Devils @ BLOTS!: Saturday Night Open Thread

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Devils @ BLOTS!: Saturday Night Open Thread

November 19, 2011 by Schnookie

Tonight we get to see this newfangled “trap” that we hear is recently killing hockey. Oh, those dastardly BLOTS! — what will they think of next? We should have expected nothing less than a revolutionary weaponized version of hockey from a head coach who looks as much like a Bond supervillain as Guy Boucher. Here’s hoping that DeBoer has more ideas for how to combat this nefarious defensive scheme than Peter Laviolette did. Also, here’s hoping that this 1-3-1 bomb of previously unfathomed boredom is truly as shocking and unheard-of as the frenzy it sparked a few weeks ago would suggest. Because if it just turns out to be the same trap everyone’s been playing for the last 20 years, we’re going to be very disappointed.

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Posted in Fire Bad! Trap Good!, Open Thread | 82 Comments

82 Responses

on November 19, 2011 at 6:52 pm Mags

I’m going to regret this, I can tell.

(Hey look, there’s that classic Devils fan optimism!)
on November 19, 2011 at 7:02 pm suenj97

Since Lemaire is living near Tampa, I’m waiting for the claim that he used mind-control to force Boucher into using the 1-3-1 (yes, his power is so great, Guy even uses it on the road).
on November 19, 2011 at 7:13 pm EJGRgunner

I imagine Lemaire rigged Boucher’s alarm clock to play Non, je ne regrette rien.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:15 pm suenj97

NJ won 3 of 4 again TB last season? They must not have played in the first half…
on November 19, 2011 at 7:17 pm Pookie

:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: to all of you! I’ve had the shittiest two days of work yesterday and today. I’m putting all of my happiness eggs into the basket of the Devils beating the BOLTS in exciting fashion. That can’t possibly be a bad thing, right?
on November 19, 2011 at 7:17 pm Schnookie

(yes, his power is so great, Guy even uses it on the road).

:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Jacques’ like, “Who’s the Bond supervillain now? Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!”

And Mags, that kind of sunshine and rainbows is just what a NJ/TB game needs!
on November 19, 2011 at 7:20 pm EJGRgunner

Don’t you remember what happened the last time Devils were entrusted with eggs?
on November 19, 2011 at 7:22 pm Schnookie

Oh god, Gunner, you’re right! Pookie’s such an IDIOT thinking things will end better this time! (Unless she’s giving the eggs to Larsson [HBTN] and Henrique. I’m sure if they’d been around for Sutter’s build-a-cake workshop, the end result would have been amazing. [Except that Sutter would have sent Larsson back to Sweden, since he hates foreigners.])
on November 19, 2011 at 7:23 pm Mags

I’ve had the shittiest two days of work yesterday and today.

Many hugs. My sympathies. I’m having a bad day. No, a bad week. Actually, fuck it, I’m having a bad month, and I demand a do-over.

The radio is making this game sound Not Shit. I’m pretty sure it is lying to me.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:24 pm EJGRgunner

Except that Sutter would have sent Larsson back to Sweden, since he hates foreigners.

Well you know what they say: anyone who hates kids and Europeans can’t be all bad.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:26 pm EJGRgunner

Evidence that although Larsson, HBTN, is fully divine he is also fully man: those two dangerous passes across the crease.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:27 pm Mags

Well you know what they say: anyone who hates kids and Europeans can’t be all bad.

:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hey! I resemble that remark!
on November 19, 2011 at 7:30 pm Schnookie

Well you know what they say: anyone who hates kids and Europeans can’t be all bad.

:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: When you put it that way, I’m not sure how much I hate Sutter after all…

Evidence that although Larsson, HBTN, is fully divine he is also fully man: those two dangerous passes across the crease.

