Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updates

[Mooney#16]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

I hate turning on the coach though as a root cause. The players have choked. As pro's they should feel ashamed of that. When you can levy that tag on any player he should feel furious and if nothing else want to prove they can turn up in the big games. I'm afraid as far as tomorrow's game goes the entire Devils roster needs calling out and challenging else to be seen as chokers I'd be questioning why any of them should be offered contracts for next year.

They have one game or three games before a whole summer of. If they can't show up now. They never will. I dearly hope the guys are told they are playing for contracts tomorrow.

 

[ASHIPP]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Big game mentality wins crucial games. Devils lack the killer instinct. ...and that sadly describes their performances in the closing stages of all competitions this season.

The wrong two guys were sat out tonight and they were needed.

Watching an animated, engaging Marc Lefebre on the Dundee bench continuously encoraging his depleted roster and analysing the play. Anything like that happening on the Devils' bench?

The ability to change the game plan is needed before it can be executed. Let's hope coaches and team can out wit a very good Dundee team otherwise seed 2 will be joining seed one out of this competition. They owe it to themselves and the Devils' fans who faithfully make that trip tomorrow.

 

[pjj365]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Big game mentality wins crucial games. Devils lack the killer instinct. ...and that sadly describes their performances in the closing stages of all competitions this season.

The wrong two guys were sat out tonight and they were needed.

Watching an animated, engaging Marc Lefebre on the Dundee bench continuously encoraging his depleted roster and analysing the play. Anything like that happening on the Devils' bench?

The ability to change the game plan is needed before it can be executed. Let's hope coaches and team can out wit a very good Dundee team otherwise seed 2 will be joining seed one out of this competition. They owe it to themselves and the Devils' fans who faithfully make that trip tomorrow.

Comnent outside tonight "I've wasted £8 on tomorrow's webcast" Let's hope that's not the case We have just bought it - optimists to the last!

 

[Angusdevil7]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Apart from a 5 or 6 minute spell in the 3rd we were awful tonight, I can only assume hendrikx has an injury as I can't see any other reason why he is not playing and other members of the defence are.

Lord was absolutely terrible tonight, just bumbling around not doing anything useful, he's said in quite a few of his interviews recently that he's not played his best so why can't he just bench himself for a bit when he feels like that, step back have a look at the game then get back into it with a fresh perspective?

I think this team will be on holiday next week rather than in Nottingham which is absolutely gutting considering 2 months ago we looked good for everything, now it's all come crashing down and we've got nothing

 

[ASHIPP]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Performances like this make you realise all the more Gerad Adams' outstanding consistency leading a mid-table Devils' team to all those consecutive playoff weekends....playing against teams who were,at the time, bigger in depth, skill and experience.

 

[Milky]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Salters was ill with the flu.

I can only guess Hendo was dropped to make way for Marsh. Not the right call I'm afraid. Spoke to him in the bar and he was very diplomatic and professional about not being picked but you could tell he was p*ssed off.

Don't blame him.

The only time we were in the game was the first 8 mins or so in the third when we came out and smashed everything. Haddad (or Hervato- can't remember) put in a huge hit then Cully followed a few seconds later and then we scored. Hervato played really well tonight.

Has anyone worked out why we don't play like that all the time? It's almost as if we play like we are afraid to give away penalties. People moan about salters not being physical enough but I wonder if it's a team tactic because we seem to be outmuscled all the time as a squad.

And to the person that said they've wasted £8 on tomorrow's webcast, I've paid for me and the Mrs to go to Dundee on the fun bus WD

 

[Earnie]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

That was not supposed to happen!
For me Hervato was MoM

 

[BillytheWiz]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Very disappointing performance tonight other than a spell after we conceded the short handed goal.
If Koenig had played out of his skin and we were unlucky then fair enough ( I laughed when he got MOM for Stars) but we just looked as if it was August and the lines had never played together.
I also don't get this dump the puck tactic all night ? It wasn't like we were pinning them back inside their blue line....more often than not we swapped lines , never created any pressure or momentum other than after we went 2 down when upped the tempo and passed the puck,

Not sure what has happened for such a disappointing performance ? gutted !

