Post Game Thread: Washington Capitals at New Jersey Devils – 30 Nov 2024

28 comments

1. Played absolutely terrible and still stayed in it. Meh. Onto the Rags.

2. I know that the rest of the team didn’t play well but I’m very pissed at Allen’s flubs which took a very winnable game and turned it into a fucking disaster in a matter of 10 seconds

3. I said something similar on the game thread but will try to be a bit more eloquent here: that was a frustrating loss, and there were certainly some very costly mistakes made in each period. Was far from our strongest performance, or even a “good” performance, but we nonetheless were able to claw back, stay in it, and make it a hockey game for the full 60 minutes. The Caps (unfortunately) are a very good team this year. The fact that we could play very mistake-prone hockey and still be in it says a lot about the team’s ability to hang with elite opponents. We took some dumb penalties and our PK looked a bit shaky for once, but those are things that can be worked on. As fans, we should take the good from this game and cut our losses with the bad. If you’re going to make a knee-jerk reaction and claim that this team “needs a ton of work” and “isn’t playoff caliber” or (somewhat puzzlingly) “sTiLL CaN’T bEAt tHE CaPs”, despite taking 5/8 points from them this season, please — I implore you — reassess your fandom.

4. I was really only half paying attention to most of this game because I was decorating my Christmas tree, but I was done by half way through the 3rd just in time to see that unfortunate sequence of goals against. Sucks to come back like that and lose in regulation. Honestly I thought it went south when Allen failed to cover the puck right before they scored the 5th goal and then the disaster that was the 6th goal happened. The story of this game was the PK not pk-ing like it has been and that sequence by Allen. They need to tighten it up and figure out this 1st period slow start that has them chasing every game lately. So glad to be done with Washington and hearing Mangiapane’s name mispronounced all game long (may he eat so much bread he throws up!). Oh and we did win the series so.. on to the next…

5. UGH

6. lol people on instagram are calling for Allen’s head because he was out of position. Frustrating, yes, but he still made a lot of good saves

7. I don’t like this type of game. I watched that game a ton already. I thought maybe we were done playing it with the way we play with Sheldon. But it’s really strange seeing some of the ppl here enjoy that, it’s bad, bipolar hockey. It was pretty evident we weren’t getting point in that game no matter the juvenile hopium. Has nothing to do with it just losing one game. We should be miles past that in our process.

   I really just think that we are a pretty stupid team. We have streaks of luck and good play, but we always go back to games like that at home.

   I’d say Beat the rangers and all is forgiven. But that’s exactly what I’m talking about. We have to stop playing those games and find consistency. It’s not about being excited or dooming for a game. I want to build sustained success.

8. Devs are 0-2 when I go to games so far this season…

   At least tonight wasn’t a shutout. Beat the rags.

9. I seriously don’t get the doomer dissatisfaction. Did you all not watch last season?

10. Ah, so that’s why we don’t let Allen play more games

11. This reporter is a moron. Calling a player lost? What do you think the coach is going to say?

    Ask about why we start so flat.

    Ask why we have trouble getting pinned in our zone and give the opposing team so much possession time?

    Weak deflections from Keefe. We haven’t been good for the last 3 games. Need to tighten up and get pucks out.

12. I love that the team has the fight in them this year to claw back when they’re behind. I hate that they’ve needed to do it so often. I genuinely don’t understand why they can’t come out swinging even a little bit. Not every game needs to be a rope-a-dope like against Florida. Stop playing down to opponents like the Wings. Respect that a division rival who’s finding ways to win despite being down their best player

    I’m not gonna crucify Mercer for the double minor. It was brutal, but shit just happens and it could’ve happened to anyone. They even held out on a 3 man kill for longer than I expected them to, so credit where it’s due for that. Those goals mattered, but not as much after we tied

    I’m absolutely gonna call out Allen. Your core function as a goaltender is to stop the puck and tend the goal. You didn’t freeze for an easy stoppage and got cute trying to make a play when you should’ve stayed put. You’re a veteran goalie who’s arguably been more steady than Markstrom, yet you give the game away in 10 seconds. Beyond unacceptable

13. Either way you wanna cut it, Allen absolutely gave up the game with that empty net. Flashbacks to the Tampa game when he was behind the net not paying attention. Team didn’t play great, and we fought hard to stay in but at the end of the day if he kept his ass in that net it would’ve been an OT ending thanks to the greasy bounces and clawing back. Better than what we’ve had, sure, but both tenders are awful. Is what it is, moving on, hope they improve over the season, and hope the boys continue to improve and clean up their game. Also that double minor really fucked us. Merc needs to watch his stick. Love the guy, but can’t be doing that. Also I love Noesen so much.

