All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils at Dallas Stars: Game Stream #55A world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2014-02-01T18:00:00-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/51239232014-02-01T18:00:00-05:002014-02-01T18:00:00-05:00Devils at Stars: Zone Exits and Passing Stats
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<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This is a look at the zone exit and passing stats for the New Jersey Devils 55th game of the season against the Dallas Stars. Read on for the details.</p> A one-timer from Zubrus and a power play redirection from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54968/travis-zajac">Travis Zajac</a> saw the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">Devils</a> to a 2-0 lead in Dallas. Unfortunately, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Stars</a> came back to tie it inside the final minute of regulation. Of course, this just led to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54975/patrik-elias">Patrik Elias</a> notching another milestone in his career, recording his sixteenth OT winner. Good for Patty and good for the Devils. Let’s get to it. <p>
<strong>Passing Stats</strong></p>
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<strong>Forwards:</strong> Not much from <span>Dainius Zubrus</span>, other than the obvious goal. He went 9/11 with no offense generated. He attempted 4 passes from both defensive and neutral zones, and 3 in the offensive zone, so he was involved all over the ice. <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> was a man possessed in the offensive zone, completing 13 of 17 passes, but, incredibly, only generated 2 shot attempts and 1 shot. He went 10/11 in the other zones. Travis Zajac went 10/13 with 3 SAG and 2SG. </p>
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<span>Stephen Gionta</span> had an okay game: 6/9 with 1 SAG. But, you know, he hustles and other intangible things, so I guess he did great. On a line with Elias and <span>Damien Brunner</span> for parts of the game, the results were mixed. Elias went 5/11 with nothing generated. Brunner completed each one of his passes (11) and generated 1 SAG and 1 SG. </p>
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<span>Adam Henrique</span> had a solid night, generating 4 SAG and 3 SG on 10/15 passing. <span>Michael Ryder</span> joined in the offensive production with 4 SAG and 1 SG on 7/8 passing. <span>Ryane Clowe</span> somehow completed all 10 of his passes in the defensive zone, going 9/10 elsewhere, and generating 2 shot attempts. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong> <span>Eric Gelinas</span> was only on the ice long enough to miss a single pass attempt. If he’s not going to see ice time here, then sending him to Albany is definitely the right move. He and <span>Adam Larsson</span> were effective after Gelinas’ initial call up, so if they play together down there, they might do that much better up at the big club. Maybe. </p>
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<span>Bryce Salvador</span> was once again a train wreck, going 9/17 passes with 1 SAG. Marek Zidlicky went 15/19, but failed to generate anything offensively. <span>Andy Greene</span> attempted the most passes on the night, finishing 18/21 with 2 SAG and 2 SG. A solid night from Greene. Mark Fayne was just as good: 14/17 with 2 SAG and 2 SG. </p>
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<span>Anton Volchenkov</span> was his usual ho-hum self: 7/10 with nothing going forward. <span>Jon Merrill</span> was nearly as active as Zidlicky in the offensive zone (5/5), finishing 16/18 with 1 SAG overall. A lot of the talk is on Gelinas this season, but I think Merrill is more well-rounded at this point in his career. </p>
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<img alt="Game_55_devils_stars_passing" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3943557/Game_55_Devils_Stars_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>Steve Bernier had 2, while Gionta, Brunner, <span>Ryan Carter</span>, and Henrique each committed 1. Gionta led the group with 9 exit attempts, finished at 55.6 PE%, a very good night for him, turnover aside. Clowe went 6/6, Jagr 6/8, and Zubrus 5/6 as they were the standouts when it came to zone exits. </p>
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<strong>Defensemen:</strong> The defensemen were simply terrible at exiting the zone with possession against Dallas, finished at 27.0 PE%. I believe one of the reasons the Devils are near the bottom of the league in shot attempts/shots (as <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/1/31/5364812/the-mediocre-devils-and-the-looming-trade-deadline">Matt illustrated the other day</a>) is due in large part to the blue line’s inefficiency at linking defense to offense while keeping possession. </p>
