League Record So Far; 2-0-0, 4pts, 3rd place (Joint 1st)
CARDIFF, WALES – Devils hosted two prickly teams in purple this weekend, playing a different style in front of the fans for the start of a long home stand.
They got what they needed, a 4 point weekend, unbeaten start to the regular season and extended their home dub record.
Here are some key observations to the weekend;
1. Home Record Remains in Home Stand
13 might be an unlucky number to some, but for the Devils it is just a number. One that helps to extend an envious home record, something of a pattern this early season.
Their only losses were on the road, you could add 4 more to that tally thanks to pre-season and even a further brace of W’s if you wanted to include the top seeded ‘home’ placements in the SF and Final for playoffs.
Despite the noise, the injuries and some form, getting it done is the only thing that truly matters.
2. Goal Shy, but a perfect weekend
Two wins is two wins, a home stand started as it should. A perfect weekend, maximum points and a great start to their league campaign.
They faced very stubborn opposition, depleted and beaten up.
Not quite the intensity as it was vs Storm, the game vs Clan was a war of attrition, with a large case of avoiding (costly) mistakes.
After 56 SOG, only 4 were scored. It was enough to beat this opposition, however, teams like Panthers, Giants, Flames – they can punish their opposition.
It works out to 1 shot for every 14 on net, amounting to 7.14%. That is Fournier’s Shot% (SH%).
The team overall for SH% is 7.49. Trending downward, but ever so slightly.
3. There were 3 keys to the weekend; were they answered?
The first was line utilisation, which looked to have been taken note of, as the lines did (on paper) look amended.
However, as would be further explored, the weekend saw a mammoth load of tinkering, meaning there was a tone set by the coach – even though they were light on bodies, play for a place here.
First key – check.
The second was regarding the power play and to really focus on that. There was a PPG, even though the second game vs Clan, saw the units flipped to start with.
Both looked bright, the only hang ups were the blue line receiving passes. All in all, four power plays, one goal. We will take 25%.
Clan meanwhile are at zero – across the EIHL.
The final key was puck management – this was where the team struggled. Despite a more intense gameplay vs Storm, with a lot more chances generated, almost double in comparison, the NZ and outlet passes were streaky and often, troublesome.
Devils were almost out-hit across the weekend, with some low numbers on that front – to be expected due to the current circumstances.
This level of play invited those physical moments, which created turnovers, giveaways and a lot of scrambling to re-balance their structure.
A lot of hurried efforts, sloppy attempts and lazy reads, mixed with weak puck control and containment with the body.
Not the prettiest games, with the latter almost a snooze fest.
Two of Three isn’t too bad, but the line switch ups create more headaches for who to place where, however to scout them after this weekend, it won’t be easy – finding a route to the Devils net will truly bring the quality at home into focus.
4. Panu Mi-where-o?
8 games.
6 SOG.
0.75 average for shots per game.
0 SH%.
Averaging just over 19 minutes for TOI.
This hidden gem of a goal scorer has already been called into question.
With 5 helpers to his name, the return isn’t a complete wash out, however three of those are secondary assists (60% of total point production).
In other words, that is just noise.
In terms of driving offense, his primary contribution of 2 assists in 8GP falls very short.
It isn’t just delaying high end chance creation for others or poor shot selection.
It is like entering a horse in a race, the horse not moving and the punters being sold that the horse is a high end runner, who finishes strong each race. Value for money.
If this weekend was a test of what each player could give, then here is an example of where that lifeline is very slender.
In a fair comparison, which he was likened to Juusola of the Steelers, he sits 7th of 12 Finnish skaters and the only forward from Finland without a goal.
By points per game, he sits 3rd and by weighted points per game (such as structuring scoring by points to seperate primary scoring from noise), he sits 9th.
He knows, if he was an import back home in Finland, he would be released.
5.Stoever Excellent Again
It was anticipated he would start this weekend and he did. He also logged a shutout, was unlucky not to get back to back shutouts, but he persevered for 120 minutes, as his line mates collapsed around him.
The defensive habits are still there, against better opposition, they would have been punished.
To concede one goal from 49 SOG is outstanding.
Rebound control, positioning, reflexes, head butts, puck juggling, taking a perch on the bar. He done it all.
The main stay for what is positively consistent, is Christian Stoever.
Three Stars of the Weekend
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