Devils Vs steelers - League - 4th Dec 21

Hedd Wyn John

Well-Known Member
#81
I'm all for slagging players off but I honestly don't think we were that bad.

Yes we could have been a bit more physical tonight. But if those shots go in we win that game quite comfortably.

Carruth fell over for there first thats not his fault.

The effort was there. 100%

As I said before I think the quality of players is not.


So if nothing changes we will be 3rd or 4th best end of season.
easy to point at us hitting the post several times but let's not forget steelers had a ton of top scoring chances. Carruth aside from the 1st goal basically stood on his head, the steelers are a quality team full of goal scorers they will score against you if you give them the kind of opportunities he Devils did tonight.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#82
Why isn't he a first line centre? He's been playing that role all year, one of his linemates is the top goal scorer in the league, and the other leads the league in assists. To me that makes it the best line in the league, and he's running it.

He's not a Joey Martin type player, but he doesn't need to be playing with those two. He's winning faceoffs, hitting, making room in front of the net and he scores the tap ins. First line centre position is not a concern right now.
Basically he’s doing a good job filling in as first line centre because the Dupont signing hasn’t really worked out (Yet anyway). Steve King confirmed on this forum back in August that Dupont was signed as first line centre. Do you really think the plan was for Dixon to be first line centre? Of course not.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#83
Basically he’s doing a good job filling in as first line centre because the Dupont signing hasn’t really worked out (Yet anyway). Steve King confirmed on this forum back in August that Dupont was signed as first line centre. Do you really think the plan was for Dixon to be first line centre? Of course not.
I'm not saying he was signed for that role. But he's found himself there, and as a result his line is the best in the league. And without forgetting, he's the top centreman for by far the best powerplay in the league. That does not happen with a centreman that's just "filling in". Come on now.
 

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#84
Basically he’s doing a good job filling in as first line centre because the Dupont signing hasn’t really worked out (Yet anyway). Steve King confirmed on this forum back in August that Dupont was signed as first line centre. Do you really think the plan was for Dixon to be first line centre? Of course not.
As Jenks says, while Dixon is a quality hockey player (and for me represents everything that being a Cardiff Devil should be about), and is doing a great job replacing what is ultimately a failure in recruitment, he would normally be on the second or third lines and you lose his graft, face off prowess and experience on those lines then too and they suffer. Does DuPont offer what Dixon always gave on the second/third lines? Not a chance, and he never will do.
 
Last edited:

Diablo3

Well-Known Member
#85
Loved the last 6 minutes, Hated the rest. If we are going to have a game penalty on Louis, let it at least be because he pasted a steeler not just for questioning the refs parentage. Thought we were out hustled tonight for 54 minutes, which is not good enough.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#86
I'm not saying he was signed for that role. But he's found himself there, and as a result his line is the best in the league. And without forgetting, he's the top centreman for by far the best powerplay in the league. That does not happen with a centreman that's just "filling in". Come on now.
He’s playing between Crandall and Reid! Crandall’s got 18 points, Reid 17 points and Dixon 9. If we had an out and out first line centre he would probably be on 15+ points playing between Crandall and Reid. Dixon is doing a good job but he isn’t a first line centre. I’m surprised it’s even a debate. Dixon has all the qualities of a top 2nd/3rd line Centre and he is doing a good job on our first line. A job he shouldn’t have to be doing
 
#87
Different Devils from the amazing Lord, Martin, Haddad, Ulmer era. We expect from this team and they deliver in patches. So inconsistent. Owners are amazing so will come good I’m sure.
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#88
After an awesome pre season we have become a very poor hockey team. The fact we won our previous 6 games is all down mainly to Carruth, Kozen with a few good performances by Varruth and McNally.

Tonight we played a Steelers team who no doubt have rushed a few players back from injury prematurely......yet they brought it to us!!! It is piss poor in front of a packed IAW. Luckily many of the ticket sales are to those who know very little about hockey and would think tonight’s game was great!

It was a decent start but sadly we are carrying a few players who really shouldn’t be getting the ice time they are. Not saying they aren’t trying but they simply aren’t good enough.