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Salvador had another 3 turnovers. He attempted 9 exits and 1 was with possession. Fayne was almost as bad, with 2 possession exits on 9 attempts, though just the one turnover. Greene had a rough night himself: 3 turnovers and only 3 possession exits on 8 attempts. Merrill and Zidlicky were the only defensemen at or over 50%, but they combined for only 5 exit attempts. </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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<img alt="Zone_exits_game_55_devils_stars" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3943549/Zone_Exits_Game_55_Devils_Stars.jpg"></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/2014/2/1/5367740/new-jersey-devils-at-dallas-stars-zone-exits-and-passing-statsRyan Stimson2014-01-31T00:18:00-05:002014-01-31T00:18:00-05:00Special Teams Powered Devils Over Dallas, 3-2 (OT)
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<img alt="Patrik Elias scored the game winning goal in OT. He's not covered in this picture; just like he wasn't covered on his shot. Travis Zajac likes it anyway." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R5sMzYO98JY547UHbIZFHOxj_6s=/0x101:4000x2768/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27773587/20140130_pjc_an3_452.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Patrik Elias scored the game winning goal in OT. He's not covered in this picture; just like he wasn't covered on his shot. Travis Zajac likes it anyway. | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Stunning penalty killing efforts and going 2-for-3 on power plays led the New Jersey Devils in a 3-2 overtime win over the Dallas Stars. This recap goes into complaints about the game, praise for other players, and other observations.</p> <p>All season long, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> have had a very successful penalty kill and a power play with a flattering conversion rate. Against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Dallas Stars</a>, the Devils got great results from both in their 3-2 overtime win. The penalty kill was not only entirely successful, but remarkably effective. The team had to kill a long 3-on-5 early in the game and ended up with as many shots as the Stars' two man advantage and bookended one man advantages (one). In fact, the Devils' PK out-shot the Stars' 3-1. But the power play shined with two power play goals. The first coming after a proper set-up, <span>Damien Brunner</span> firing from distance, and <span>Travis Zajac</span> deflecting it in. The second was in overtime and it was a simple play: a long shot by <span>Jaromir Jagr</span>, Zajac touching it off wide, and <span>Patrik Elias</span> burying the rebound. They only generated three shots but when two go in, that's just fine.</p>
<p>Ultimately, special teams made the difference in a real grind-it-out affair in Texas. The Devils out-attempted the Stars 46-43 and out-shot them 24-16. Both teams played with energy. It's just that it didn't lead to much offense. Sure, there were a few strong shifts for both teams. Ultimately, there were more action that led to little. The Devils were credited for 18 blocks, including one that hurt <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> in the third. Like one may expect from a hockey player, Zubrus finished his shift in pain as he helped on defense and completed a pass for a zone exit. In any case, I'd say that the Devils did enjoy the better run of play tonight. If anything, an unfortunate bounce forced overtime.</p>
<p>That late equalizer came from <span>Tyler Seguin</span>. The situation was an odd one. Jaromir Jagr got tagged for hooking <span>Jamie Benn</span> late in the third, but the refs also gave Benn a penalty for diving. The 4-on-4 became a 4-on-5 with <span>Kari Lehtonen</span> pulled. The Stars threw it into traffic and the puck got caught up in the equipment of <span>Anton Volchenkov</span>. The puck eventually fell out, <span>Alex Chiasson</span> fed it across to Seguin, who got denied by something, the puck bounces up to Volchenkov's skate while he's down. As Volchenkov stands up, the puck gets propelled to Seguin, who didn't miss firing it past <span>Cory Schneider</span>. It's the sort of thing that really can't be defended. It's not like Volchenkov moved the puck that way on purpose. Though Volchenkov and his partner tonight, <span>Bryce Salvador</span>, were certainly bad enough, I think it to be harsh to point a finger at them for the equalizer. It certainly would not be harsh to point a finger at Salvador for not covering Jamie Benn in the second when he scored on a backhand.</p>
