Devils v Predator Preview 11/25

Chris (00:02)
Good morning there, Devils fans. This is Chris from the Uncle Pucker New Jersey Devils podcast doing a quick little preview of tonight's game as the Nashville Predators will roll into Newark for a 7pm puck drop against our New Jersey Devils. Quick little recap, Devils' last two games. Statement wins. Huge wins against two teams that you guys were going be battling with each other, jockeying for a position atop the Metropolitan.

all year between the Carolina Hurricanes, the New Jersey Devils, the Washington Capitals. Well, New Jersey beat Washington and Carolina their last two games. That was huge. 4-2 win over the Canes and a 3-2 win over the Caps. Both games I thought that the Devils played really just really good games and just I love this team. I love the makeup of this team. I love where I believe this team can go.

I'm not saying they're winning a Stanley Cup this year, only one team gets to do that, but I am very happy with how this season has been progressing throughout. Now, I was out with some illness, felt like absolute ass the last few days, so the boys, they did drop a show on Friday where they broke down the Canes game. I highly recommend checking out that Uncle Pucker episode. It was very good.

Because the guys do a fantastic job so with that being said two big statement wins for New Jersey New Jersey has had one issue this year and that hasn't it's been consistency but it hasn't been as bad as maybe you know it definitely not as bad as last year maybe not as bad as other years or other times past but just stringing together a set right four five six maybe more wins in a row the Devils can't get more than I think three this year I think they have maybe a four game win streak I'm not sure

I should check that but anyway string some wins together the thing I do like about this devil team which is a lot I do like about him but the ability to have a loss and come back with a big win you know you. go back a week or so right the two big games against the Panthers down in sunrise the devils when I'm both they drop a clunker to the Tampa Bay Lightning on the next game where they get shut out and have a nice gap but those are games.

That you know then you going up against the canes right so you have Florida Florida Tampa Carolina and Washington you drop this one right in the middle to Tampa but they came back strong against the canes and they came back strong against Washington and that's what I like they don't let the the losing or the bad feeling seem to pile up they did have the four game losing streak earlier in the season. And to be honest with you from that point to this point it does seem.

like this is a different team. again, that's not what we're here for. We're here to break down what to expect tonight, what to look for. I believe that the Nashville Predators are by far the biggest disappointment in the NHL this year. We know all the moves that they did all summer because every person with a hockey brain went on about how Great Barrett trots did and they are

One the the offseason and all their pickups right they pulled stamp coast out of Tampa well not really tampa didn't want him so they signed steven stamp coast a sign brady shay and they signed jonathan marches so so. Everybody thought that this team was loaded for bear and ready to go with with bruno behind the bench with you see sorrows who they extended to a long term deal with roman yosi already there was philippe fordsberg already there with the core.

That they had right cuz you remember last year right they went on that like eighteen game point street the whole you to concert the sphere and they were punished and they got grounded and then they ended up you know passing all their exams with a's or whatever so they went on their run and that core though. That one on that run last year is not necessarily the court I have now they brought in some big guns and it is not working.

We've seen this with sports just in general, right? A team goes out and they spend a shitload of money and they bring in talent from all over the place. But when they finally put those pieces in place, they don't fit, right? There's just too many, you know, square pegs round hole type of things. And I believe that's what's going on with Nashville. They're just not clicking. Right now, they're at 7, 11 and 3. 17 points.

That's seventh in the central division for a team that a lot of people had winning and or competing for the top spot in that division. These guys are seventh right now. Huge disappointment, but they are coming off a very big four to one win over probably the best team in the NHL and the Winnipeg Jets. So that was their last game. Now they're rolling into us. So I think most people believe that Nashville is, they're going to get rolling.

Right. It's only a matter of time when you do have this much talent spread throughout your team. It's going to take a while. personally, I don't think they're making the playoffs. think that this start, you're not going to be able to overcome it. Not in that division, not with too many, you know, the other teams that are just doing really well, that maybe weren't supposed to like the Minnesota wild and the, you know, Calgary flames, the West is tough. And I don't think, I think the preds are going to be, you know, left without a ticket to the dance.

come April. And I don't give a shit. But

Do know they're going to be a lot better than this 7-11 and three record indicates? Let's just see how they play tonight against New Jersey. They're led by Philip Forsberg. He's got 16 points, a tidy eight and eight for that. Their captain, Roman Yossi, he's got 16 points as well with four goals and 12 assists. Jonathan Marcheseau is sitting at four goals and eight assists for 12. Stamcoast.

Seven goals and forces I was actually kind of surprised I didn't think he scored seven goals I didn't I don't really pay too much attention to Nashville, but I just for some reason thought he was in the three to four goal range, but Let's dive into some numbers here for tonight's game and we'll just kind of compare and contrast with where New Jersey's at so the Predators winning percentage is 405 and that's good for 28th in the league

where New Jersey is 652 and that's 9th in the league. Goals for Nashville is also 29th in the league with 50 and New Jersey is 4th in the league with 79. Goals against 19th in the league for Nashville at 65, 14th in the league for New Jersey at 60.

Gold differentials, Nashville is minus 15, that's 26th in the league. The Devils are a plus 19 and that's sixth in the league. Powerplay percentage, Nashville is ninth in the league in powerplay. They're clicking at 22.7%. New Jersey's second in the league in their powerplay at 31 % even, which has just been lethal these last few weeks and a whole lot of fun to watch.

