Weekend Review; 5 Key Observations

League Record So Far; 14 – 4 – 1, 29pts, 1st Place

Devils fell in Nottingham on Sunday night, as they missed chance to grab important win on Shinkaruks return, allowing the chasing pack to close their lead and up the pressure on Russells men.

The loss was 4th of the season and it meant that it was first time they went back to back in defeats this season. They did however scrape a point at home against Giants, but questions will certainly be raised following a deflating and disappointing weekend for the league leaders.

Here are my 5 key observations from the games this weekend;

1. Missed passes, Missed opportunities

The team as a whole looked jolted, unsettled and incoherent across both games, allowing high danger looks on net, pucks flying in and 3 points lost for the league.

It seemed as if they were playing with a live hand grenade or for the more timid inclined, a hot potato and the aim for the squad was to never hold it.

It is a crying shame the league doesn’t employ and produce stats for giveaways and turnovers, as this would have been a vicious exposé of how structure was lost, possession squandered and Bowns being left to bail his team out, time and again.

As soon as the puck was collected, it was sent off the tape, often to a board in errant fashion or gratefully to an opponent, either defensively to clear or offensively and they had to scramble to defend again.

Many of these instances occurred in the DZ and NZ, leaving many to wonder what on earth were they thinking.

It was made worse from snapping a pass up the boards to get an icing call in return or just back to the opposition blue line and once again, back to defending and leaving Bowns open to face more shots.

He faced down 73 SOG over 183 minutes played. Not the way this team want to defend, however, if the D cannot make a pass, mark their man or get turned over easily, then this is what to expect. In contrast, Flyers faced down 50 SOG this weekend, picking up 0 points in the process.

2. Focus, precision absent

This was a weekend to forget for a lot of players on the ice, but the focus on and off the puck was a glaringly obvious aspect to lament over.

It is difficult to play against good teams, especially when the officials make dubious decisions that have a direct impact on the game itself.

This is where you look to leaders to get the game going again, juice it up and put the opposition under pressure. There was none of that over the two games and it is not disingenuous to claim so.

From fluffed NZ dump-ins that result in icing calls against, being stripped off the puck when near the DZ with an empty net, errant passes being made or watching a puck glide past to an opponent and making a change instead.

Compete and decision making are hallmark traits for elite professional athletes. Somewhere along the way from last week to Sunday, that was lost. Heads down, hunkered in mentality and no action to reset and make simple plays, ultimately cost 3 points and brought back the inconsistency again.

3. Stale line ups produce little, to no surprise

Whilst Shinkaruk returned (finally) and with some bodies missing to injury, the line ups were near enough the same for several weeks in a row now.

It has been speculated on, written here and widely discussed on the matter of how Shinkaruk would fit and where, but the overall expectation would be that with the addition, it should mean a new line up entirely.

Busch dropping to fourth was the obvious choice, with Shinkaruk placed on 2nd and Barrow moved down again, the system was still the same, but not just the forwards.

On the blue line, the 6 available D again were kept as the same pairs and there are obvious cracks showing in ability, focus and attention to details.

The top pairing have had chalk and cheese runs of late, with some fans outright calling them out on social media, questioning why season tickets are being paid for in the process.

This is more in the territory of expectations than disgust, however a patterns has been emerging at the back. Little grit in 1v1 net battles, blind, high risk or errant passes ending up as giveaways, easy and soft turnovers or getting caught flatfooted.

When others are looking to activate, they often miss assignments to close down and box out puck carriers, allowing shots and often goals being converted or the hard work for a good few shifts gets undone by players looking to engage with the opposition rather than clear the zone effectively and get a change.

This disrupts what their line mates should be looking for when breaking out, often creating chaos in self inflicted way, costing possession and precious time on the clock.

Perhaps revisiting this article https://hockeysteve.co.uk/2024/10/26/exploring-the-devils-most-productive-lines/ that explored the most productive lines at the time with the inclusion of Shinkaruk in place of Tyler Busch (for a 100% healthy squad to choose from) might be something to look into.

MacDonald still produces, however, the rest seems to fail to make the mark when they are called on to back check and bail out failed zone clearances, weak zone entries or have to reset in the DZ again because of icing.

4. Shinkaruk returns, produces tongue in cheek variable

This was what every fan was waiting for since he got injured back in game one vs Clan, where he went minus one on the night.

Since then, the team have done fantastically well without him, to the point speculation was raised if his presence was even real at all.

This cued in some brilliant exchanges between fans, enjoying the speculation of his return, whilst knowing the utmost was being done to make sure he had recovered properly.

His return was in circumstances that could have been better. Two injuries on the 4th line (for some, the most consistent for what they do and bring) and in a game scenario where had he been primed and repped up already, possibly a game changer.

After the first goal, where he claimed a secondary assist, he largely went quiet and ended up on the night minus one overall.

His second game in the EIHL competitively and his team lost. So far, after the two games, he has one assist and has now gone to -2.

At this rate, he is just below Josh Batch, also with just one assist this season but he is +1 after 9GP. The first round NHL draft pick is currently projected at just 19 points and to -37 overall. Healthy scratch territory already for the mythical legend.

5. MacDonald points streak continues

MacDonalds primary assist to open the scoring added to his great tally at this stage of the season, with 22 league points already (32 overall).

In the last 7GP he has logged 10 points, 5G, 5A and doesn’t look like slowing down. He has 10 points in the cup and that is the next game, the rescheduled game vs Blaze and it is pivotal. In the last 3 cup games, he has put up 4 points, all from assists.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed, picking up the MVP for last month.

The last game vs Blaze was a 3 zip win (Devils first shutout of the season) and MacDonald didn’t make the scoresheet in that game. Blaze are coming off the unpalatable end of back to back defeats conceding 11 goals in the process.

This game will go on to determine who could make the next round and Devils will be counting on MacDonald to continue his stellar contributions so far.

3 stars vs Panthers;

Third Star; Joey Martin – His marker added to another points streak and 4th goal in last 4GP.

Second Star; Didrik Hendrant – Primary assist on the go ahead PPG and GWG on the empty netter, 7 shots and 4 SOG, he was a threat all game with pace as well

First Star; Ryan Bednard – 34 Saves, 97.14 SV%. Another goalie laying the foundation for a dub.