I want to see what he does for an encore. Gulitti did note that <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/zubrus_greene_volchenkov_missing_from_devils_practice_clowe_skating_on_top_line/" target="_blank">Janssen skated on a fifth line with Mattias Tedenby and Jacob Josefson</a> and <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/schneider_to_start_in_net_for_devils_vs._ducks_friday_clowe_unlikely_to_play_this_weekend/" target="_blank">even skated with them after practice.</a> I interpret that as a sign that <span>Cam Janssen</span> may be out for this game with Sestito taking his place. While it's not a massive improvement, I'd like to think it's a positive move if only because Sestito can probably handle 6-8 minutes and Janssen usually can't. I wonder how hard he'll skate knowing this may be one of his last few chances to show the coaches he belongs in New Jersey.</p>
<p>Other than that, I don't anticipate any other changes at forward or defense. Given how well the Devils attacked on Wednesday, I don't think there really should be any other switches. I do hope see more of The Truth from Eric Gelinas, Damien Brunner playing with swagger, and all kinds of Devils swarming the Ducks' end of the rink.</p>
<p><b>Happy Holidays in Newark: </b>The next time the Devils will be at The Rock will be two days after Christmas. So if you're going to the game, be merry to your fellow fan. Hopefully the Devils will provide a cheer-worthy performance.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b> The New Jersey Devils have a chance to make it three in a row and hit NHL .500 again, but it'll be a big feat given how well Anaheim has played in recent weeks. Can the Devils get it done? Who will have to have a great game to make it happen? How should the Devils attack Anaheim? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/12/20/5228960/new-jersey-devils-vs-anaheim-ducks-game-preview-36John Fischer