All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils at Colorado Avalanche: Game Stream #68A world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2015-03-13T00:33:33-04:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/79606282015-03-13T00:33:33-04:002015-03-13T00:33:33-04:00Devils Edged by Avs in Shootout, 1-2
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<img alt="In lieu of any pictures from tonight's game in the photostream, here is a photo from the last Devils-Avs game. Imagine a different player, different jerseys, a different bench, and Patrick Roy with a beard and you get the picture." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_jZuo5SEcz9qH0x1NWvkaJL_YB0=/0x50:2022x1398/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45883754/usa-today-7712571.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>In lieu of any pictures from tonight's game in the photostream, here is a photo from the last Devils-Avs game. Imagine a different player, different jerseys, a different bench, and Patrick Roy with a beard and you get the picture. | Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils played one great period before the Colorado Avalanche took over the game. But thanks to great goaltending for both sides, a 1-1 game required a shootout to break it - and Colorado took it. This is the game recap of what happened tonight. </p> <p>What started off so well didn't yield results. What turned into sloppiness, yielded a tie game. What continued as sloppiness, yielded no change. What four-on-four play brought were good shifts, bad shifts, and at least one amazing stop by each goal. And no difference. A shootout was necessary. One goal. One save. One miss. One goal. One goal. And the decider: no shot at all, just a stop. That was the long and short of it of tonight's game between the <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> and the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colorado Avalanche</a>. The Devils were defeated in the shootout 1-2, which made it a 1-2 final score.</p>
<p>I cannot stress enough how good the Devils started this game. The Avs were losing pucks left and right. They didn't bother to really defend the neutral zone. The Devils looked like Minnesota from Tuesday as they just did whatever they wanted on offense. They put shots on Seymon Varlamov, early, often, and from all over. Varlamov was excellent as he stopped all thirteen. Colorado's time to attack was limited to a mere three shots on net. Even without any goals, it's hard to find too much fault with that period. It's a shame it had no real bearing on the rest of the game, which Colorado mostly controlled.</p>
<p>The record will show that the Avalanche caught up to the Devils in shots by the third period and in attempts by the end of overtime. To do that meant overcoming the big deficit in both from the first period in following periods. To do that meant the Avalanche were controlling the puck more often and making more plays on offense. To do that meant that the Devils were chasing the game, often in their own end. All of this happened. It looked like bad fortune when <span>Jarome Iginla</span> picked up a loose puck - one that <span>Andy Greene</span> should've done a better job with - and slammed it past <span>Cory Schneider</span> early in the second. It was really a sign of things to come as the Avs did more. The Devils? They got four shots. Fortunately, Greene dropped a hammer from distance to tie up the game. Hockey, like life, is not a fair game.</p>
<p>Essentially, the two teams appeared to switch spots. However, there would be no changes in roles. After a slowish start, the Avalanche continued the good work they showed in the second period. Plenty of bad shifts for New Jersey. Plenty of shots against - twelve - with few going against Varlamov - four. They had to survive a penalty kill where the Avs nearly went ahead. They had to survive numerous instances at crashing the net. They had to hope Schneider overplaying <span>Nick Holden</span> on a drive to the net wouldn't go bad (it didn't). They had to hope there wouldn't be an errant bounce off a skate that would yield a wide-open net for a Colorado player to finish it late. The Devils would hold on, but the strong play from the first period seemed like a distant memory.</p>
<p>Overtime yielded a more even contest. Both teams traded shots, excellent shots, and robberies by their respective goaltenders. The Avalanche had a late opening when <span>Eric Gelinas</span> got his stick under the skate of <span>John Mitchell</span>, causing a tripping penalty. But the Devils survived those 26 seconds of 3-on-4 hockey, and so they got a point out of the affair. Not a terrible result in a game where the home team outplayed them for a majority of the game.</p>
<p>Alas, the shootout would go against the Devils. Ryan O'Reilly scored with seeming ease. <span>Scott Gomez</span> didn't fool Varlamov. <span>Matt Duchene</span> skated real hard and missed the net. <span>Jacob Josefson</span> roofed a shot over Varlamov. Jarome Iginla, the lone goal scorer during regulation for Colorado, would charge the net and score in close. <span>Patrik Elias</span>, I guess, tried to do the same thing. Except he slowed to a stop and Varlamov easily poked the puck away as Elias didn't even shoot. Based on how the game went overall, I can't say the Devils deserved a better result. That said, it was a really lame way to end a shootout and a game. So it goes as this season winds down.</p>