14. It’s a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ng season folks. This team is built for a long run and December is just beginning. This is a learning process for the boys. Lot’s of positives to take from a disappointing loss. Lots of things to learn from also. Ride the wave and be cool.

    When we tied the game I’m screaming at my TV saying it means nothing if we don’t take at least one point from this one then I calmed down and started thinking as much as it would suck to lose in regulation it’s gonna light a fire under them & teach them not to give an inch to anyone ever.

15. I appreciated Keefe’s press conference. Specifically, outlining that a lot of the bad mistakes throughout the game are anomalies as opposed to systemic issues that they need to work out of their game.

    Of course that doesn’t mean various factions of the Devils didn’t blow it and he took it seriously, was unhappy about the game, and wasn’t excusing them not showing up early in the game.

    However, to stay clear-headed and be really fair in assessing the game/players combined with just being really smart about how he thinks through the game is significant.

    If that is how he is thinking through the games and how it informs him as a coach, it is easy to see why he has had success at least in the regular seasons during his coaching career.

    While we still have a way to go as a team this season, it is evident that we are trending strongly upwards since we got past a messy beginning of the year that was not all on him nor the players either. I’m really glad we managed to snag him; that was huge for us and I don’t think we’d be where we are right now after everything that has happened with any of the other coaches available at the time.

16. Saying it again because I cannot give up on this point — it’s a *tough* loss guys, not a bad loss.

    A bad loss is losing this game 6-0 and being totally outclassed. We are clearly in the same league as WSH, and today we just didn’t have it. Still took 5/8 points, and we’ve got a long ways to go until April. Chin up, move forward, and let’s destroy the Rags.

17. Jake Allen bone headed out of goal goal again. He been around long enough to know , he lacks puck handling skills. Stay in the net Jake. You ain’t doing us any favors behind it or around it.

18. I mean, we looked bad for much of that one, but the missed calls against us were atrocious. There were 2-3 on Meier alone.

    I don’t even know what to say about the Allen thing, he was the only reason we were in it for most of the game, and then that…poetic finish.

    But what is up with our discipline?? These penalties will kill us.

19. Holy fuck I’m too drunk for the amount of essay-length comments in this pgt

20. Anybody else bothered by how awful the cancer kid probably feels with the way the team blew that game?

21. Sucks that we’re out of the playoff picture now, but I’m sure next season will do it! /s

    I’d legit be more concerned if we didn’t have games like this during the regular season. Especially against good teams. Like, we’re young as hell AND a top 5 team in the league.

    Obligatory “doomers are stupid”

22. Refs were bad. But that is somewhat common and also a factor the Devils cannot control.

    The Devils can control (1) slow starts, (2) having just ten SOGs after 35 minutes of play, (3) very poor goalie puck plays behind the net, and (4) taking some inexcusable penalties.

    Focus on fixing the things within your control.

23. can we just wear white at home and pretend its an away game

24. It’s a little frustrating how the Devils took half a period to record a shot in each of their last two home games. At least the team had a bit more fight in this one.

    Doesn’t completely excuse their performance, but the injuries are definitely catching up with the forward group. Guys like Lazar and Bastian also would’ve come in handy for the PK tonight.

25. Can’t wait until we get rid of Mercer, bad enough our 4th line is dogshit, he’s sinking the 3rd line now too.

26. The best thing to ever happen to this franchise in its current state will be when they trade Dawson Mercer.

27. I’m just pissed my husband convinced me that there wouldn’t be m/any Dowling pucks and of course I paid $25 for an AHLer signed puck, of all people 😆😭.

28. Aside from the second game of the year against Buffalo, the devils are winless in back to backs

    They got 7 more of them. Those are 14 points they gotta figure out to get something from