<p>But overall, I can't find much fault with this game. The team needed a win and they got it. Yes, they had to go to overtime to do so. But it was more important to get a 'W' at all than necessarily do it in regulation. Dallas isn't in the Eastern Conference, so their gift of one point is immaterial. Overall, they made life difficult for the Stars. They didn't get a lot of rushes. They couldn't move very well through the neutral zone. Cory Schneider didn't have to be a super star, though he did make a number of strong saves. The Devils kept the Stars more than honest in the third and could have easily ended this with three or four goals. Special teams were great at both ends, ugly first power play aside, and they directly brought out tonight's result. They have a win on this road trip and can make it a positive trip with a win tomorrow. I don't have too many complaints; but of course, I'll point them out shortly.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020813.HTM">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/ES020813.HTM">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/PL020813.HTM">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/SS020813.HTM">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/TV020813.HTM">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Log</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.extraskater.com/game/2014-01-30-devils-stars">Extra Skater Game Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b>At Defending Big D, <a href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/2014/1/30/5363684/dallas-stars-salvage-point-on-late-goal-fall-3-2-to-new-jersey-devils" target="_blank">here's Brad Gardner's recap.</a></p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>From NHL.com, here are tonight's highlights.</p>
<p align="center"><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2013020813-X-h"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Complaints: </b>I don't have too many, but I do have some from tonight's game. First, Salvador and Volchenkov were bad tonight. Salvador was especially bad in possession, Volchenkov took a call during a PK, and both notably struggled more with Dallas' speed than the other two pairings. If Salvador wasn't the team captain, then his performance would lead to a benching. I don't know why both got around 17 minutes at evens; both should have received far less.</p>
<p>Also: Why were they out defending the extra man situation? It wasn't a PK. The Stars took a timeout, so surely the Devils could have put out <span>Andy Greene</span> (who was very good, as usual) and <span>Mark Fayne</span> (who wasn't quite so sharp, but way better than 24 and 28). I'm not saying that the Stars would not have scored an equalizer with them out there. Again, Seguin scored off a fortunate occurrence, not a misplay by the defense. But in that spot, the best defenders have to be out there. While the Stars only got 16 shots on net, it wasn't because Salvador and Volchenkov were totally holding it down.</p>
<p>Staying with defense, <span>Eric Gelinas</span> only played four shifts tonight. Four! I understand that Peter DeBoer doesn't think much of <span>Jacob Josefson</span> (fine, whatever) and can't make a spot for <span>Andrei Loktionov</span>. It's not the first time that DeBoer went with seven defensemen. Even with Gelinas' own issues on defense in recent games, I would have preferred to have him rotate with Salvador and/or Volchenkov. It would have minimized their struggles while keeping Gelinas fairly involved. He made a sweet pass to Jagr coming out of the box in OT that led to Elias getting taken down by Benn, which yielded the game winning power play. Going with seven defenders is one thing, but only using the seventh one for minimal time seems like a waste to me.</p>
<p>Lastly, Damien Brunner and Patrik Elias both played about eleven minutes at evens. Elias did get moved up to the top line while Zubrus was being attended to for his shot-block-induced leg pain. But even with <span>Stephen Gionta</span> centering them, I don't know why they were held back. Elias looked fine and played a good game. He scored an important power play goal and got a secondary power play assist. Brunner was up for this game physically and took a great shot that Zajac helped beat Lehtonen. Maybe I missed something, but in retrospect, I was surprised to see both play as little as they did.</p>
<p><b>Gionta Did Well: </b>Note that I did not complain about Stephen Gionta centering Elias and Brunner at all. Or that he also centered <span>Ryan Carter</span> and <span>Steve Bernier</span> as well. Gionta played a very good game tonight. He had six shooting attempts and three on net to lead the team. He was brave, such as carrying the puck ahead in a 3-on-5 situation and making sure he got it to Lehtonen instead of conceding a big rush back. He skated hard to help out on defense, impressively diving on his stomach to help Salvador make a play in the third among other examples. He wasn't so focused on the puck and the puck alone, and I really liked his work on the PK. I would not want Gionta to center those two regularly. But tonight, it wasn't at all an issue. I liked what I saw from 11.</p>