<p><b>The Game Stats: </b>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20142015/GS021009.HTM">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20142015/ES021009.HTM">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20142015/PL021009.HTM">NHL.com Play by Play Log</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20142015/SS021009.HTM">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20142015/TV021009.HTM">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Log</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20142015&game=21009">Natural Stat Trick Corsi Charts</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://war-on-ice.com/game4.html?seasongcode=2014201521009">War on Ice Game Stats</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.milehighhockey.com/2015/3/12/8205773/recap-avalanche-devils">Over at jdeppey at Mile High Hockey,</a> here is a recap of this game from a Colorado supporter's perspective.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>From <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com">NHL.com</a>, here is a video of the highlights of tonight's game.</p>
<p align="center"><iframe height="395" width="640" frameborder="0" src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2014021009-X-h"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Who Had the Issues?: </b>Surprising to me, the players who had the biggest struggles from the second period onward included <span>Adam Larsson</span> and Andy Greene. Goal-based mistakes/achievements aside, Greene just struggled to make plays. Larsson also struggled to get where he needed to be in his own end, too. They got a lot of <span>Alex Tanguay</span>, <span>Gabriel Landeskog</span>, and Ryan O'Reilly and they didn't win those match-ups. Neither did plenty of shifts against Iginla, Matt Duchene, and <span>John Mitchell</span>.</p>
<p>In their defense, some of the forwards in front of them were just not helping. <span>Travis Zajac</span> was the best on his line, but he alone couldn't make up whenever <span>Mike Cammalleri</span> had issues (not so on offense, he was firing away as he should) or <span>Jordin Tootoo</span> defended like Tootoo. The Scott Gomez unit was just miserable in their own end. <span>Steve Bernier</span> looked lost, Gomez was just a step too slow, and <span>Adam Henrique</span> - yes, he played tonight - just wasn't helping much. That's the Devils' top six, for better or worse. If they're getting pinned with 5-6 behind them, then it's hard to say they did all that good of a job. Yes, the Devils didn't give up a ton of shots tonight. They only conceded 29. But when they spent more time in the Devils' end, it meant less time for them to attack.</p>
<p><b>By Contrast: </b>The Devils' depth players had better nights. <span>Damon Severson</span> looked more like his old self tonight. <span>Jon Merrill</span> had some struggles early on, but it didn't turn out to be too damaging. Eric Gelinas, penalty aside, had one of his less contentious games in his own end of the rink. In that first period, <span>Stephen Gionta</span>, Patrik Elias, and <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> looked remarkably effective. The fourth line had some strong shifts. I attribute these differences to the match-ups. The top six, Larsson, and Greene got plenty of ice time against Colorado's best. That was probably the right call, though after that second period, one would've hoped for some kind of adjustment because whatever was done for the third didn't work.</p>
<p><b>Outcoached?: </b>That brings to my tired mind a good question. Patrick Roy may be behind the bench for a team that went from being a bad possession team to an even worse one this season. However, he got his players coached up and/or modified his tactics to account for that great first period the Devils played. As a result, the Avalanche attacked more, they put the Devils' defense to the sword numerous times, and - like many Devils games this season - Schneider was the main reason why the game didn't get ugly. Again, the Avalanche were the better team on the ice in the second and third periods. That Colorado was able to do that while the Devils didn't really do much in response in the second intermission or even before overtime suggests to me that Roy did better than the co-coaches tonight.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams Sigh: </b>The Devils' got three power plays and managed to register one shot on net. I thought hey forced at least two saves by Varlamov, but the scorer felt otherwise. It wasn't so much a case of the Devils being unable to get set-up. Tonight, it was just trying to get the puck through to the net. At least it's a slight step forward, but one shot out of six minutes of power play time points to that being an issue tonight.</p>
