League Record So Far; 23 – 13 – 2, 48pts, 4th Place
L10GP; 4 – 6 – 0
It was a night to forget for a lacklustre Devils team who started hot then went off the boil quickly, eventually drained away with an insurmountable gap to scale as a result.
It is no guessing that this was a must win game for the road team, who were at near full strength to start a game for what seemed like an age, rolling 4 full forward lines and 6D, including a full Brit (mainly Welsh) line.
This seemed to provide renewed optimism and hope, but in the end, they wilted without much pressure, almost gifting the home side another win against them this season, going for 4 in a row so far.
It might just be how I saw the game play out, but the arena, commentary and game flow seemed lifeless and absent minded.
Fast work but a slow death became the story
It took just over three and a half minutes for the first blood to be drawn, thanks to the hard work and effort by Ryan Barrow to drive the puck to the high danger areas, feeding a deft pass to Busch who sniped top bin over Whistle.
There could have been a delayed penalty called due to the trip on Barrow but it was ultimately missed, which was an early insight into how the game was ineptly managed by the officials, opting to call a malaise of penalties against the visitors for ridiculous plays in the 2nd period.
This profoundly altered the landscape of the night, but Devils held strong on the PK, snuffing the Giants PP, which going into this game was 2nd overall.
Even without the unfair calls, including a bizarre decision to award a penalty shot, which Carruth blanked, the team looks like they left their legs in Wales, presumably recovering from the big win that Canada earned in the early hours of the night.
Their energy was sapped and each off the puck tussle just dragged them into a churn of frustration and loss of focus, eventually leading to easy goals for the home team.
There would be plenty of video to mull over in between matches, but the next one would require a braver effort to take the game to the hosts and come away with something.
Puck watching leads to unnecessary pressure
Going into this game, Devils were in the ascendency, ramping up their efforts on net and boxing out the opposition.
By averages, Giants fared worse off against the Devils compared to their last 5GP overall, but that was thrown out of the window as this tie drew on.
To end the night, Giants put up 60 shots with 44 on net. L5GP average was 65 attempts with 41.6 on net. Continued form the home team.
Where they were allowed to have so many attempts was from the lack of compete from the visitors, electing instead to watch the passes, then to pounce on a loose puck when they wanted to.
This lead to turnovers, giveaways under pressure, players pulled out of position and Giants to move about in the OZ freely and at will.
P.O Morin was unmarked in the slot and Cooper just skated up to the net and tucked the puck under Carruth to take the lead. Zero boxing out or awareness defensively. A true horror show.
‘Mysterious energy source’ found in Egypt by Scientists, explains the lack of it from Devils
This is no joke, in a tabloid article recently, scientists claimed to have found a ‘mysterious energy source’ in the Egyptian pyramids. I won’t share the link, I don’t want to drive traffic there, it can however be searched independently.
This should completely explain the lack of energy out there, instead of deferring to the amount of injuries suffered and the impending speed of when over 30% of the squad will reach the grand age of having a free bus pass.
In short, there was no compete, reluctant recoveries, no urgency. That first shift and goal ticked the boxes, job done.
Again. In the same building. Against the same team. In the same season.
It must have been infuriating from the bench, as Giants didn’t need to do anything, just sit on the blue line and chip away at a fledgling road team with no structure or identity brought to the game. Plan, executed.
Officials could (and rightly) take some blame, players could (and absolutely) take some responsibility for decision making in the heat of the moment. It has been a recurring theme since the turn of the year.
Get chippy, get thrown in the box, get beaten by a team they should be capable of defeating with ease.
Will there be a players meeting to address this at some point? It feels close to happening.
A good stretch of points clear a month ago, now 13 behind and no change to attitudes, whilst knowing all too well the growing and never ending injury curse.
The leadership was lauded at the start of the season as being pivotal to aid the squad through a campaign of four key targets. Where has that leadership gone since securing a sandwich platter? For all intents and purposes, that is precisely what the championship is.
For all intents and purposes, the main target is nigh on lost and dusted for another season, with this very team highly likely hosting the Devils again in the next available final. A massive turn around is expected by then.
New combinations of sorts, another reshuffle needed
It took me a few moments to understand what I was reading in the game sheet, released ever late yet again, but there we are.
After 5 minutes it seemed to have been a master stroke, with Busch leading a top line of Barrow and Mosey. The go-too top line demoted to third and a make shift entry for new Devil Almquist joining the ‘Goat’ line.
We even had a Welsh line (call it for what it is, Duggan is basically Welsh now).
Busch for his efforts, ended the night as a 50% shot success. One goal.
From just 2 shots.
A key man on the dots. He was just 20% on the draws in that game. Olischefski had 70% success, with Martin at 42%. Duggan took just one draw, earning a sharp 100%.
The entire top line combined for 9 shots, Evan Mosey getting the lions share. They did combine for that opener, thanks to the jump and pace from Mosey and endeavour from Barrow. After that initial 5 minutes, it wilted away.