 

[Kal]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

For me Hervato was MoM

+1

His line seemed like the only ones bothered enough to make hits and battle for the puck and as Jon kept saying on the webcast they needed more ice time. I also think that Doucet and Martin need to be on a line together, best scorer with best playmaker shouldn't it be an easy decision? And play Hendo! please! Unless he's injured his name should be first down!

 

[Finny]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Ugh. That was bad.

So bad that the only thing worse was those playoff jerseys. Maybe that's why our passing was awful. We couldn't bare to look at our teammates wearing them.

 

[backrow]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

I know we fans are all disappointed and many are perhaps angry but I don't think we're as disappointed as the players themselves.

If I could change one thing about this season it would be playing those two exhibition games in Brest instead of giving the players a well deserved break completely away from hockey. The team flew to Paris shorthanded with the 3 British players away and Salters injured and had a very tiring and long bus trip to and from Brest.

Before that weekend the Devils played 7 games in 16 days and afterwards played 5 games in 8 days. I think the combination of physical and mental fatigue has hurt the team's performance down the stretch. Every good game seems to drain the tank all over again.

However, I wouldn't count this Devils team out just yet!

 

[Welshy74]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Watched 2 d men tonight in the 1st and 2nd periods separately and counted completed passes or turnovers. One was 7 from 16 the 7 being turnovers the other 13 from 13. That was the difference tonight for me that our passing from some was woeful. It was like a preseason game and we didnt know each other. WHERE IS OUR SPARK PLAYER!!!!

 

[DevilDom]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Difficult to defend a performance like tonight's, if anything the scoreline flattered us. There was one team playing playoff Hockey and one team with most the players already on the plane home. I feel sorry for the few that did seem bothered tonight such as Hervato, Fournier, and especially Marsh. I also felt sorry for Lord as I think a lot of players have let him down badly over the last few weeks although I would also add that I think again he was out coached in a big match. Add in being out muscled, out worked, and simply out played and you have a toxic mix.

I can't see us turning this around tomorrow but I do hope we lay it all the line and make what will be Marsh's last game one he can at least be proud of. He deserves that at least.

 

[JT666]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

I couldn't make the game tonight, in what would have been the climax to my first season as a season ticket holder. Subsequently I can't comment on tonight's performance (or lack of), but I can give a general overview of my observations this season.

I'm not a sadist, but if I've been disappointed by anything, it's been the lack of hard hitting spark in the team, Hendrikx, Hervato, and to a certain extent, Haddad, aside. He may not have been the biggest point scorer, or the most skilful player, but last season, watching Clarkson, and his almost pantomime character, got me back into ice hockey after about a twenty year hiatus. Looking at the tears in his eyes when the Challenge Cup banner was lifted, only further raised his stature in my eyes.

Someone on the Cam Janssen topic commented that they couldn't wait until fighting was outruled, and the EIHL was more like Euro hockey. Each to their own, but give me strength. If you want to watch the Devils play in front of a sub 1000 crowd of die hards then carry on, but I can almost guarantee the vast majority of casual hockey fans turn up hoping to be entertained by big hits and the odd fight. Granted, not to watch the Marsh scenario, but equally they don't pay £15 to watch the bland affair we've been served up at times.

We've tried the skilled approach this season, and on the back of last season, we have to admit 2015/16 has been a disappointment. True, there are teams who would readily swap their position with ours, but accepting that is a bit of a cop out in my opinion . As Steve King remarked, we were after a league win, and after a capitulation in the last month or so of the season, we failed on that front. Don't get me wrong I've had a brilliant time this year, but I think we could have been so much better.

Here's hopping for a more rock and roll season to come; a team of big hitting, intimidating players who entertain AND win. A lot to ask, but with our ownership, and the new set up, a real possibility.

Let's go Devils!

 

[Electro]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Maybe players know their not returning and don't give a crap, l don't know, I'm struggling to find a reason.