<p>Colorado was solidly killed on their first advantage, before making the Devils simply survive the other two. They got five shots, include one of the more heinous examples of overloading to one side of the ice that I've seen since the loss at Nashville. All four penalty killers were focused on the man at the sideboards who gained the zone. All four left a wide enough lane to the middle of the ice where Landeskog was just hanging out. Schneider denied him with a pad save to ensure that he would not be punished for his skaters' collective fault. I know it's a 4-on-5 situation, but there should be nobody all alone in the slot. Not even after a zone entry. My lamenting for one play aside, Schneider had to be great on the other two kills - and he was. While the PK can be considered a success for not conceding a goal, they didn't exactly quell the Avalanche either.</p>
<p><b>Random Thoughts: </b>When the Zajac line did get forward and tried to make a play for a good shot on Varlamov, I kept wondering, "What if they had a better winger than Tootoo?" The energy winger had issues with making passes, cleanly getting the puck for shots, and sent some of them off target tonight. It's kind of a buzz kill when there's Such as when Zajac sprung him for a breakaway in the second period, Tootoo decided to attempt a rising backhand. You're Jordin Tootoo, you're not scoring that way. Anyway, the try-not-exactly-hard-to-win Devils will likely keep Tootoo where he is. It's not like they have quality right wingers just sitting around doing nothing. No, Ryder and Havlat aren't quality right wingers.</p>
<p>Also, it was mentioned on the broadcast that <span>Peter Harrold</span> was getting time as a defensemen on the penalty kill. He was also used as a defenseman in overtime because <span>Mark Fraser</span> in a 4-on-4 situation against a speedy Colorado team would likely not go well. I wonder if this is a sign that Harrold may return to defense sometime soon? No, he's not a particularly good defender, but I'd prefer him over Fraser.</p>
<p>If the Devils mustered up one good period because the opposition was so bad on the puck for a period, then that sort of speaks to how this season has been going. The good times for the Devils often come at the expense of bad times for the opposition. And when those bad times end, so do the good times. If there's a goal for 2015-16, then it should be to keep the good times rolling even when the opposition is playing at their level.</p>
<p><b>Lastly: </b>Goalies were obviously the stars tonight. Schneider and Varlamov were excellent.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>The Devils at least got a point from Colorado. That's better than a late tie-breaking goal against in the third period. What did you think of the Devils' performance tonight? Who do you think was the best Devil tonight who was not named Schneider? Who on Colorado impressed you the most? Lastly, seriously, what was Elias thinking on the shootout? Please leave your thoughts and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who followed along in the Gamethread and on Twitter with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust">@InLouWeTrust</a>. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2015/3/13/8206295/new-jersey-devils-edged-in-shootout-loss-by-colorado-avalancheJohn Fischer2015-03-12T07:03:02-04:002015-03-12T07:03:02-04:00Devils at Avalanche: Game Preview #68
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<img alt="Guenin! Bernier! Tonight!" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bqmt9GUz-8-DJi9Q7vvPl6tvHfA=/0x28:2813x1903/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45872324/459131518.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Guenin! Bernier! Tonight! | Al Bello/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A road trip continues through Denver as the New Jersey Devils will play the Colorado Avalanche. This game preview looks at what went wrong for the Avs this season and what talented players they still have among other observations and thoughts.</p> <p>The road trip continues, but with a non-playoff opponent that's actually been worse than New Jersey in possession. Hmm.</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>9:00 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> (28-29-10) at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/">Colorado Avalanche</a> (30-26-11; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.milehighhockey.com/">Mile High Hockey</a>)</p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>The Devils started a three-game road trip on Tuesday night in Minnesota. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hockeywilderness.com/">Wild</a> got off to a good start but were denied a goal by <span>Cory Schneider</span> for the first ten minutes or so. Then, somehow, someway, the Devils were able to actually hang with the Wild and attack the net. The first period did not end well as Sean Bergenheim put home a pass in the slot for a score, but at the time, it appeared that the Devils could match this. Then the second period happened, where the Devils not only got dominated but got lit up. Chris Stewart scored seconds into the period. Seconds after surviving a penalty kill, Jared Spurgeon blasts one in from the right circle to make it 0-3. <span>Dainius Zubrus</span> broke his long goalless streak to get on the board, but it wouldn't be long before Thomas Vanek was ignored on a rush and put home a loose puck to make it 1-4. Early in the third period, <span>Jason Pominville</span> was wide open in the high slot and hammered a shot past Schneider to make it 1-5. At this point, <span>Keith Kinkaid</span> entered the game. Kinkaid would be beaten for a power play goal when <span>Zach Parise</span> fired on a loose puck amid chaos and Vanek got a touch on it for a goal. <span>Scott Gomez</span> scored seconds after that, but it was a consolation goal if there ever was one. The Wild cruised to win by that point; the Devils were deservedly blown out by them, 2-6. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2015/3/10/8188423/minnesota-wild-deservedly-dominated-new-jersey-devils-6-2-blowout" target="_blank">Here's my recap of the loss.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Avalanche Game: </b>While the Wild were beating down on the Devils, the Avalanche hosted Los Angeles. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Kings</a> jumped to an early lead and never looked back. <span>Marian Gaborik</span> got a PPG from a deflection of a shot by Brayden McNabb to get the scoring started. Minutes later, <span>Jeff Carter</span> finished a good give-and-go with <span>Jordan Nolan</span> to make it 0-2. The home team would get on the board when Tyson Barrie jumped up on a play and beat <span>Jonathan Quick</span> five-hole. Alas, the Kings responded with a long, hard shot by Kyle Clifford that beat <span>Calvin Pickard</span>. He was replaced by <span>Reto Berra</span> at that point. The second period wasn't filled with as many goals, but the Kings added one more thanks to Clifford one-handing a rebound through Berra's legs. <span>Alex Tanguay</span> gave the Avs faithful some hope when he put in one in on Quick's flank (thanks to Marc-Andre Cliche's pass). About a minute and a half later, that hope was scuttled when <span>Jake Muzzin</span> slammed a puck off the boards high and past Berra. The Avalanche would lose 2-5, which helps LA's playoff hopes while burying Colorado's even further. For a take on this game, <a href="http://www.milehighhockey.com/2015/3/10/8188051/game-67-recap-kings-conquer-avs-5-2" target="_blank">Cole D Hamilton had this recap at Mile High Hockey.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils-Avalanche Game: </b>On November 15, the Avalanche came to Newark. The Devils got off to a great start. They controlled the puck, they moved it well, <span>Martin Havlat</span> scored early, and it looked like another was coming. Unfortunately, the Avalanche would tie it up thanks to <span>John Mitchell</span> being open in front, the Devils reverted to their dump-and-chase ways, and the great start was forgotten about by the end of the first period. A sloppy second period ensued but no changes were made on the scoreboard. The Devils appeared to have broken through in the third period. <span>Eric Gelinas</span> fired a puck won off a faceoff through traffic and past an unaware Seymon Varlamov. However, that 2-1 lead was erased when <span>Erik Johnson</span> scored on a shot Schneider should've stopped. It was a bad goal to allow. Late in the period, the Avalanche would get that third goal off a bad break for New Jersey. <span>Tyson Barrie's</span> shot hit off Adam Larsson's skate and went right to an open <span>Matt Duchene</span>. Schneider had no chance to stop him. The Devils could not beat Varlamov a third time. So the Devils lost 2-3 largely due to a disappointing third period. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/11/16/7227839/third-period-disappointment-drove-new-jersey-devils-2-3-loss-colorado-avalanche" target="_blank">My recap of the loss is here.</a> For the opposition's perspective, <a href="http://www.milehighhockey.com/2014/11/15/7227121/nhl-avalanche-devils-3-2" target="_blank">Cheryl Bradley was more positive in her recap at Mile High Hockey.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Cover the slot. The Devils did a really poor job covering the middle of their zone against Minnesota. Several of the goals they allowed were from that area. Many more shots and attempts were taken there. By my eye, the Devils have seemingly collapsed into the middle more often under the co-coaches than under Peter DeBoer. When they do this and effectively clean up rebounds and deny plays to the middle, it works. When they are unable to do so and skaters are too busy chasing opposing players, then it doesn't work at all. Should they want to at least avoid another blow out, then the Devils need to be more aware (look to see who's coming into the middle, know where your teammates are so you don't leave it open, communicate to a teammate to watch the slot, etc.) and vigilant in protecting the most dangerous spot on the ice for attacking players.</p>
