Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyser
its early in the season, and the devils have already lost rolston, langenbrunner, and holik to injuries...and all have been replaced by rookies. getting a good look at the future in nj these days (except for that guy in net). should be an interesting game against toronto tomorrow.
|
I am intersted to see how some of these other teams fare when the injuries start hitting.
Pittsburgh's been without 2 top 4 D since late Sept...and (knock on wood) have almost not missed a beat, 5-2-2. Easy to point fingers in hindsight, but 1 of those regulation losses and both OT losses are games they led in the 3rd period-
4-3 to the Caps in regulation, after leading 3-0
2-1 to NJ in OT
3-2 to the Rangers in a shootout, after leading 2-0
In all those cases, they quit playing in the 3rd, dumping the puck, and quit playing offense, so I can't lay the blame on the D.
They'll only be better once Whitney returns in a month, and Gonchar in March. They, hopefully, should just be hitting their stride in April.
The one thing I think this team is still missing is a top 9 forward who at least scares someone, even a little, physically. Laraque sort of filled that role, but more so Roberts and Malone in the playoffs. Godard and Bissonette are holding up just fine in their 4 mins a game, but they won't see the ice very often in the playoffs.
Just as an example-- the Cap game, Ovechkin ran around and tried to nail Malkin about 7-8 times that game. Last year, even if it cost him a penalty, Roberts would have caught Ovechkin from behind one time, to at least put the idea in
his head that he needs to keep his head up.
No idea who is going to be available in March, in the last year of his contract, on a bottom feeder...other than if Roberts wants to come back.