How did I feel after watching the New Jersey Devils get back in the win column less than 24 hours after taking their first loss of the season? Well, somehow much, much better about a goaltending situation that I was already extremely confident in. That said, Keith Kinkaid must be feeling pretty damn lonely on that list of positives...
I mean, there's only one reason to be anything less than completely pessimistic about a performance in which 1/3 of the top six played their way onto the bench for 2/3's of the back end of a back-to-back. That reason is that the early season optimism that preceded it has afforded me the opportunity to not blindly praise the team after every win. In recent years, I may have given that piss poor display of passing aptly known as "the first period" some empty compliment simply because it ended in a tie. However, after seeing that this team is capable of better and - more importantly - smarter hockey, I can't wave my pom-pom's in good conscience knowing that Keith Kinkaid stole a victory from a team that had no business being as dominant for long stretches as they were. Every good team grabs a couple victories that they don't deserve, but - current record aside - the Devils damn sure aren't good enough to be relying on talent to make up for a disparity in effort. Especially when that disparity in effort is coming from some of those who have been gifted with the most talent. Now, I don't expect the Devils to apologize for beating the Rangers in their own building, because I don't plan on apologizing for walking out of said building with a smirk on my face after they did. I just hope the fact that they did win doesn't take away from the impact of the lesson John Hynes tried to teach by turning Pavel Zacha, Marcus Johansson, and Jimmy Hayes into spectators. Luckily tired legs didn't cost them the game, but - even if they did - that would have more acceptable than losing due to careless offensive zone penalties and mind numbing defensive zone turnovers. It's disappointing that some of the most trusted players on the team required a benching so early into the season, but it's promising that this team finally has the depth to hold it's players accountable without it resulting in sure defeat. Credit to the man who has been disproportionally criticized by fans despite not being given the horses (or as I call it, has received the 'Cory Schneider treatment') for realizing that he now has enough horsepower to leave those that aren't quite hoofing it in the stable. Being a scapegoat is in John Hynes job description, but he deserves a proverbial pat on his (hard) ass for flashing the same balls that he did in sitting Ben Lovejoy for the season opener. Also of note: - Will Butcher has actually looked pretty solid defensively in his sheltered minutes, but even if he brought nothing more to the table than the threat of this needlepoint pass that he made to Drew Stafford then he'd already have given this team something it hasn't had in a long, long time...
- I don't envy the position John Hynes will be put in when Brian Boyle (fingers crossed) makes his return to the lineup, because Blake Coleman has given the Devils everything they could possibly want out of a bottom six player. Whether it was calmly breaking the zone, laying out to block a shot in an odd-manned situation, or winning puck battles, he stood out as one of the better player on the ice without even getting on the scoresheet. That doesn't even take into account that he selflessly made the conscious choice to get his ass kicked by that scumbag Tom Wilson on behalf of his teammate just one night earlier. If all that isn't enough, then the fact that he's got an endearingly weird quirk - that is apparently now sponsored(?) - must be considered when decided his role going forward...
- This isn't exactly newsworthy, but John Moore's physical tools (mainly his skating) are far beyond his implementation of them. If we are going to be mean about it, he moves like a pro and thinks the game like a pre-teen. Look no further for proof of that than the goals that have put the Devils in a hole the last two games. - Adam Henrique owns the New York Rangers. That shouldn't be something that you didn't already know, but - to be quite honest - it's fun to type out.
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