Two days late and two points short, but the Devils finally learned a valuable lesson; It's really fucking hard to win hockey games against top heavy teams when you take unnecessary penalties. That was an easy flaw to brush off when literally thee most unlikely of shorthanded goals, a couple posts, and Cory Schneider's insane ability to remain conscious while standing on his head were able to help offset the gifting of EIGHT extra man opportunities to a team as spoiled with offensive riches as the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not so much when you give the most dangerous power player in the game 4 minutes to go to work in a closely contested third period. I don't want to be too hard on Pavel Zacha because anyone that's played the game knows that sometimes your stick instinctually gets away from you, but that double minor served as the blood drawing dagger in the innocence of a team that's been a little too guilty of playing undisciplined. Now, of course, the Devils were otherwise unquestionably outplayed by one of the best teams in the conference. Much more importantly, however, they weren't outclassed. Aside from the careless turnover (looking at you John Moore) that led to Oshie's first goal and the sloppy puck work that led to the back breaking insurance goal to end the second, the Devils were in last night's game up until the fateful high stick. They could certainly benefit from playing a better brand of hockey tonight, but I don't think too many dramatic tweaks to be made to give them a pretty good chance to win a battle of the backups that - comparatively speaking - makes Keith Kinkaid look like the second coming of the man immortalized in bronze outside the Prudential Center. Let's hope they take advantage of that chance, because I think a struggling team like the Rangers is vulnerable to a fast, hungry team that should be eager to prove that their first three games were no fluke. Also of note: - I think getting his first goal out of the way would do wonders for the psyche of Nico Hischier. I don't exactly have an undeniable command of the body language of professional athletes. Luckily, the inherent inability of a teenager to hide his displeasure with himself through his facial expressions has made it clear - to me anyway - that he's mildly frustrated. He has by no means looked out of place, but he also hasn't been playing with the same creative fearlessness that had fans salivating after one game. Something tells me getting on the scoresheet will change that. - You know that feeling when you're absolutely crushing a date before one awkward silence ruins the whole thing? Like, she's laughing at your jokes, there is obvious chemistry, things seem to be progressing, and then your mind goes blank, there's an awkward silence for a few seconds, and next thing you know you're overthinking everything that comes out of your mouth? I feel like that situation is the career of Damon Severson in a nutshell. I don't feel comfortable continuing with that analogy and hoping that Damon Severson develops into hockey's Harvey Weinstein, but if I were to do so then the outlet pass he made to spring Kyle Palmieri on this breakaway would compare favorably to whipping his dick out and placing it on the dinner table....
Let's hope he continues to play with the confidence required to make that pass, because if he does then there's no reason the Devils shouldn't end up very happy in the 6 year (rape and harassment free) relationship they just committed to.
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