Secondly I really am questioning whether or not Skalde is actually up to the role. He’s messed around with lines and the chemistry of players for weeks now and some of the guys don’t know whether they are coming or going. I looked at Skalde over the past few games and he rarely speaks to the players at all. At 0-4 he said nothing but just gazed at the scoreboard. Let’s see some passion and communication. It’s a shambles and we have relied on Carruth to win us games for far too long now. He’s bailed us out big time.

Time to change a couple of guys to see if that will spice things up a bit. If not I can see the Steelers running away with it.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#89
He’s playing between Crandall and Reid! Crandall’s got 18 points, Reid 17 points and Dixon 9. If we had an out and out first line centre he would probably be on 15+ points playing between Crandall and Reid. Dixon is doing a good job but he isn’t a first line centre. I’m surprised it’s even a debate. Dixon has all the qualities of a top 2nd/3rd line Centre and he is doing a good job on our first line. A job he shouldn’t have to be doing
If hockey was played on paper, you might be right. But it's not, it's played on ice. There's nothing to say Reid and Crandall would be as successful as they are if they had an 'out and out' first line centre between them, whatever one of those are. I'm surprised it's even a debate that some are saying the centreman for the best line and powerplay in the league isn't suited for the role, but there we go.
 

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#91
Thought we were unlucky to finish the first behind. A freak goal for them, and we had a few good chances and a few bad bounces at the back door.

Second was sloppy, we were second to every puck and lost the 50/50 battles.

After a shaky first for their goalie, he grew in to the game and finished strong with some big saves on the 3rd.

Great character shown to come back, Brodie Reid had a great chance to equalise from the slot with 20 seconds to go, that's how close we were. And we hit the post 3 times too. Considering we were 0-4 down with 5 to go, that's some effort.

A shoutout to Stephen Dixon, who won almost every face off cleanly tonight. The only one I noticed he didn't win was the final one for the empty netter. Not to be, but a food run of 6 wins comes to an end. Let's start another.
I’m more of the opinion that’s it’s a bloody disgrace that we didn't produce any real quality for 55 minutes in a top of the table clash against our biggest rivals, in front of a full house - rather than eulogising over how close we were by playing for 5 minutes at the end. Take your rose tinted specs off.
 
Last edited:

Slartibartfast

Well-Known Member
#92
I get what people are saying about Dixon. He is a solid dependable hard working smart hockey player who is doing a great job but I never expected to seem him as our first line centre either. That said, I would not touch that line because its working.
At the start of the season I looked at the stats from each players recent seasons. Dixon was 0.59 points a game which is ok but not first line centre material. Cox had the highest of all with 1.01 per game but that was in the WHL which is under 21s. Dupont was a point per game in the ECHL in 2018 and decent stats in Austria so I guessed he would be first line centre. But the planned first line centre has turned out not to be up to the job and is hardly setting the world alight on the second line.
I think Lammon is doing fine for a third liner.
Yes Cox and Sandford are small but they make up for it with their speed, effort and heart. Their line looked so exciting at the beginning of the season but now it looks average. They need Waller back.
For me we have a good team that just needs one change and everything will fall back into place.
 

rolf

Active Member
#93
I think I have watched this team only 6 times this year and always only on webcast or other media. I have yet to see them win a game. I have yet to be entertained as well and worryingly I do not see an end to this lack of entertainment. I've read all the comments about lightweight/underperforming forwards along with the slow, positionally inept and casual defending and I must agree. If this is a banged up rival with 3 imports missing then we really are in the soft and smelly....

The team seems to have a problem with playing at home in front of a loyal and expectant crowd, it is almost as if they bottle it and choke under the pressure. Tonight I saw many shooting chances ignored in favour of an over-complicated pass instead which almost always failed. I saw shots on their goal I would be confident of saving myself with only an oven glove and I listened to commentators admiring finished checks which completely missed the target. Worrying but only viewed on screen so that could be misleading.

If I was Josh Waller I would be looking for another team now as nobody stepped up tonight to remind the opposition about taking liberties. No. In fact our tough guy got tossed for a hissy fit over a goal that should never have happened on his watch.

If wishes could come true then Justin Faryna and Clayton Norris would still be suited up for us but sadly they do not and this team will continue to dismay and surprise in equal measure I suspect with little or no amendment. Annoyingly the surprises seem to be on the road though
 

Mooney#16

Well-Known Member
#94
That was a really really poor game from the Devils. You can’t single any player out as to a man they were dreadful. Appalling compete level and way below the standard acceptable for professional players?

