Notes on tonight:
We let the Steelers back in after two largely professional periods. We literally gifted them the first in the third.
Obviously if our boys were perfect they wouldn’t be playing for us but such NEEDLESS mistakes are so frustrating.
Almost as frustrating as Fournier tonight. Don’t get me wrong, love the guy, but an idiotic penalty in the first just when it was threatening to boil over in our favour - let a poor Steelers team off the hook.
That tonight was not a fluid, free flowing Devils side that we saw early in the season. It was a grinding, physical, completing-your-checks, YIPPEE-KAY-YEE mother Hubbard type performance.
Ok maybe that’s overselling what was a grinding performance.
What it was, was exactly what we need when we face the Panthers. Save that we can’t give teams a head start.
Shout out to the Red Army tonight, loud and influential. Didn’t boo anybody off and quite restrained given how poor the officiating was (sorry, I don’t but this “it’s playoffs so let it go” stuff). Was a hint of “5-1 and you messed it up” from some corners but overall we showed the Steelers how an organisation should behave.
On other points:
O’Connor shook every Steeler hand before the Devils which screams to me that he will try his luck abroad again this off-season.
More concerning was Linglet hanging around at the end prior to the Wave - seemed to be a goodbye - but hopefully was just part of the Wave w/kids.
More on my views on next season’s roster at another time. But for now - well done Devils!
Looked the part from the off - Benti had a great game and I genuinely don’t think Martin would be the GOAT without Mario on his line season-in-season-out.
On to the Playoffs. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN - so let’s spoil the Giants’ party.