<p><b>Return of the Zubrus: </b>While his night ended in pain, I was glad to see Dainius Zubrus make the most of his return to the line with Jagr and Zajac. Jagr fed Zubrus in perfectly for a banger of a one-timer in the first period. The goal not only was the team's first since the first period on Sunday but also Zubrus' first since January 14 and his second since Christmas. It was heartwarming to see #8 win pucks along the perimeter to help facilitate #68 and #19.</p>
<p>Incidentally, I also liked Jagr and Zajac tonight. Zajac got a goal, hit a post in the third, and got robbed by Kari Lehtonen in the second period prior to his goal. He was great at the dot and just made good decisions in general with and without the puck. By my eye, Jagr's passes were better tonight and he took plenty of initiative with three shots of his own. Like Seguin benefited from a bounce, he was denied a gimmie in the third period when he crashed the crease to try and drive in a loose puck from Patrik Elias. Alas, his stick couldn't get free to knock it in the empty net behind Lehtonen. Still, I hope Zubrus' left knee is OK and he can resume playing with Zajac and Jagr. I'd like to see what comes next.</p>
<p><b>Ugly D: </b>While the Stars only conceded 24 shots, their play was a big reason why Dallas struggled to get going. Every period, they'd concede possession. A bad pass here, a mis-read there, and a Devil forcing a turnover in other cases. The Devils could and probably should have made more from them. But they struggled to get the puck up to their guys into the neutral zone. As a result, the Devils were able to be prepared for them more often and strike back. It's a big reason why there were stretches in the third where the Devils looked like the team down one goal. It's a big reason why the Stars were out-shot in every period despite losing through most of it. <span>Alex Goligoski</span> (he looked great for New Jersey early) and <span>Trevor Daley</span> weren't as bad in possession as I would have thought. <span>Sergei Gonchar</span> and <span>Aaron Rome</span> were picked on. I'm not sure what <span>Jordie Benn</span> brings to the table. Lehtonen may not have faced a lot of shots, but he could have had better prospects of goal support if the defenders in front of him didn't struggle so much starting breakouts and the like.</p>
<p><b>Poor Cory: </b>The two goals against certainly aren't his fault. But fourteen saves out of sixteen hurts the save percentage. Oh well, he'll likely end January with an excellent number as opposed to a crazy-excellent number.</p>
<p><b>They're, uh, Stars: </b>The Devils tried their best to keep Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin at bay. Yet, they each finish the night with a goal out of two shots. While the Stars got more shots and attempts from <span>Cody Eakin</span> (thanks for not firing at the net on a power play when Schneider was down) and <span>Ryan Garbutt</span> (thanks for hitting Brunner away from the play after what was then Dallas' best shift of the night, which yielded Zajac's PPG), they were the dangerous players I thought they were. Imagine if this game was more wide-open; they could have done a lot more. Fortunately for New Jersey, most of their offense ran through a handful of players.</p>
<p><b>Pow: </b>Anton Volchenkov stood up to knock down <span>Erik Cole</span> in the third period in open-ice. This is notable because it was one of the few times Cole was involved in anything.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>The Devils won to avoid dropping three games in a row. What did you make of the team's performance? Who do you think did well and did not do well? What part of the Devils' performance impressed you the most: the power play success, the PK stifling Dallas, Gionta not being bad, etc.? What from tonight's game should the Devils try to improve on for tomorrow's game in Nashville? Please leave your answers and other thoughts on tonight's game in the comments.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who followed along in the comments and through Twitter with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust" target="_blank">@InLouWeTrust.</a> Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2014/1/31/5363652/new-jersey-devils-special-teams-stand-out-3-2-overtime-victory-dallas-starsJohn Fischer2014-01-30T19:31:00-05:002014-01-30T19:31:00-05:00Devils at Stars: Gamethread #55
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<p>This is the gamethread for today's game between the New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars. This is a post where users can discuss what happens before, during, and after the game until the recap is up.</p> <p><strong>The Time:</strong> 8:30 PM EST</p>
<p><strong>The Broadcast:</strong> TV- MSG+ ; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><strong>The Matchup:</strong> The <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> (22-21-11) vs. The <a href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Dallas Stars</a> (24-21-8; SBN Blog: <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/">Defending Big D.</a>)</p>