I think the Devils lost nearly every puck battle all over the ice and lost possession of the puck so easily in all zones but especially the offensive zone. The level of physicality was terrible and if I were a Steelers defenceman I’ve just had a dream evening with no pressure applied. The guys seem to be intentionally pulling away from hits in favour of a weak pole

The bit I found most frustrating was they sleep walked though it with no player taking accountability to change the momentum with sthe required plays. The lack of hits and forecheck to change the momentum was again unacceptable. Why Skalde didn’t force that into his game plan only he can answer but I was appalled. Net front presence was none existent. Just fundamentals of winning hockey games missing.

We have a gifted and talented team as proven by the powerplay production but I fear they are a one trick pony. I disagreed last week about Devils title credentials but this week unless they are prepared to compete in all the required areas to win they will be coming up quite a way short.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#95
I’m more of the opinion that’s it’s a bloody disgrace that we didn't produce any real quality for 55 minutes in a top of the table clash against our biggest rivals, in front of a full house - rather than eulogising over how close we were by playing for 5 minutes at the end.
I notice you edited out the "take your rose tinted glasses off" comment there at the end. I find it strange and slightly amusing that someone with a glass half full approach can trigger the doom mongers just by posting their view of the game. I can't imagine how you live your real life that way and deal with stuff that actually matter. I would hate it.

A few comments on here tonight include "Hope there are plane tickets booked tomorrow" and "it's going to be a long season". Now, considering we are in December, and we were one win from going top of the table, and we have just won 6 games in a row, including Sheffield away, Belfast and a tricky weekend in Scotland, I wonder who has the tinted specs. And yet it's my post you call out. (I did also say we were poor in the 2nd)
Time for you perhaps to look at the bigger picture, and maybe some realistic expectations. Sometimes your dear old Cardiff Devils will lose a game, or not perform very well. Boo hoo. It happens. We are still comfortably in 2nd place in the league, a league where anybody can beat anyone, with loads of hockey left to be played. Forgive me for not believing my world is over after my team failed to win their 7th game in a row.
 

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#96
I notice you edited out the "take your rose tinted glasses off" comment there at the end. I find it strange and slightly amusing that someone with a glass half full approach can trigger the doom mongers just by posting their view of the game. I can't imagine how you live your real life that way and deal with stuff that actually matter. I would hate it.

A few comments on here tonight include "Hope there are plane tickets booked tomorrow" and "it's going to be a long season". Now, considering we are in December, and we were one win from going top of the table, and we have just won 6 games in a row, including Sheffield away, Belfast and a tricky weekend in Scotland, I wonder who has the tinted specs. And yet it's my post you call out. (I did also say we were poor in the 2nd)
Time for you perhaps to look at the bigger picture, and maybe some realistic expectations. Sometimes your dear old Cardiff Devils will lose a game, or not perform very well. Boo hoo. It happens. We are still comfortably in 2nd place in the league, a league where anybody can beat anyone, with loads of hockey left to be played. Forgive me for not believing my world is over after my team failed to win their 7th game in a row.
Just added it back for you. At least you’re not trying to defend DuPont again tonight, well not yet anyway.
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#97
I notice you edited out the "take your rose tinted glasses off" comment there at the end. I find it strange and slightly amusing that someone with a glass half full approach can trigger the doom mongers just by posting their view of the game. I can't imagine how you live your real life that way and deal with stuff that actually matter. I would hate it.

A few comments on here tonight include "Hope there are plane tickets booked tomorrow" and "it's going to be a long season". Now, considering we are in December, and we were one win from going top of the table, and we have just won 6 games in a row, including Sheffield away, Belfast and a tricky weekend in Scotland, I wonder who has the tinted specs. And yet it's my post you call out. (I did also say we were poor in the 2nd)
Time for you perhaps to look at the bigger picture, and maybe some realistic expectations. Sometimes your dear old Cardiff Devils will lose a game, or not perform very well. Boo hoo. It happens. We are still comfortably in 2nd place in the league, a league where anybody can beat anyone, with loads of hockey left to be played. Forgive me for not believing my world is over after my team failed to win their 7th game in a row.
We very much rode our luck for 3 or 4 of the 6 games. Carruth and Kozen kept us in many of those wins. Twice Belfast have come to IAW, outplayed us and lost because of the guy between our pipes.
 