 

[Gohabsgo]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Never thought I'd say this about a Devils team, but that was a gutless performance. No intensity, no desire seemingly, and just poor in every department. That's one thing I've felt in recent years that during the ups and downs at least the players care, didn't see that tonight.

 

[KaneDevils]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

Can't help but wonder if all is not well within the dressing room? Hendo is now almost always scratched, which no one seems to understand why? We've literally capitulated towards the end of the season, blowing a huge opportunity to win the title. Performances/results such as last doesn't help either.

Something isn't right. That's a sure fact.

 

[jimmy snels]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

That was an awful performance. I've rarely contemplated just going home but after the 2nd period of absolute rubbish i was close!
This week I've seen discussed by numerous posters how fighting isn't necessary and it wouldn't effect numbers if it was out lawed etc. Well i tell you this. If THAT was what a game of hockey is going to continue to look like under lord i will be one that doesn't bother. I go to be entertained. Lord through a few hits, haddad and hervarto got stuck it. Who else? In attack we were awful and our D men didn't look like they could defend or pass the puck. I actually heard commented "do you think they know we are in red?". If they had been booed off it would have been justified. Perhaps all the smoke being blown up them especially on social media and this forum where no one seems allowed to say someone has been poor has made them big time charlie's?! It certainly doesn't look like they're playing for the name on the front.
Hendrikx continued ommission is bizarre in the extreme and my only scenarios i can think of are 1) he's injured 2) lords watched to much NHL and dropped a tough guy at the back end of the season because 'thats whats done'. If a game was crying out for a big hit or a bit of fisty cuffs for repeatedly crowding our net minder it was last night. Something to change momentum and get the game style changed so as not to do the same tripe every shift that clearly wasn't working.
I don't go to watch us out hussled in our own barn and arguably we've seen more and more of that. We have snuck results but it wasn't good to watch.
When the season is done lots needs to happen and i will discuss this after the last game.

 

[august04]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

That was an awful performance. I've rarely contemplated just going home but after the 2nd period of absolute rubbish i was close!
This week I've seen discussed by numerous posters how fighting isn't necessary and it wouldn't effect numbers if it was out lawed etc. Well i tell you this. If THAT was what a game of hockey is going to continue to look like under lord i will be one that doesn't bother. I go to be entertained. Lord through a few hits, haddad and hervarto got stuck it. Who else? In attack we were awful and our D men didn't look like they could defend or pass the puck. I actually heard commented "do you think they know we are in red?". If they had been booed off it would have been justified. Perhaps all the smoke being blown up them especially on social media and this forum where no one seems allowed to say someone has been poor has made them big time charlie's?! It certainly doesn't look like they're playing for the name on the front.
Hendrikx continued ommission is bizarre in the extreme and my only scenarios i can think of are 1) he's injured 2) lords watched to much NHL and dropped a tough guy at the back end of the season because 'thats whats done'. If a game was crying out for a big hit or a bit of fisty cuffs for repeatedly crowding our net minder it was last night. Something to change momentum and get the game style changed so as not to do the same tripe every shift that clearly wasn't working.
I don't go to watch us out hussled in our own barn and arguably we've seen more and more of that. We have snuck results but it wasn't good to watch.
When the season is done lots needs to happen and i will discuss this after the last game.

No doubt if they somehow turn it around tonight the "smoke blown up them" brigade will be out in force again and everything will be rosy once more. Not for me - it finally took last nights game to confirm what I think more than a few feel about this team. Something isn't right and hasn't been for weeks.

 

[Electro]

Re: Devils v Stars - Home & Away - Playoff QF's - Chat/Updat

The owners have commented they want hard hitting entertaining hockey.

Its ridiculous to say that because a few here have debated that fights are unnecessary has caused Andrew to reduce them.

I don't see how getting a few boys to scrap would have increased the poor skills shown yesterday. If it could, then bigger questions need to be asked.

The Devils need to turn up tonight, get a score line around 5 or 6 and a shut out. Then less questions can be asked.

I hope that if we don't turn this around, serious management needs to turn up and all members of the team including Lord and Franny have to be seriously reevaluated.