It's really been the story of Blackwood's career is that he can't start games on time. Let's in a couple of freebees and puts the team behind right away. Sure, he's battled here to keep them in it but you put your team at a huge disadvantage against the league's best team to start. This guy is gone after the season.

The powerplay has been poop all season. The 2nd unit has like two goals all season. In general the coaching is still an issue it's just that we have some great talent and actual decent goaltending now which is masking it.

In this game alone Lindy has done poop like put McLeod out 4v4 with Jack for some reason. Starts the 4th line after a TV timeout so the Bruins put out Pastrnak and hems them in. Obviously Wood is gone after this season but at some point somebody needs to tell the coach to stop dressing the guy.

I wanna see that puck in Ullmark’s net so bad.

To add insult to injury Marchand just had to go check somebody in the head.

How the (frank) is there no penalty. That's an absolute (frank)ing joke

They might just be better than us. They’ve missed on some prime scoring chances.. seemingly more quality chances than us

We have to be better if we wanna win a series against these guys. Everything needs to be turned up a notch.

Only way we don't get home ice is if we lose out in regulation and the Rangers go 2-0-1 at a minimum or we go 0-2-1 and the Rangers go 3-0-0. There's only a 2.7% chance of that happening, so not likely. If that happens, so be it. Home ice is pretty much irrelevant in that series. I'd much rather go into the playoffs healthy and as rested as possible
- vlongo4419

What’s your % now? Having home ice advantage means you have last change and best possible match up. Pretty important in a tight series.

To add insult to injury Marchand just had to go check somebody in the head.
- Pomegrant

Like I said in the beginning of the game….somebody hit that little rat.

The Devils did not play their best.

Thank you Timo for showing some balls tonight.

Like I said in the beginning of the game….somebody hit that little rat.

The Devils did not play their best.

Thank you Timo for showing some balls tonight.
- Jazzmaster30

I like Timo running Pastrnak at the end there. You don't run Marchand, you run their best guy. Marchand is always going to hit people dirty, there is nothing you can do about it.

What’s your % now? Having home ice advantage means you have last change and best possible match up. Pretty important in a tight series.
- hockeybocc

Barely changed considering this was the expected outcome of the game. Completely disagree with you on home ice being important in a Rangers/Devils series. Last change is incredibly overrated, especially when you have a coach who consistently puts this team at a disadvantage in matchups anyway.

Barely changed considering this was the expected outcome of the game. Completely disagree with you on home ice being important in a Rangers/Devils series. Last change is incredibly overrated, especially when you have a coach who consistently puts this team at a disadvantage in matchups anyway.
- vlongo4419

well, if McLeod is concussed it makes it hard to run him out there against Zibanejad consistently.

well, if McLeod is concussed it makes it hard to run him out there against Zibanejad consistently.
- Pomegrant

Very true, might actually help us! Honestly though, hope hes okay. I get we were trying to tie the game, but someone shouldve two handed Marchand across the back of the knee. I never wish injury on anybody, but it wouldnt be the worst thing to see him have his season, or even career, ended by a cheapshot. (frank) him. Always has been and always will be a pos.

I like Timo running Pastrnak at the end there. You don't run Marchand, you run their best guy. Marchand is always going to hit people dirty, there is nothing you can do about it.
- Pomegrant

I agree, but we can still clean check Marchand all night to slow him down & piss him off.

Just like Holik used to hit Mario Lemieux cleanly all night and frustrate him and get him off his game.
I guess long gone are the “Checking Lines” of years past with Holik, Pandolfo, Madden…etc.

Every time we play Boston Marchand lays a dirty hit on somebody. Sorry, you don't get benefit of the doubt anymore with your track record. Blindside hit and head was principal point of contact. McLeod had no ability to protect himself there and the refs just didn't call poop. It should've been called a 2 on the ice bare minimum.

I think you also saw what happens to this team when Haula is out because our 3rd line got way shakier with having to push McLeod up in the lineup for minutes. He is acceptable playing against 4th line comp but outside of that should not be matching up against top comp ever.

Boston played a textbook game where they went up two and knows they can defend a lead perfectly. We just don't have a lot of answers to that as a team and especially with our dud of a coaching staff. Boston didn't press at all, we got a lot of powerplay opportunities and did nothing with it. Deserved loss.

