#gobolts

A chaotic night of goals, goalie changes, and non-stop action that you absolutely couldn't look away from.

Honest question, did anyone see that coming? If you were tuning in with Quicktv korea for the Devils vs. Lightning game, you probably dropped your snacks within the first ten minutes. We are talking about one of those nights where the scoreboard operator was working harder than the defense. The Tampa Bay Lightning rolled into the Prudential Center and absolutely lit the lamp, leaving the New Jersey Devils scrambling to keep up in an 8-4 goal-fest that felt more like a video game than a regular-season matchup. It was messy, it was high-speed, and if you love offense, it was absolute paradise.

Let's talk about that opening frame because, wow. The Lightning didn't just start fast; they started with the kind of energy that makes you check if the game time is wrong. Four goals in the first period. Four! By the time fans were settling into their seats with their nachos, the Devils were already staring up at a mountain. It wasn't just one line doing the damage, either. It felt like every time Tampa Bay touched the puck, it was finding the back of the net. Nick Paul and Darren Raddysh got things going, and before the Devils could even take a breath, the lead had ballooned. You could feel the air get sucked right out of the building. It’s tough to watch your team get chased out of the rink in the first twenty minutes, but for the neutral viewer, it was pure entertainment.

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The goaltending drama was immediate. Jacob Markstrom, who is usually a rock for New Jersey, just didn't have it. It happens to the best of them, but getting pulled that early is always a tough look. He was swapped out for Jake Allen pretty quickly, but by then, the momentum was completely in Tampa's favor. It is one of those psychological hurdles in hockey—when your starter gets chased, the whole bench feels it. You could see the Devils trying to regroup, but when you are down by a handful of goals before the first intermission, you are forced to abandon your game plan and just start taking risks. And when you take risks against a team as skilled as the Lightning, you usually pay for it.

But let’s give the Devils a tiny bit of credit for not packing it in completely. An 8-4 scoreline looks bad, but at least they put four on the board. Luke Hughes had a moment of brilliance that reminded everyone why he is such a special talent. His goal was a spark, cutting the lead and giving the home crowd something to cheer about for a brief second. It is important to look at these small wins in a blowout. The offense is there. They can score. The problem wasn't putting the puck in the net; it was keeping it out of their own. When you are trading chances with a powerhouse, you need your defensive structure to hold up, and last night, the Devils were just too loose. Turnovers in the defensive zone were killer, and Tampa Bay made them pay every single time.

On the flip side, Tampa Bay looked scary good. They have had games this season where they had to grind out wins, relying on defense and goaltending. This was not that. This was a flex. Scoring eight goals shows a depth that is going to be a problem for other teams in the league. They got contributions from everywhere. It wasn't just the superstars carrying the load; the depth guys were eating, too. When a team gets secondary scoring like that, they are almost impossible to beat. They moved the puck with so much confidence, finding seams through the Devils' defense that looked miles wide.

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For New Jersey, this is a "burn the tape" kind of game. You watch the video, you cringe a little, and then you move on. You cannot dwell on an 8-4 loss because it will wreck your confidence. The defensive breakdowns were glaring, sure, but a lot of it came down to just a bad start that snowballed. The NHL season is a long grind, and nights like this happen. The key is how they bounce back. They have the talent to shake this off, but they need to tighten up the back end immediately. You can't expect to win games if you need to score nine goals just to get two points.

Looking ahead, the Devils have a chance to wash this taste out of their mouths pretty quickly. They are hosting the Anaheim Ducks next, on December 13. This is the perfect rebound spot. The Ducks are a team you can beat if you play a structured game, but they are also young and fast, so New Jersey cannot take them lightly. I expect the Devils to come out with their hair on fire in the first period against Anaheim. They will want to prove that the disaster against Tampa was a fluke. My prediction? The Devils tighten up defensively, the goaltending stabilizes, and they take a solid 4-2 win over the Ducks to get back on track. They need this one to calm the waters.

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okay im not defending what he did, because mat made a bad choice. and there should definitely be some discipline to follow, but if they’re gonna discipline him it’s gonna be a rough decision on how bc of how inconsistent it’s been during the series. also i just wanna say as I’m not actually a nyi fan but a vgk one seeing someone make a bad move like that is not only hard to watch but hard to stomach. the isles are def already bummed out about how the game was going before barzy’s penalty and that frustration is clear in his move. 

all that being said i don't think we should be biting his head off. mat’s consistently been one of the players who avoids fights as much as he can, it seems like an uncharacteristic move for him, and one i’m sure he’s gonna pay for if trotz’s statement after the game is any indication. 

(side note; no one likes getting taunted for over an hour, they were literally calling him a little baby bitch on the ice, you can see it in some of the shots- again not defending his choice because barz made a bad call- but we’ve been watching him for like 6 years now and it’s just not like him to pull shit like this, which is something to keep in mind)

tbh the whole game was a shit show for the isles, as one of the most disciplined teams in the league (esp. since barry trotz took over as head coach) they’ve seen imense growth as a team. and to see them fall in a way that doesn’t really showcase what playoff hockey is all about is heart-wrenching.