<p><b>And Patrick Roy is Still Coach...: </b>Last season's Colorado team won their division and did so while averaging over three goals per game, having one of the better power play units in the league, and riding a strong season from Seymon Varlamov with <span>Jean-Sebastien Giguere</span> as a solid back-up. This season's Colorado team isn't going to make the playoffs. They're negative in goal differential, <a href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/team?season=20142015&gameType=2&viewName=powerPlay" target="_blank">their power play is among the least successful in the NHL</a>, and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?season=20142015&gameType=2&team=COL&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves&sort=goals&ord=desc" target="_blank">their goaltenders save percentages - namely Varlamov - aren't as strong.</a> But that's not the crazy thing about it.</p>
<p>The crazy thing is that for all of their high percentages last season (<a href="http://war-on-ice.com/teamtable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=8&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&xaxis=3&yaxis=27&saxis=41&caxis=4&start0=20132014&end0=20142015&start1=2014-10-01&end1=2015-03-11&splitseasons=1&usedaterange=0&tablegroup=1" target="_blank">8.8% shooting percentage, 92.9% save percentage in 5-on-5 play per War on Ice</a>), they didn't really drop too much in 2014-15. In fact, he Avs have about the same percentages at evens this season. Seriously, 8.8% shooting percentage and 92.6% save percentage at evens. OK, the power play shooting percentage tanked; but that's remarkable. Usually when a team goes from averaging three goals per game to about 2.6, then there's usually a drop in shooting percentage. When there's an increase in goals allowed per game, then there's usually a larger drop in save percentage. So what's the deal?</p>
<p>My friend, the answer is in possession. Last season's team was rocking a 46.9% CF. The Avalanche have actually got <i>worse </i>from then<i>. </i><a href="http://war-on-ice.com/teamtable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=8&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=1&xaxis=3&yaxis=27&saxis=41&caxis=4&start0=20132014&end0=20142015&start1=2014-10-01&end1=2015-03-11&splitseasons=1&usedaterange=0&tablegroup=1" target="_blank">They currently have a CF% of 43.5%</a>, which is second only to Buffalo. Buffalo! The Avs have gone from putting up around <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/teamtable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=8&homeawaysit=1&tablegroup=3&xaxis=3&yaxis=27&saxis=41&caxis=4&start0=20132014&end0=20142015&start1=2014-10-01&end1=2015-03-11&splitseasons=1&usedaterange=0&tablegroup=3" target="_blank">51 shooting attempts per 60 minutes to putting up only under 48.</a> They've gone from conceding about 58 attempts per 60 minutes to giving up just over 62. Those rates in terms of shooting attempts translate to changes in terms of rates of shots. Their SF/60 has dropped from 28.4 to 26.9 and their SA/60 has jumped from 31.3 to 32.1. This combination of taking fewer shots and giving up more shots at evens leads to problems. Especially when also considering that the Colorado power play hasn't added much support, the goaltending hasn't been as strong, and the talent has been mixed with respect to production compared with last season.</p>
<p>If I learned anything from all of the years reading about hockey analytics, then it's that coaches play a big role with respect to possession. How they use their players and what tactics they employ make a huge difference in that regard. That the Avalanche are over 3% worse in CF% at evens tells me that for all of the talent Colorado has, Roy's not really getting the most out of it. I understand some important players left Colorado last summer and some important players are out hurt now, but going from bad to near-the-bottom in Corsi speaks to more than just player movement. Maybe Roy needs different players or needs to employ a different set of tactics. But should 2015-16 not start off all that well, don't be so shocked if Roy's time in Denver starts to run out. The 2014-15 season, if nothing else, suggests that he may not be the guy for all of these young guys to grow under.</p>
<p><b>They Still Got Talent: </b>While the Avalanche aren't going to be playing beyond April, their forwards can cause real headaches for the Devils tonight. <span>Nathan MacKinnon</span> is out with a foot injury, but the Avalanche still have plenty of younger talent to cause worries. Matt Duchene has 166 shots, 18 goals, 25 assists, and is quite swift. <span>Gabriel Landeskog</span>, the team's current leader in scoring with 19 goals and 28 assists, moves real well for his size and is <a href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=8&homeawaysit=1&shotattsit=1&names=&team=COL&pos=5&start1=2014-10-01&xaxis=52&yaxis=86&caxis=9&saxis=93&mintoi=0&tab=2&usedaterange=0&start0=20142015&end0=20142015&end1=2015-03-11&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">among the best possession players (that CF Rel) for a poor possession club per War on Ice.</a> Ryan O'Reilly may only have ten goals, but he's got thirty assists and he's a fine skater in his own right. On defense, Tyson Barrie has been very productive with eleven goals, thirty three assists, and 121 shots on net. He can and will jump up on offense to make plays.</p>
