See what I did there? Please clap.
Don't look now, but since the Flyers game they are 7-4-1, a .625 winning percentage. When you start to look longer term, this team has been getting better. Yes, I am tossing out he deadline day dud because I can and I'm creating a narrative here.
I really think we've hit on an effective, competitive lineup. Up and down they have been crisp and connected, especially the top 9 right now. Last night was a little tighter than Saturday, and playing the same team in consecutive games presents some interesting challenges. It has been effective and brings joy back to my loins.
One of the biggest scoring red flags I pointed out a few months ago was the lack of production from the back end, we were in the bottom five in the league as a group (and bottom 3 taking out Seamus). What Luke is doing is incredible, and I'm starting to really run out of superlatives. He has been more and more confident driving down low below the circles/hashmarks and every time he was on the ice he was creating and driving play, and/or killing plays on the back end. He got us on the board first with a nice goal scorer's snipe through the 7 hole. He took advantage of a little luck and so-called missed penalty (per the Minnesota twitter fan base). Aside from the offense, he was also excellent defensively: he saw over 9 minutes at 5v5 against the Boldy-Foligno-Rossi top line and limited them to 4 Scoring Chances vs 7 for Luke, and 0 HD Scoring Chances. Oh by the way he played 29:11, including 1:55 on the PK where he excelled. The kid is a #1 now.
He also created our second goal with some extra large juevos stripping Brazzeau at the blue line. Potentially high risk because there was nothing behind him, but that is what we want him to do - be confident and KNOW he can take that puck back. He fed Stefan who found Nico for a sexy back door goal. Noesen has re-found his game after disappearing for a stretch and being relegated to the bottom 6. This Nico-Bratt-Noesen line has to stay together, they are just dominant. In almost 15 minutes at 5v5 they were even with the Wild first line in shot attempts, but were up in actual shots 9-6 and 2-0 in High Danger scoring chances. Like Luke, I'm really running out of superlatives for Nico and Bratt as well, they have been absolutely dynamic since being paired together.
Speaking of Bratt, the level this guy has gotten to this year shows his commitment to work ethic and obsession with improvement. His 4th straight season adding to his toolkit, with consistent physicality added to his game.. I believe he is still the only player with over 80+ points and 80+ hits. And with these hits, he has really learned how to separate the puck from the player - they aren't going to be bone jarring - but he uses his fire hydrant frame and lower body strength to regain possession. He had 3 of these last night, including a spectacular effort in 3v3 OT, where possession is the most important thing. That possession led to the called back OT goal, but this bodes well for the playoffs.
The penalty call against Dumoulin was fucking ridiculous. I hate that I have to mention a refs name two games in a row but Justin Kea, we are watching you. Luckily our PK is lights out and they killed it with no real issues, and in fact it led to the Devils best few minutes of puck possession and offense where the accumulated 7 shot attempts, 5 on goal and forced multiple icings. Speaking of Dumo, he has really settled in and been very good of late - certainly a Siegs lite. His reads were correct, his plays were crisp. He has looked very good in his last 6 games (since Ottawa) - he has been on the ice for 49 Scoring Chances for and 35 against, limiting other teams to only 4 high danger chances against. Using about 2.5 xG as a barometer for league average chances against per 60, he has been under 2 for those games as well.
We almost pulled ahead on a weird play where the puck somehow landed perfectly on Gus's numbers and he almost backed into the goal with it but somehow didn't. I feel like in the year of our lord 2025, we should have the technology to make this a more immediate call. Soccer has VAR, Tennis has hawkeye. Figure it out NHL, there is no need for us to get all bent out of shape on something that can be conclusively shown.
Nemec needs to tie up Hizorwhatever's stick on their first goal. Luke and Pesce are logging major minutes because it seems he just can't be trusted, but (taps the sign) if you look longer term he has been getting better every game and 3 out of 4 is still progress. I don't necessarily like sitting him after this but he didn't see the ice after this one. Something he needs to work out on in his game is the compete on the defensive side of the puck and following through on every aspect of the play. As a team though, that would be three straight goals off of tip-ins (Keefe even mentioned it, thanks for reading buddy!) but if we are going to allow points shots, we gotta do a better job tying up sticks. Or get out to the points quicker and with more emphasis like Mercer did when he ate a tough one late in the game. With 4 days off, and some time for film and practice you gotta throw Nemec back out there against the Rangers, Dennis Cholowski is not a better option.
Brutal play by Dillon to cough up the tying goal and it really sucks it was Matt Boldy that it kicked out to. I'd say the results on Dillon have been a mixed bag this season, but it could be far worse for a 3 LD pairing and he will be invaluable for the playoffs. I get what he was doing, trying to slide it to Dowling for a quick rush up ice since he had a Minny forward over committed, but the right play is to eat it or just chip it up the boards to Pesce in a 2-1 game late. He's a veteran, he knows it, and you could see the disgusted look on his face. Buy Marky a steak and don't ever do it again.
I see people are upset at Luke for eating the last 30 seconds to force OT. It was the right move, we needed the point. Move on.
We looked a little better in OT than we have in previous games, so much is predicated on possession. Cotter scored a beautiful goal that called back becasue of fucking offsides. Consider this a formal petition to let cool looking goals stand regardless. That goal was reminiscent of our 22-23 OT god mode days... take me back.
Bratt, Cotter, Marky get us the shootout. Filthy moves from Cotter and Bratt, and Marky stopped a tough Zuccarello who has silly SO numbers. They showed a close up of Marky's face and it was seriously fucking terrifying - real Kash Patel crazy eyes - and I knew he was not he was not letting either of those in even with some help from Mr. Crossbar.
In other news, apparently Dougie is skating again - man with Luke doing what he's doing, getting Dougie back would be a massive boost to this team. The conflicting information we get outta this team on injuries is infuriating, but I guess that's how things go with injuries. First round Carolina? I'll recklessly speculate now: he ain't missing that series.
It's getting warm here in parts of the east coast, enjoy the weather, go outside, get some drinks and some sun. Rangers wait in a few days.
We are going to end your season Steve, bring on the tears.
LGD