<p><strong>The Game Previews: </strong> John's preview from earlier <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/1/30/5359516/new-jersey-devils-at-dallas-stars-game-preview-55/in/5123923">this morning is right here.</a> For the opposition's point of view, feel free to drop by <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/">Defending Big D.</a></p>
<p><strong>The Song for Tonight: </strong><a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKuWgOPQQ90">"Upsidedown Stars" by Tyrannosaurus Dracula.</a> Why? Because "Rightsideup Stars" are inherently more dangerous <em>and </em>this band is from New Jersey <em>and </em>somehow have both "tyrannosaurus" and "Dracula" in their name.</p>
<p><strong>Gameday Info: </strong>The NJ Devils will go back to seven defensemen for tonight's game and as a result <span>Jacob Josefson</span> will be a healthy scratch. <span>Cory Schneider</span> will mind the net for NJ. <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/">Check in</a> with Tom Gulitti for this and all the latest NJ Devils news.</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/2014/1/30/5362406/new-jersey-devils-at-dallas-stars-gamethread-55JT Sroka2014-01-30T07:00:02-05:002014-01-30T07:00:02-05:00Devils at Stars: Game Preview #55
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<img alt="Kari Lehtonen will likely face more pucks from the New Jersey Devils. Will it be as many as he faced back on January 9?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w5_dmBxPhjPDW4jaHQlR17UAlmw=/67x0:3932x2577/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27708041/20140109_ajl_se8_091.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kari Lehtonen will likely face more pucks from the New Jersey Devils. Will it be as many as he faced back on January 9? | Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>As the road trip continues, the New Jersey Devils visit the Dallas Stars tonight in the hopes of avoiding a third straight loss. This preview focuses on Dallas' threats and strengths as well as the Devils' own issues.</p> <p>Can the Devils avoid a three game losing streak and get some points on this trip? Can I avoid seeing a similar sentence for Friday's preview?</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>8:30 PM EDT</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> (22-21-11) at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Dallas Stars</a> (24-21-8; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/">Defending Big D</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>The Devils continued their travels into Missouri to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stlouisgametime.com/">St. Louis Blues</a>. Unlike the previous week, this game didn't feature nearly as many favorable bounces. Though, the Blues' defense tried really hard in the first period to do so. The Blues went up first in the game when Alex Steen trailed just enough in a 3-on-2. Giving Steen time, space, and <span>Anton Volchenkov</span> in <span>Cory Schneider's</span> field of vision ends badly for any team. The Devils tried to beat <span>Jaroslav Halak</span> throughout the game, but they couldn't do it. Not with two good power plays (their third was awful and their fourth was just "whatever") and not much action at evens. The Blues did a very good job defensively to get in the Devils' way and make life hard for them at moving thepuck. The Blues would add to their lead in the third period. Brendan Morrow was in the right place at the right time to rightly deflect a shot by <span>Jay Bouwmeester</span> past Schneider to convert a third period power play. The 2-0 scoreline looked like a mountain to climb, and so frustration set in. <span>Maxim Lapierre</span> lofted in an empty netter shortly after the Devils were close to getting on the board and that was that after some dumb stuff. The Devils lost 3-0 as their season-long offensive issues arose again. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/1/28/5356292/no-goals-no-chance-new-jersey-devils-blanked-by-st-louis-blues-3-0" target="_blank">My recap is here.