Off the puck growls were groaned, attempts to stir up tussles failed and all the while giveaway after giveaway in their own DZ helped Giants to easily ramp up the pressure.
Carruth on his game, despite the loss
Carruth at times looked untouchable and in some moments, was utterly beaten if not for errant shots going wide.
He faced down 60 attempts and made 42 saves, the most of his L5GP, which has seen 155 thrown at him, saving 142, going for 91.6SV% overall in this stretch. He had however conceded 13 during that slate of games, playing all but 2 minutes due to being pulled for the extra skater.
This of course isn’t an attack on the goalie. He managed the puck and game as best he could, but it seemed like a free rein on him, as players failed to box out forwards, stifle plays or guard the net.
I would wager the 2nd could have been saved however, had the men in front of him shut down the zone entry and turn over the puck, there wouldn’t have been a chance to deal with. He finished the game at 95.24SV%. That says a lot about his effort and what he had to deal with.
In comparison, Whistle in his L5GP had seen 153 shots against him, saving 145. They conceded just 8 however, so not too dissimilar in terms of general play. His overall SV% in the L5GP was 94.7%. Margins and good for a 2:1 game, which it ultimately was.
The nearest to them in terms of GP (and in direct competition on the season) is Panthers’ Jason Grande, in his L5GP he has faced 154 shots against (so bang on average) and made 140 saves, to concede 15 goals. This made for a 90.9SV% in this stretch, despite having a favourable ‘leader’ position.
It clearly isn’t the goal tending for the team that costs games.
Production absent, in spite of having stellar forwards and game makers
I have mentioned strenuously that players such as Busch pop up every now and then with a goal here and there, we call it ‘in bunches’. Recently his line mate netted for the first time since he lost his baby teeth and grew a set of adult chompers.
All season long, the merits of Josh MacDonald (45) have been correctly noted and he should get some reward come the end of the campaign. Hopefully, he likes it here and will stay for a while.
We know of Goal Sanford (35) all too well and of course, there is the majesty of Zach O’Brien (34). Adding to some future goats is the Prime Goat himself, Joey Martin (32).
In the mix we have Reid Duke (23), ever industrious and the ridiculously intelligent hockey player, Brett Perlini (22).
Together they have combined for 658 SOG from 995 attempts, earning 189 points. The leaders, who have scored the 2nd most goals so far in league play have combined (from their direct top 6) 976 shot attempts, with 686 SOG and combing to earn 201 points.
It is not through total lack of effort, however, being precise matters. Devils’ top 6 scorers (including Olischefski for 9) totals 83 tallies.
Giants however, totals 90 goals from theirs. So, not far off, yet there is a discrepancy as Giants hold a +26 goal differential, 29 for Steelers.
The squad depth has been ravaged. Duke and Perlini alone have been missed, had they maintained their trajectory, games would not just be closer, but outcomes different and league table different. A different conversation and view entirely.
For instance, Ryan Barrow, a diligent, hard working, forechecking third liner, truly embodies the role of a grinder. Ask any fan who watches him play, each game there are the same comments; ‘Ryan Barrow was everywhere, I cannot keep my eyes off him’.
However he had just 11 points so far in regular season and two goals. There was a lot of depth scoring throughout the lines until the major injury churn that started to wear the team down. It is massively evident.
Tyler Busch, just 14 points so far this season. He has played 38 games in regular season so far, projected less for points compared to last season (25), from only playing 39 games in that campaign. This is despite more TOI, due to the injuries, often playing 3 and a bit lines.
Fatigue is a thing, but more ice time should mean more opportunities. Take his ice time in direct comparison. Busch currently holds 16:41 for TOI after 38GP.
Giants’ P.O. Morin has played an average of 16:42 in 39GP and has put up 28 points, scoring 12 goals in the process.
This isn’t apples and pears. It is quality and reliability.
Morin also has a higher FOW%. They do have different line roles, as Busch is predominantly third line, whilst Morin tends to slot on the 2nd. However, they have been drafted up and down the lines throughout the season.
Olischefski has been the main top 6 centre man, with Martin often taking the 2nd line. The Goat has 32 points in 36GP from 20:01 average TOI. The main go too for the top line role, Olischefski has played 37 games, skating for 19:06 average TOI and just 23 points.
Scott Conway is the main centre of late, playing an average of 19:40 across 40GP and putting up 41 points. Kawaguchi, predominantly on the third line has skated 17:43 for 36GP and put up 29 points. Nearly three times more effective than Barrow who has an average of 15:48 over 27GP and twice as effective as Busch.
Improvements would need to be made from the supporting cast, even though the season has been relentless and non-stop in terms of injuries and disruptions.
The return so far from the bottom six, would need to improve when players start to come back, but would it be too much and prove too late for an impact in terms of results and outcomes for how this season will go?
It is only up to the players to answer that question, we hope, for now, they will need to continue the buy in and battle to win the next game, then skate on from there. They can do it, we just need to see it.
HockeySteve Stats & Insights 