Power of sorry penalty kill. This is Nashville strong point right here 91.7 % that is good for first in the league at penalty kill to New Jersey's. Second in the league in power play so special teams tonight is going to come and come into play that's going to be a fun little inside story to watch see how our power play does against their really stellar penalty kill Devils penalty kill is not too shabby either at 82.3 % that's good.

for ninth in the league. So the average shots, Nashville average is about 29.95. So around 30 shots per game, that's for 13th. Devils are 15th, right around the same 29.78. So, you know, the shooting percentage for New Jersey is 11.5%. That's the number of, you divide the number of goals with the shots taken and gives you that. That's where New Jersey is there.

12th in the league in their shooting percentage and Nashville is 32nd with 7.9%. So they just don't score a lot of goals and the team save percentage for Nashville is 896. That's 16th in the league. New Jersey is 904 and that's 9th in the league. New Jersey basically owns them in every basics, every statistical category as you know, other than

The penalty kill but for the most part whatever if New Jersey is. If if Nashville is leading in any anything it's it's a you're talking about a very minor point so the numbers. Much better for New Jersey New Jersey is a better team right now. Kind of what to expect tonight right the way New Jersey has been playing the way that they played against the canes I didn't get on to talk about these games because I was sick but the.

The thing I loved best about the Canes game, right, was just the 18 seconds into the third period, New Jersey sitting on a 3-2 lead, and I believe it was a 3-2 lead, and they come back or, no, it was a, yes, it was a 3, no, it doesn't matter. They were up by a goal. I don't remember. They make the beautiful pass, 18 seconds in the goal, they'd get the game tied. So basically you're sitting on the bench, you just get done.

Going about the walk in to get start the third period with the lead and you're sitting here going well now 18 seconds in everything we just discussed during intermission we could just throw out the window because not about protecting the lead anymore it's about you know winning the game which is exactly what they did they didn't let it get to him they didn't you know. Just start. Giving up which we saw a lot last year whenever anything went negative on this team.

the mindset was just to kind of, I don't know, just kind of crumble up and fold, whether it was a key guy going down in the game or a bad call, bad goal, bad series of goals. They were never able to kind of just kind of put that behind them, focus on playing the game and going out and doing that. The little things just seemed to pile up and mess with this team's psyche. And I was a little bit nervous about that because the Canes were coming in hot after that and New Jersey wanted nothing of it.

They held their ground, they took what Carolina was giving them, and then they just went out and scored two more goals on Dougie and Bratt, and they won the game. I really, that third period, the way the Devils now have kind of been...

Setting teams upwards to me. It seems like okay period one. This is the feeling out phase, right? We're just gonna we're gonna throw some light jabs at each other and we're gonna get a good idea of How you're playing us how we the things that we know we can work or not work against this team And then they you know second periods like alright, we got all our information. Let's attack and they do And when it works, it's beautiful, right? And okay great. We got the we have a lead or whatever it is

And then we get into the third, if we're up, we can just kind of lock it down. Not necessarily played, you know, a tight defensive game, but as far as locking it down, taking the chances when they are given, when they're presented to you, but for the most part, it's about protecting the league at lead and playing really smart. I like that system. I like the way, and I mean, maybe in my head, that's just how it kind of seems to be working out right now, but they can beat Nashville.

And the way the Devils are playing right now, they should beat Nashville. But again, we all know how this shit goes, right? A team that you're supposed to beat comes into your building, San Jose, and we see it with everybody. And this team would not shock me at all if they come in and win tonight against New Jersey, because this is an extremely talented roster. And like I said earlier, it's only a matter of time until things start to click. So before we wrap it up,

Let's just break down go the likely goaltenders. All right, so I'm not gonna do Scott Wedgwood or Jake Allen's numbers So you see Soros he's played 17 games. All right, he's six nine and two is good 918 save percentage two point four three goals against average and two shutouts we know you see stars is a good goalie and he's Going to have to be I believe the biggest reason

that this team if it does end up making a move and trying to get themselves into the playoffs i think it's gonna have to be on the back of uc soros because as much as these guys are all trying to figure everything out in the end if he doesn't play well it doesn't fucking matter sorry i mean but doesn't matter jake al i mean jacob markstrom nine five and one nine seven save percentage two point five four goals against one shutout

Just what can you say about our goaltending tandem both guys have been playing fantastic. This is a good game. It's a West, you you're playing a Western Conference team. So I know a loss isn't as vital as maybe the other two, but you want to just keep this good habits feeling, you know, you want to feel good. You want to win tonight. You want to win Wednesday night going to the holiday with a little bit of a four game winning streak.

New Jersey can absolutely do it and I do think that if Nashville does struggle some more, it's only going to be a matter of time until some changes are made there. I always kind of like when changes are made after one of my teams whoop up on somebody, because then you're responsible for somebody getting fired or traded or whatever. And it's fun because it doesn't affect us and it's sport. So anyway, that's some of my thoughts on this. I expect Devils. I expect this to be a good game. I really do.

I don't think I think Nashville is gonna take this game very serious I think New Jersey is gonna take his very serious Bruno is gonna want to come in and beat to his former club That's what I'm looking at good game, let's say New Jersey Wins this thing four to two. I'll take the same score that they did on Carolina. I think that The Dougie Hamilton coming to life has been awesome. So I really like to see him. Just keep it going

Like I said, we'll dive more into this. The Uncle Puckers are going to be doing a show, most likely tomorrow. We're going to discuss this game. We'll discuss the Washington game. We'll look forward a little bit to the game Wednesday night and we'll have a little bit fun with that. So we'll dive into more of that. Let us know in the comments section. Drop us an email, unclepuckers at gmail.com. You can also find us on X and Blue Sky and Instagram and all that other stuff. And wherever you get your hockey podcast.

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