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Stars Game: </b>On Monday, the Dallas Stars hosted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/">Colorado Avalanche</a>. Very early in the game, an <span>Alex Goligoski</span> turnover and some defensive sketchiness led to <span>Nathan MacKinnon</span> giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. Far later in the first, the Avs increased their lead when <span>Jamie McGinn</span> popped a puck past <span>Kari Lehtonen</span>. The Stars would cut the lead in half when <span>Jamie Benn</span> picked a corner from the slot off a great clearance-stop-and-pass by <span>Tyler Seguin</span>. In the second period, the Stars struck early with a power play goal from Seguin to tie up the game. The Stars continued the pressure as they crushed the Avs in shots, 19-8. Alas, the Avs would go up late in the second with a power play goal from <span>Paul Stastny</span>. The Stars would equalize shortly thereafter with Seguin's second of the night. The third period was even more of a domination by the Stars. However, like a certain team in Ontario, the heavily out-shot team got a score and held on for dear life. <span>Alex Tanguay</span> broke the 3-3 deadlock less than five minutes into the third; Seymon Varlamov played out of his mind as he faced 13 shots compared to his team putting up only 3; and the Stars lost 4-3. At Defending Big D, here's <a href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/2014/1/27/5352786/semyon-varlamov-breaks-dallas-stars-streak-with-41-saves-on-44-shots" target="_blank">Brad Gardner's recap of the Stars' 44-shot effort coming up short due to the other man in the net.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils-Stars Game: </b>Back on January 9, the Devils hosted the Stars. The game featured plenty of offense but it was all about the goalies. Cory Schneider and Kari Lehtonen brought their A+ games to the Rock and simply got a bit of everything. Only one man managed to score between both teams: <span>Michael Ryder</span>. He got in front with just enough space and just at the right time to one-time it in early in the first. The Devils could have had more goals if it wasn't for Lehtonen. The Stars could have had any goals if it wasn't for Schneider. It was a 1-0 victory. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/1/9/5294062/cory-schneider-shutout-seals-streak-snapping-single-goal-win-new-jersey-devils-dallas-stars" target="_blank">Here's my recap of the game.</a> Over at Defending Big D, <a href="http://www.defendingbigd.com/2014/1/9/5293732/dallas-stars-solve-defensive-woes-but-fall-1-0-to-new-jersey-devils" target="_blank">Erin Bolen had this take.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Fire at will, especially when losing. The Devils not only lost the last two games, but put up rather low shot counts in both. They only put up 22 against Our Hated Rivals on Sunday and 25 against St. Louis. More worrisome is that they only put up five each in the third period when they were losing. While the Devils were down three to four goals on Sunday, the St. Louis game was still a one-shot game for quite a bit of time. One of the biggest problems the Devils have this season is putting pucks on frame. Fortunately, they're playing a team that they had success with earlier this season. They rang up 34 on Lehtonen. While only one got in, it's a lot more likely they'll get more goals with a similar kind of output than expecting Lehtonen to be perfect. Especially since Lehtonen has been running <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470140&season=20132014&view=log" target="_blank">hot and mostly cold throughout January.</a> Before the Avs game, he put up a shutout. In the Avs game, he got lit for four goals. Throughout the month, his save percentage is at only 90.1%. The Devils need to shoot more anyway, so attack - especially if Alex Goligoski and <span>Trevor Daley</span> are sloppy again - and the Devils may get some. They're not going to find the net if they don't try, after all.</p>
<p><b>Dynamite Line: </b>Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and <span>Valeri Nichushkin</span> featured on all three of Dallas' goals on Monday night. Per Left Wing Lock, those three were together often and that's a scary proposition for the Devils. Nichushkin is the big, fast rookie forward with eleven goals, fourteen assists, and 85 shots on net. He's fourth on Dallas in scoring and he's got a future so bright, I may need to wear shades. He's the third best forward on this line and it's the other two that are frightening. Seguin and Benn are first and second, respectively, in team scoring. Seguin has 23 goals, 28 assists, and 164 shots. Benn has 20 goals, 28 assists, and 182 shots on net. They have great shots, they know how to create them, and they can hurt a team either with possession or just a quick strike like Benn's goal against Colorado. The Stars aren't a two man team, but these two have carried a lot of the offensive weight for them this season. The Devils will need to contend with them most of all. I hope they don't wreck the second or third pairing too badly.</p>
