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 Verfasst am: 15.08.2018, 05:58 Titel:
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The New Jersey Devils are heading into the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and not surprisingly half the roster has never competed in a NHL postseason game.
The newbies in the Cup chase include leading scorer Taylor Hall Vontaze Burfict Jersey , No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier, No. 1 goaltender Keith Kinkaid and probably nine of the 20 players expected to be in the starting lineup on Thursday night against the Lightning in the opening game of the first-round series.
There are 13 players on the roster who have never played in a Stanley Cup playoff game.
New Jersey also has its share of experienced players. Center Brian Boyle has played in 106 playoff games, going to the Finals with the Rangers. Defenseman Sami Vatanen went to the playoffs the past four seasons with Anaheim. Defenseman Ben Lovejoy won a Cup in Pittsburgh.
Their advice to the kids has been to embrace the challenge, expect the hockey to be more intense and to enjoy the games.
For the young players, most of them are just expecting hockey.
”I don’t think you change anything,” forward Blake Coleman said. ”There is a reason teams make the playoffs and there is no reason to venture too far from anything. The only difference is you get a little more familiar with who you are playing.”
Coleman said every player in the Devils’ locker room has participated in some type of playoff game throughout their careers, whether it be in juniors, or the minor leagues or even younger.
”It’s fun,” said Coleman, who had 13 goals in his first full NHL season. ”It’s always going to be pressure games. It’s going to be no different than what we played in the last 15 when they were all must-win games down the stretch and we found ways to be successful.”
Will Butcher, who set a team rookie record for a defenseman with 44 points, said being a part of a playoff team is fun. He enjoyed practice on Wednesday when the Devils opened the workout to fans.
”I am not going to expect different,” Butcher said. ”It might be, but for me this is just a hockey game. You go out Cheap Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey , you prepare, you play and do all the things you have done all season long and be ready to go. That’s our mindset as a team. We’re going into play another hockey game.”
Butcher said his approach to the series is viewing each game as a one-game series. First to four advances.
Veteran goaltender Cory Schneider, who played in three series with the Canucks before being traded to New Jersey in a draft-day deal in 2013, said the intensity is higher in playoff games.
”It seems like every single play matters and it does,” Schneider said. ”You also have to keep perspective that no matter what happens whether you win a game or lose one, it’s on to the next one. You can’t get caught up in the mood swings.”
Defenseman Mirco Mueller was around the playoffs with the San Jose Sharks, but never got into a game.
”I have seen the intensity and the level it is played at, so that might help a little,” said Mueller, who moved into the starting lineup in the past month. ”It will be new and there is a lot of noise around it, the first round starting. I guess it will just be hockey once it starts, with a lot more at stake.”
Hischier can’t wait for the playoffs. The 19-year-old Swiss center who had 20 goals and 52 points in his rookie season, said the Devils can play with anyone if they play their game.
”We’re hungry for more right now,” he said. ”It’s fun to be in there (the playoffs) Jordan Howard Jersey Youth , but now we want more.”
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More NHL hockey:
An exceptional medley of great awareness, terrific balance and deft reflexes allowed Stefon Diggs to ad lib and seize both the ball and the moment in the Vikings’ demon-exorcising ”Minneapolis Miracle .”
Diggs was supposed to go out of bounds if Case Keenum threw his way on the play dubbed ”Seven Heaven,” although in countless rehearsals at practice never did the pass go to the deep receiver, according to teammate Jarius Wright.
Ten seconds and no timeouts remained when Keenum dropped back from his 39 on third-and-10 in the hushed U.S. Bank Stadium, another haunting playoff heartbreak looming for Minnesota . New Orleans had taken a 24-23 lead just 15 seconds earlier.
The Saints had three defensive backs guarding the sideline as Kyle Rudolph, Wright and Diggs all ran sideline routes from the right of their formation.
Diggs was the deepest, with his break coming at about 25 yards, and just as he swiveled his hips he noticed nothing but green grass and purple end zone behind rookie free safety Marcus Williams, who was closing fast.
Diggs turned back to see the ball heading his way.
”I was thinking, `Catch it, get out of bounds and maybe kick a field goal,” Diggs said. ”I took a picture before I turned around to catch the ball. There was only one guy there. If he slipped, then I was going to try to stay up and keep it going.”
Williams, who had a key interception on a floater to Diggs in the third quarter Anthony Miller Jersey , arrived a tad early. A pass interference flag would stop the clock with about 5 seconds left, giving the Vikings a chance at a field goal.
Williams awkwardly whiffed on Diggs, taking out cornerback Ken Crawley as Diggs came down, tucked the ball in his right arm and stuck his left hand in the turf to stay up.
If he stumbles there, maybe he gets caught and time runs out. But he kept his balance, his cool – and stayed in bounds – shooting toward the end zone like a sprinter coming out of the blocks.
His 61-yard touchdown catch was one of the NFL’s all-time last-play stunners and it erased four decades of heartache for a franchise that was victimized by Drew Pearson’s original ”Hail Mary” catch; Gary Anderson missing his only field goal of the season in the NFC title game; Brett Favre throwing across his body for a game-destroying pick in another NFC championship contest; and Blair Walsh shanking a short field goal against Seattle.
While the delirium echoed, Williams, the 42nd overall selection in last April’s NFL draft, sat sobbing in front of his cubicle in the Saints’ locker room.
”I’m going to take it upon myself,” Williams said after composing himself for a stand-up performance in front of the assembled media, ”to make sure nothing like this happens again to me.”
While the magical ending in Minnesota dominated the playoff discussions, there were other notable calls in the divisional round:
PAYTON’S CHALLENGES: Saints coach Sean Payton unsuccessfully challenged two calls on the same series in the fourth quarter: Wright’s 27-yard catch and Keenum’s knee not being down before he released the ball.
”Two very bad challenges by the Saints,” tweeted Tony Dungy. ”Not sure who is talking to Sean Payton in the Coaches booth but they have given him poor information.”
Payton explained afterward that the monitor in the team’s booth was malfunctioning, so he didn’t have an assistant coach warning him not to throw his red challenge flag.
MOVING ON: Tennessee’s 35-14 loss at New England turned out to be Mike Mularkey `s last as head coach of the Titans. He was fired Monday after leading them to their first playoff victory in 14 seasons.
A week after controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said Mularkey ”will be our head coach moving forward Calvin Ridley Falcons Jersey ,” she dismissed him, saying, ”It became evident that we saw different paths to achieve greater success.”
Of the six head coaches ousted this cycle, only Mularkey made it to the playoffs.
FORGETTABLE FOURTH-AND-1s: Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley made two curious calls on fourth-and-1 in Pittsburgh’s 45-42 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
One was a pitch to Le’Veon Bell, who was dropped for a loss, and the other an incompletion to Juju Smith-Schuster.
Maybe Haley didn’t know Ben Roethlisberger is 18 for 19 on fourth-and-1 keepers in his career.
LOOKING AHEAD? On Saturday, Bell riled up the Jaguars and their fans when he tweeted, ”I love round 2’s … we’ll have two round 2’s in back to back weeks …”
Bell was assuming a rematch with the Patriots next weekend to avenge a 24-21 loss last month, the Steelers’ only defeat since a 30-9 home loss to Jacksonville early in the season.
Bell wasn’t the only one presuming a Steelers-Patriots conference championship rematch.
In response to a recent quote from Steelers safety Mike Mitchell, who said Pittsburgh would beat New England no matter where the AFC championship was played, the Jaguars had some fun following their big win Sunday, tweeting: ”You can play them on (at)EAMaddenNFL all offseason.”
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