<p>It's not all young guys that the Devils will have to worry about either. <span>Jarome Iginla</span> is <a href="http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?season=20142015&gameType=2&team=COL&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary&sort=&ord=" target="_blank">right behind Landeskog for the team lead in points.</a> He is still the team's leading goal scorer with 21 goals, he shoots plenty given his 151 shots this season, and you can believe he's still got plenty in the tank. Alex Tanguay has a monsterous 21.3% shooting percentage. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8467338" target="_blank">He has always been a high-percentage shooter in his career</a>; this season is no different and so he's got eighteen goals and twenty five assists on a mere 85 shots.</p>
<p>What shouldn't concern the Devils so much is the state of the Avalanche's depth. Injuries have hit them hard. Losing MacKinnon and Erik Johnson to injuries is bad enough. <a href="http://leftwinglock.com/line-combinations/colorado-avalanche/?team=colorado-avalanche&strength=EV&gametype=GD" target="_blank">But look at Left Wing Lock</a> and you'll see how ugly the results are. They don't really have a pairing that can handle tough minutes so well (<a href="http://war-on-ice.com/playertable.html?mansit=3&scoresit=8&homeawaysit=1&shotattsit=1&names=&team=COL&pos=6&start1=2014-10-01&xaxis=52&yaxis=86&caxis=9&saxis=93&mintoi=0&tab=1&usedaterange=0&start0=20142015&end0=20142015&end1=2015-03-11&splitseasons=1" target="_blank">Johnson was relatively doing OK per War on Ice</a>). They don't really have a fully fleshed out top-six. They could do so, but Roy has decided it would be better to spread out the offense. Good in theory, not so good when the line is Duchene, Iginla, and <span>Jordan Caron</span>, who has only two shots in four games in limited use.</p>
<p>The Devils could very well still struggle should they repeat their performance in Minnesota. The Wild were flying at them as they out-controlled the puck; the Avalanche can do the same even with a chunk of their forward lineup being somewhat anonymous to most hockey fans. Still, Duchene, Iginla, Tanguay, Landeskog, and O'Reilly on different units could, in theory, cause a lot of problems. That the Avalanche are a 43.5% CF team tells me that the Devils may be able to not let them dictate the game. It'll be important to do so should the Devils want to keep pace with them.</p>
<p><b>What of Varlamov?: </b>One of the big game day decisions will be the status of Varlamov. <a href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2015/03/11/semyon-varlamov-practicing-wednesday-will-shut-season/21044/" target="_blank">Mike Chambers at the Denver Post reported that everyone practiced hard on Wednesday except for Varlamov.</a> He wasn't there. He didn't play on Tuesday due to a groin injury he got on Sunday. Per Chambers' post, Roy says that Varlamov might start tonight if he's good to go. Chambers isn't fully confident. I'm not either, but I'm not Patrick Roy. Getting Berra or Pickard - who has had great numbers this season but is coming off of a start where he got yanked for allowing three goals on eight shots - would be helpful for the Devils' cause.</p>
<p><b>This is a Status Quo Tank?: </b><a href="http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/no-change-in-devils-lines-at-today-s-practice-in-colorado-schneider-to-start-vs-avalanche-1.1286710" target="_blank">Tom Gulitti reported at Fire & Ice on Wednesday that there were no changes in the lines at practice.</a> Combined with the news that Cory Schneider will start this game and it means the same lineup that got wrecked by the Wild will play tonight. Given that this still means <span>Peter Harrold</span> is used as a forward, <span>Jordin Tootoo</span> and <span>Steve Bernier</span> are on "top lines," and Mark Fraser and Eric Gelinas are a defensive pairing in the NHL, I'm convinced the Devils aren't exactly trying real hard. Though, per Gulitti, <a href="http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/frustrated-havlat-smashes-stick-into-pieces-lamoriello-havlat-ryder-know-why-they-re-not-playing-1.1286768" target="_blank">the fact that Lou says they know and he knows why Martin Havlat and Michael Ryder aren't playing</a> suggests that there's not exactly a superior option in the press box. After a game where the Devils got shredded defensively, neither will provide any improvement in that aspect of the game. I've come to terms that this is what tanking looks like, at least for the roster that they have without calling up players from Albany that aren't ready for the NHL. Still, it's important to keep up the appearance of competitiveness and so I would think that's why Schneider is in. At least he is not going to give up a soft goal to Erik Johnson again.</p>
<p>As for the skaters, well, they all have to do better should we get to see this competitiveness. They have to defend better, they have to move the puck better, they have to attack better, and they have to communicate better.</p>
<p><b>Your Take: </b>The Devils have been bad against good possession teams. Will they therefore be better against a bad possession team? Will the Devils in general play a much better game tonight? Who do you think is the most dangerous on Colorado? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2015/3/12/8196051/new-jersey-devils-at-colorado-avalanche-game-preview-68John Fischer