He’s just trying to give the Larssonic seminary students something to contemplate.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:31 pm EJGRgunner

I am completely unsurprised that Holik is driving a trailer full of horses across the country. He doesn’t even need a special reason. I can absolutely picture him waking up one morning looking out his window and then marching out the door to go buy a trailer and some horses in order to fulfill some unfathomable quest.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:31 pm Pookie

OK, I’m putting all my happiness turpentine in the Devils’s hands. :D
on November 19, 2011 at 7:32 pm EJGRgunner

Truly it is the end times. Jansen drew a penalty.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:34 pm Schnookie

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Gunner, I literally just laughed out loud at your remark about Holik. (That might be the first time I’ve ever laughed about Holik.)
on November 19, 2011 at 7:34 pm suenj97

Truly it is the end times. Jansen drew a penalty.

It was Downie. Never a Mensa candidate.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:36 pm Mags

Truly it is the end times. Jansen drew a penalty.

It was Downie. Never a Mensa candidate.

Wasn’t it Moore? Not that his IQ is all that much higher.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:38 pm EJGRgunner

It looks like the Devils have switched up the PP formation. It looked like a 1-3-1 rather than a straight umbrella.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:38 pm suenj97

I thought they said Downie, but if it was Moore, he has no excuse (other than lack of talent), because he’s not stupid. IIRC, he managed to graduate from Harvard.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:42 pm Mags

IIRC, he managed to graduate from Harvard.

Oh, I don’t know, I’ve met/read about some pretty dumbass HBS grads lately. (think you can get away with fraud on an epic scale? I don’t care where you were educated, you’re an idiot)
on November 19, 2011 at 7:48 pm suenj97

I don’t know about HBS (although there are idiots everywhere), but the Ivy league doesn’t allow athletic scholarships and you basically have to be able to do the work to get in as an athlete – which is why they are now rarely competitive on a national level in athletics in most sports. Stanford, which does allow athletic scholarships and doesn’t have the same requirements, is competitive on a national level.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:50 pm Amy

I can absolutely picture him waking up one morning looking out his window and then marching out the door to go buy a trailer and some horses in order to fulfill some unfathomable quest.

Why does this sound like a real life version of Oregon Trail?
on November 19, 2011 at 7:53 pm Schnookie

the Ivy league doesn’t allow athletic scholarships and you basically have to be able to do the work to get in as an athlete

Oh, I don’t know about that… I’ve known a few people who’ve gone to Ivies to play sports, and they were DEFINITELY not regular Ivy League academic material. (I think Paul Kariya put it best when he said that basketweaving is basketweaving whether it’s at Harvard or Maine [the programs he chose between].)
on November 19, 2011 at 7:54 pm EJGRgunner

Perhaps Bobby is taking his cue from this:

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/oregon.png

and has decided to repopulate the vast wasteland that is Oregon.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:57 pm Pookie

the Ivy league doesn’t allow athletic scholarships and you basically have to be able to do the work to get in as an athlete

George Parros and I have identical SAT scores, coming out of New Jersey prep schools, and lemme tell you, I was not getting in Princeton. No way, no how. In fact, when I told my college guidance counselor what I scored on the SAT, she immediately suggested I take it again to score higher if I had any chance of getting into a good school.
on November 19, 2011 at 7:58 pm Pookie

A whole state of Holiks?!? I’m never going to Oregon again!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:00 pm Amy

Paul Kariya put it best when he said that basketweaving is basketweaving whether it’s at Harvard or Maine

He admitted that he was taking Rocks for Jocks? That’s very self aware.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:02 pm Pookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Can they set off the Tesla coils for that just because it was so fucking awesome?!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:02 pm suenj97

OK, I give up, but Pookie, I think from what I have seen here, you probably have the intellectual ability and interest to do well at a good school. Do you not test well?
on November 19, 2011 at 8:02 pm EJGRgunner

WOooooooooooOOOOOOOOO!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:03 pm Schnookie

He admitted that he was taking Rocks for Jocks? That’s very self aware.

:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Yeah, no one ever accused Paul Kariya of being un-self-aware. He was just as serious about taking Rocks for Jocks as he was about justifying not wearing a mouthguard even after multiple concussions. (The excuse? “Sensitive gag reflex.” See? NOT VERY SMART, but Harvard wanted him anyway. :P)

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Zubrus is an unstoppable killing machine! Boucher is probably planning now to kidnap him, spirit him away to his volcano lair, and then either turn him or clone him.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:05 pm Pookie

Do you not test well?

That’s putting it mildly. :D Actually, I kick ass on essay tests. Give me an Art History AP any day. But as soon as it’s a standardized ETS-style test, I’m toast. I am to toast as the SAT is to… Shit, I have no idea! I’ll just guess B.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:08 pm suenj97

That’s too bad, Pookie, you would have been great in the British system. From what I undertand from my friends who went through it and whose kids are going through it now, except for the Math (of course), and some of the science subjects, most of their pre-college tests are essay-type.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:10 pm suenj97

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:10 pm Amy

The excuse? “Sensitive gag reflex.”

I don’t really know what to say to that except “that’s what she said.”
on November 19, 2011 at 8:11 pm Schnookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was beautiful! I really never expected to see Clarkson as one half of a great passing sequence.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:11 pm EJGRgunner

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:11 pm Schnookie

I don’t really know what to say to that except “that’s what she said.”

:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
on November 19, 2011 at 8:14 pm Mike in Idaho

George Parros and I have identical SAT scores, coming out of New Jersey prep schools, and lemme tell you, I was not getting in Princeton.

It was never a fair competition, your moustache could never compete with his and I have heard Princeton is very particular about that. And one of these days I am really going to pick up Clarkson, just wait and see!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:14 pm Pookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

That’s so interesting about the British system, Sue. I wish America had been like that a billion years ago when I was applying for college. (Of course, my test score wasn’t that big a deal because I was going for theater and Tisch didn’t really care what my SAT score was. Pookie : George Parros as Tisch : Princeton. See? I can do analogies! Princeton, don’t you want me retroactively in the class of ’01?!)
on November 19, 2011 at 8:15 pm Pookie

your moustache could never compete with his

:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I knew there was a good reason they rejected me!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:22 pm Schnookie

Oh man, Zach missing that shot there… ouch. It’s going to be a rough night for Boxworthy.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:29 pm Schnookie

And one of these days I am really going to pick up Clarkson, just wait and see!

Don’t do it! We like that he’s scoring! If you pick him up, he’ll stop! (That argument didn’t stop me from picking up Henrique…)
on November 19, 2011 at 8:33 pm Pookie

I picked up Taormina last year and he promptly got hurt and we’ve never heard from him again. Can’t you pick up Tallinder instead of Clarkson?
on November 19, 2011 at 8:35 pm Schnookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:35 pm suenj97

WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:36 pm EJGRgunner

THE CLARKSURRECTION!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:37 pm suenj97

I’d like to know who the ‘special trainers’ were who helped Clarkson last summer. NJ could probably send more work their way.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:38 pm Schnookie

Hey, remember how Frisby picked up stakes and moved from ClarksonNation to TedenbyNation? Do you suppose he’s regretting that now?
on November 19, 2011 at 8:38 pm Pookie

Maybe Frisby was holding Clarkson back!
on November 19, 2011 at 8:43 pm EJGRgunner

I’m pretty sure Chico is wrong about Devils only changing “a little positioning” on the PP. I’m pretty sure they’ve moved from an umbrella or possibly a slot set to a 1-3-1.

Diagrams
on November 19, 2011 at 8:47 pm Schnookie

Whoa, Gunner, you just BLEW MY MIND. That’s, like, PP science, yo. (Also, I have been just distracted enough with dinner to be paying attention to the PP formation. Try to remind me on their next one to take a look at it.) (My theory on the recent PP success is that they’ve stripped Adam Oates of his responsibilities.)
on November 19, 2011 at 8:50 pm suenj97

It does look like a 1-3-1. What they had before was closer to an umbrella. What they had before wasn’t working, and this has been better. But I don’t think it could really have gotten worse.
on November 19, 2011 at 8:56 pm EJGRgunner

Basically they’ve moved a man into the slot midway between the faceoff dots. That’s where Clarkson was when he scored.