Very true, might actually help us! Honestly though, hope hes okay. I get we were trying to tie the game, but someone shouldve two handed Marchand across the back of the knee. I never wish injury on anybody, but it wouldnt be the worst thing to see him have his season, or even career, ended by a cheapshot. (frank) him. Always has been and always will be a pos.
- vlongo4419

Was really waiting for someone to at least step up to Marchand to send a message but glad Meier tagged pasta at least!

I agree, but we can still clean check Marchand all night to slow him down & piss him off.

Just like Holik used to hit Mario Lemieux cleanly all night and frustrate him and get him off his game.
I guess long gone are the “Checking Lines” of years past with Holik, Pandolfo, Madden…etc.
- Jazzmaster30

Bobby used to (frank) around a lot but don't think anybody would get away with that kind of stuff these days.

Meier did try to run Marchand at the end but the guy knows when people are gunning for him.

We have to be better if we wanna win a series against these guys. Everything needs to be turned up a notch.
- MartysBetter88

The bruins have had the devils number for years. I think that if they meet in the playoffs the devils are screwed, only chance is if the bruins lose first round.

Yeah since the contract started this year, it means he can play/practice/skate with the big club. Since the contract is considered a "20-year-old" contract, he isnt eligible to slide. So he burns the year whether he plays or not. It has no effect on his free agency eligibility, but it moves him a year closer to his second contract.

Theres two ways you can look at this. Either its that since he burned the first year, and probably wont play much, it *should* make his second contract a little cheaper in the short term since he'll only have 2 years of NHL play to earn the big dollars we're expecting him to eventually get. So he probably will sign a bridge deal as his second deal which essentially "balances out" losing the first year of the ELC. But also, you can see it as we're losing a full year of a potential stud D being 975k against the cap and he'll be getting a cap hit bump a year earlier. I can see and understand both sides of that argument.
- vlongo4419

Thanks Buddy

Lazar has joined the team for practice today. No Haula, Dougie, or McLeod.

Lazar has joined the team for practice today. No Haula, Dougie, or McLeod.
- vlongo4419

Haula skated this morning and Dougie is sick. No update on McLeod yet.

Haula skated this morning and Dougie is sick. No update on McLeod yet.
- vlongo4419

-Ruff confirms Luke will play in one of the final 2 games this week.

-Says McLeod is seeing doctors and being evaluated.

Saw some guy on twitter saying that Gritsyuk's KHL contract has come to an end and is looking to come to NJ to play. Not sure on the validity of it but interesting to see seeing that we have some potential injury concern and he might be able to just slot in right away and play.

Saw some guy on twitter saying that Gritsyuk's KHL contract has come to an end and is looking to come to NJ to play. Not sure on the validity of it but interesting to see seeing that we have some potential injury concern and he might be able to just slot in right away and play.
- Pomegrant

It was his agent. Would be shocked if he came over because the team has already said they want him to stay over there for another year or two. Maybe they do what they did with Mukhamadullin and bring him over to play in the AHL playoffs, if Utica makes it, then loan him back to the KHL for next season.

It was his agent. Would be shocked if he came over because the team has already said they want him to stay over there for another year or two. Maybe they do what they did with Mukhamadullin and bring him over to play in the AHL playoffs, if Utica makes it, then loan him back to the KHL for next season.
- vlongo4419

Sure, but if the guy wants to get out of Russia you probably do what you can to get him over here. Maybe he shows up to play in the AHL for a bit or something or just be around the team in the playoffs too.

Sure, but if the guy wants to get out of Russia you probably do what you can to get him over here. Maybe he shows up to play in the AHL for a bit or something or just be around the team in the playoffs too.
- Pomegrant

That's why I said do what they did with Shakir. They've made it clear they don't think he's ready for the NHL, so they're probably just gonna stick to their plan and do what they think is best. His agent is just putting that out there because contract negotiations in Russia haven't gone how they planned. Mukhamadullin wanted to stay in NA and play in the AHL but the Devils sent him back anyway.

I would love for Gritsyuk to be on the roster next season. I think he fully deserves a shot in camp to make earn a spot. But everything the team has said, they don't believe he's there yet.