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Vrana cleared waivers earlier today as Fabbri suits up for tonight’s game. You wonder if Yzerman is putting together his trade deadline strategy with 3 NHL goalies plus Vrana who can now be assigned to minors by any team that may be interested. Each day his cap hit goes down so that may part of the catalyst of any moves that could be coming.
Game Summary:
It wasn’t a horrible game to start. However, a couple of power play goals sent Detroit down into the all too familiar multi goal hole. By the time there was 9 minutes left in the third, Detroit had 29 shots on net to New Jersey’s 20. The Devil’s squad doesn’t need much to turn it into an opportunity. Detroit, however, needs a lot sometimes.
Yes, Fabbri was back in. Maybe there was a “chemistry… issue. But, NJ just flat out made their offensive looks mean something. Detroit seems to need a deficit to get things clicking. However, even “underdog syndrome… wasn’t enough to save this dog of a game.
Another New Jersey goal at around the 14 minute mark. Just an embarrassment at 5-0. The team is either on or off. And when they’re off, they can be way off. As the final half of the season see teams battling for post season positioning, games are not going to get easier.
There’s not really much to say, save the comfort that you can drop this and move on. I don’t see “new… lessons for the team to learn. Just the same keystone cop impression in front of the net and lost coverage that continually seems to end up in the back of the net. I swear I can see LaLonde practicing the phrase “underlying metrics….
This wasn’t going to be a “winning… season. However, it was supposed to slow the bleeding. There have been many times where that was the case earlier on. The team just seems too easily lost on defensive assignments. Part of that is just the growth factor. Seider and Hronek need to zero in on who is on the ice. New Jersey is very comfortable with the old Carey Price model in Montreal. Let the goalie keep you in and send your scorers down fast and furious.
There are flat out nights where Detroit seems almost unwatchable. You want to see the team grow and take steps forward. I also want paint to dry in a room that is refurbished but don’t need to see every second of it.
Larkin is pushing, trying to come up with something. Raymond is pushing and getting thrown into corners again. Hronek must have broken a mirror under a ladder or some combination of rotten luck. He is not the player we saw even a month ago right now.
The problem isn’t the loss. The problem is the trend. Right now, the trend seems to be, “how far down can we get on the scoreboard before mounting a comeback?… To watch that night after night, there really isn’t a good explanation.
New Jersey has benefitted from high draft picks, good signing/trades, etc. The style of “score at will… seems to suit them quite well. Detroit is still forming and finding an identity. They would benefit greatly from upgrades in several roster spots
Something has to ignite this team to come out as hard as they play in the third period. It seems like it would be a completely different game. No, this team isn’t a contender. This is a team that has to use hard work and hard play to throw other teams off of their game instead of playing “catch up… for 1 to 2 periods in almost every contest.
There’s no use trying to upgrade a team and lose assets to try and squeeze into the post season right now. It will be another busy summer of trying to find the best fit on each line (and in net) to build the culture that could lead to becoming a contender.
First Period Detroit goals:
No first period goals. Shots: 9-6 Detroit Score: 0-0
Second Period Detroit goals: No second period goals for Detroit After Detroit failed to score on their first power play of the game, the Devils got their chance and Hamilton opened the scoring. 1-0
Devils get another PP tally off a tip from Hishier. 2-0
Shots:21-16 DET Score:2-0 NJ
Third Period Detroit goals:
New Jersey made the hole deeper with a 3rd goal at 1:51. NJ scores again right after a power play expired, 4-0
Detroit finally got on the board around the 2 minute mark as Raymond tipped a shot from Larkin. Seider on 2nd assist.
Lucas Raymond scores a power-play goal against the New Jersey Devils to make it 5-1 #DETvsNJD #LGRW #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/zMfCIzSZJm
— nopClips (@nopClips) January 5, 2023