Here’s what they normally use, note that the only man between the faceoff dots is the man screening the goalie:

http://www.dailyhattrick.com/hockeycoachforums/uploads/forum2/Umbrella.jpg

http://www.dailyhattrick.com/hockeycoachforums/uploads/forum2/Overload%20and%20slot%20set.jpg

But with a 1-3-1 it looks like this:

http://www.dailyhattrick.com/hockeycoachforums/uploads/forum2/Deep%20shot%201-3-1.jpg
on November 19, 2011 at 8:59 pm EJGRgunner

The 1-3-1 is a bitch to defend because of all the extra passing lanes.
The big risk is that you basically have only one person at the point, so the puck should get out of the zone easier, and you might be susceptible to shorties.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:01 pm EJGRgunner

I think Clarkson just boarded the BLOT into Carter.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:02 pm suenj97

They were giving up shorties with the other formation, there were times where the point work was, well, lacking.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:03 pm EJGRgunner

Sweet Baby Larsson, does Henrique have a cross over or what?
on November 19, 2011 at 9:04 pm Pookie

Chico’s clearly being threatened by your master diagramming, Gunner. I mean, why else would he have just telestrated a mind meld between Zach and Henrique?
on November 19, 2011 at 9:08 pm suenj97

I vote for Gunner to replace Chico, on the PP input alone.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:10 pm Mike in Idaho

Sorry all, I had to do it. Clarkson has scored his last point since he is now another mindless drone working for the Bureau.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:11 pm Schnookie

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:15 pm Schnookie

Okay, that was bullshit. BULLSHIT! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:15 pm EJGRgunner

Funfetti
on November 19, 2011 at 9:19 pm suenj97

So, Mike picked up Clarkson and TB scored 2 goals. Hmmmm…..
on November 19, 2011 at 9:24 pm Schnookie

Mike’s a witch! Or a sleeper agent for the BLOTS!.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:24 pm Mike in Idaho

The Bureau claims it’s just a coincidence and will make up studies that sound really scientific to prove it.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:29 pm Pookie

The only study we want to see is a study of whether Mike in Idaho floats! Witch!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:32 pm Pookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:32 pm suenj97

WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:33 pm Schnookie

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Mike’s a good witch!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:34 pm EJGRgunner

FLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE!!!!!!!!
on November 19, 2011 at 9:35 pm EJGRgunner

Seems like DeBoer scrambled the lines after the 4th goal.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:37 pm Myra

I’m blaming Mike then for bewitching me into getting on that same stupid Stars Super Slide.
on November 19, 2011 at 9:37 pm Schnookie

That game was SO delightful! Let’s play the BLOTS! every night!
on November 20, 2011 at 6:16 pm Mike in Idaho

Mike’s a good witch!

Remember that when Clarkson goes -3 in the next game. Until then, just call me Glenda.
on November 20, 2011 at 8:54 pm Schnookie

Aw, it’s Glenda In Idaho!
on November 20, 2011 at 11:50 pm EJGRgunner

Don’t you mean Glinda?

Or were you referencing Ed Wood?
on November 21, 2011 at 11:28 am Glinda in Idaho

Oops, I did mean Glinda, although you remind me I need to see Glen or Glenda sometime, it’s the only big name Ed Wood film I haven’t seen.
on November 21, 2011 at 6:31 pm Mike in Idaho

Does anyone know of cool communities for the LA Kings I could advertise some tickets on? I am leaving the frigid wasteland of Idaho for a week to warm up in Southern California and have ended up with two extra tickets to Saturday’s game against Chicago, due to my own wishy-washiness.