<p><b>Driving Forward: </b>The Stars are similar to the Devils in that they have one or two players way above everyone else in terms of scoring. For the Devils, that's <span>Jaromir Jagr</span> with 44 points and no one currently above thirty. More relevant to tonight's game, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=total" target="_blank">the Stars have been almost as strong in possession as the Devils according to Extra Skater. </a> What this means is that they usually out-attempt and out-shoot their competition at evens. Say what you want about a team that features <span>Erik Cole</span>, <span>Rich Peverley</span>, <span>Ray Whitney</span>, <span>Shawn Horcoff</span>, and <span>Vernon Fiddler</span>, but Lindy Ruff has <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?team=dal&season=2013&sit=5v5" target="_blank">them performing such that they're not dragging the team too far back.</a> Of course, getting positive play from <span>Antoine Roussel</span>, <span>Ryan Garbutt</span>, and most of the defense really is what helps along with that dynamite line being, well, explosive. As such, they're likely to be rather difficult to deal with in the run of play.</p>
<p>I will say that they are unlike the Devils in how they go about it. The Stars are more high-event at evens than the Devils. That means <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sort=sf&sit=ev" target="_blank">they take more shots and give up more shots</a>. It's worked out from an offensive standpoint at least. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=DAL&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary" target="_blank">All of those additional players have produced a decent amount of points.</a> That means <span>Cody Eakin</span>, Garbutt, Cole, etc. can factor if the Seguin-Benn-Nichushkin unit struggles somewhat. It also means the Devils can't just load up against one unit.</p>
<p><b>Go Right At: </b>The Goligoski-Daley pairing against Colorado was bad. Their misplays cost their team two goals. I don't know whether they'll stay together. If they do, then I want the Devils to attack them. Aside from that, I want the forwards to play aggressive against <span>Sergei Gonchar</span>. It's not an accident he's the worst among the Stars' defenders in possession. He's lost a step and he's never been that great of a defensive player anyhow.</p>
<p><b>Stay Out of the Box: </b>The Stars' <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=powerPlayPercentage&viewName=summary" target="_blank">power play conversion rate is rather low at only 15.9%.</a> It's not for a lack of trying. The Stars tend to generate a lot of shots. Their shooting rate is well into the top ten in the league, <a href="http://www.extraskater.com/teams/on-ice?type=rate&sit=pp&sort=sf" target="_blank">per Extra Skater.</a> Of course, the big threats are Benn and Seguin, but it's here where Gonchar and Goligoski really do damage on offense. The Devils will have to be careful with how they use their sticks and not get caught out such that they have to foul. Dallas may not have a lot of power play success this season but they can threaten and that alone can hold the Devils back.</p>
<p><b>So You're Unhappy, What're You Going to Do About It?: </b>After the St. Louis game, <span>Patrik Elias</span> was reportedly unhappy with the "selfish play" by <a href="http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2014/01/devils_patrik_elias_says_selfish_play_by_some_players_is_costing_team_valuable_points.html" target="_blank">some his teammates according to this Rich Chere post at NJ.com.</a> Of course, he did not name any particular players, but being called selfish is a cardinal sin in hockey so he's clearly not pleased with someone. Losing 3-0 after getting smashed on a national stage surely will make anyone unhappy. My concern is what happens now. Did Elias speak with said players to help them along? What will Elias himself do to make things more right? The Devils did not practice on Wednesday so it's unclear whether there will be changes in forward lines or other situations.</p>
<p>I'm hoping someone gets sparked by it. Maybe it'll be <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> or <span>Damien Brunner</span>, who have been invisible in recent games? Maybe it'll be Jaromir Jagr, who was forcing quite a few of his passes to the other team on Tuesday? Of course, maybe the run of play tonight won't be conclusive enough to figure it out or it may not work. Who knows? I don't.</p>
<p><b>Please Start Schneider: </b>The second half of this back-to-back set is a game against a less offensive Nashville team. If it were me, I'd start Cory Schneider. Not that he's been the problem, but he'd give the Devils a better chance to win tonight against a more prolific-shooting Stars team.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>Now it's your turn. Do you think the Devils will be able to find the net tonight? What do you think they'll have to do to beat the Stars? Will they do that thing? Pay attention to <a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/" target="_blank">Tom Gulitti</a> during the day for any lineup updates since the team did not practice yesterday. Please leave your answers and other thoughts about this game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2014/1/30/5359516/new-jersey-devils-at-dallas-stars-game-preview-55John Fischer