Mooney#16

Well-Known Member
#98
I notice you edited out the "take your rose tinted glasses off" comment there at the end. I find it strange and slightly amusing that someone with a glass half full approach can trigger the doom mongers just by posting their view of the game. I can't imagine how you live your real life that way and deal with stuff that actually matter. I would hate it.

A few comments on here tonight include "Hope there are plane tickets booked tomorrow" and "it's going to be a long season". Now, considering we are in December, and we were one win from going top of the table, and we have just won 6 games in a row, including Sheffield away, Belfast and a tricky weekend in Scotland, I wonder who has the tinted specs. And yet it's my post you call out. (I did also say we were poor in the 2nd)
Time for you perhaps to look at the bigger picture, and maybe some realistic expectations. Sometimes your dear old Cardiff Devils will lose a game, or not perform very well. Boo hoo. It happens. We are still comfortably in 2nd place in the league, a league where anybody can beat anyone, with loads of hockey left to be played. Forgive me for not believing my world is over after my team failed to win their 7th game in a row.
I would usually agree with taking the big picture into account but that tonight was a really poor display of character. Even if the game is not vibing, your not getting bounces it’s completely in your control to make momentum changing plays by making the opposition work for the puck. The Devils tonight showed no character to make the tough plays. They just kept doing the same thing over and over. Hence I include the whole coaching staff and players for criticism as that was ridiculous to not try anything to unsettle Steelers who were having a way to comfortable evening. The team simply did not play with the physicality of champions. They didn’t penetrate Steelers net front and the puck pursuit and retention in the offensive zone was terrible. The defensive play to physically separate Steelers players from the puck was terrible with it just being stick battles everywhere which they consistently lost and hence Steelers won too many slot battles.

The lack of any player stepping up to be the difference maker really got under my skin watching that game.
 

Hedd Wyn John

Well-Known Member
#99
We very much rode our luck for 3 or 4 of the 6 games. Carruth and Kozen kept us in many of those wins. Twice Belfast have come to IAW, outplayed us and lost because of the guy between our pipes.
I'm afraid I Have to agree with you. Without Carruth regularly standing on his head we'd be on a losing streak for sure.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
I would usually agree with taking the big picture into account but that tonight was a really poor display of character. Even if the game is not vibing, your not getting bounces it’s completely in your control to make momentum changing plays by making the opposition work for the puck. The Devils tonight showed no character to make the tough plays. They just kept doing the same thing over and over. Hence I include the whole coaching staff and players for criticism as that was ridiculous to not try anything to unsettle Steelers who were having a way to comfortable evening. The team simply did not play with the physicality of champions. They didn’t penetrate Steelers net front and the puck pursuit and retention in the offensive zone was terrible. The defensive play to physically separate Steelers players from the puck was terrible with it just being stick battles everywhere which they consistently lost and hence Steelers won too many slot battles.

The lack of any player stepping up to be the difference maker really got under my skin watching that game.
I'd like to point out that I never said anywhere that we played well tonight, or that we were unlucky to lose. I in fact agree with much of your post, Mooney.
I said we were unlucky to finish the first behind, as we had some good chances, and they had a freak goal.
I then praised the character and effort at the end, and said Dixon had a great night in the faceoff circle. But even that seems to be too upbeat for some to handle.

I get that this a thread about this particular game, but I like to look at the bigger picture as one game does not give a true reflection of where the team is. And where we were was one game away from being top of the table and a six game winning streak. We're still in 2nd place. So when week after week there's posts where an outsider would think that this team is an absolute car crash, even when we're winning (which is all just luck, apparently), then I feel I should at least try and level down the overreaction and entitlement on here.

I'm afraid I Have to agree with you. Without Carruth regularly standing on his head we'd be on a losing streak for sure.
It's not lucky when your goaltender wins you a game, certainly not 6 games in a row. It's the most important player in your team, playing well. That's not luck, that's literally what they're there for.
 
Top