2011-2012 New Jersey Devils

[devs30rko]

I know I'm late, and haven't been around much ( I don't like posting in the playoffs I'm too superstitious)

But following this season, through every up, down, success, to painful painful loss (I cried like a baby from the second the kings pocketed the empty net, waited for our boys to get off the ice and couldnt even watch the cup presentation) it needs to be said: arguably even more so than any of our cup winning teams and the best teams we've ever had, I am unbelievably, and undying proud of this group.

Not just for their accomplishments but for how hard they worked to get their, all the doubt they had from critics both inside and outside the organization/media/fan base, and the fact that you could literally see this team, grow, evolve, and gel throughout the entire year.

I love the 2011-2012 New Jersey Devils.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Agree 100 percent this team has made me proud beyond words

 

[MadCaptain]

Yes absolutely! This team rivals that of the 2003 team and would have surpassed it had they won the cup. I thought they only had the talent to make the playoffs and get swept in the first round but they really surprised me in each round.

 

[SJ20]

This team made me proud. However, I can not say the same about the game 6 officiating which was questionable at best.

 

[MadCaptain]

Ya true. I hold nothing against the Kings. They deserved the cup since they were the more talented team and won with what was given to them.

I'm still completely disgusted with the refs throughout the entire final game. Now that its settled completely I'm most irritated with the linesman body check and all the ejections made during the 2nd period. Any chance of a comeback was stopped because the fucking refs kept handicapping the Devils for absolutely no reason.

I'm not gonna say the game was fixed because the Kings still needed to score the goals to win but if someone was to tell me one NHL game over the last 50 years had referees paid off by someone, I would immediately think that game 6 was the one.

 

[devils30mb]

This team was great....all of them from our talented players to roll men. Everyone bought into the system and it worked.

I still don't think the Kings were that much better than us, if any. Game 1 and 2 could have gone either way. Quick and Marty both played great. Both the teams in the final deserved to be there....just wished the reffing was better.

 

[SJ20]

Good stuff, everyone.

Game 2 still bothers me. I thought the Devils played better than they did in game 1 but there was no sense of urgency. They had to MAKE SURE they won that game after losing game 1. Game 3 was rough with the officials allowing the first Kings goal which was a joke. But, I can let that go and say the Devils got a bunch of PP minutes in the first period (even though our PP blows) and failed to score. But I have no answers and all questions when it comes to game 6. The Devils were tired and trying to make a comeback. They had just withstood the Kings attack including a Kings PP. Then comes the call. I thought at first, the Devils were going on the PP. Even so, the call on Stoll makes the Bernier hit never happen. They could have called Penner for his hit on A-train. At the very fucking least, call a make-up call after the 5 minute major has started. We didn't even get that. If these officials were US court judges there would be hardly any crime as everyone would be sentenced to death like the Devils were. And finally, a tired team has to play the rest of the game a man down. Then 2 other players get booted. And they kept on calling ticky tack penalties against the Devils the rest of the game. Don't turn the NHL Final into a clown show.

As far as who was better? Not sure. The Devils were robbed of any chance of competing in game 6 and forcing a game 7. Who would have won game 7 if the Devils would have won game 6? Who knows? But the chance at that opportunity was taken from us.

The best team doesn't always win. Look at 1995. The Devils weren't better than the Wings. But in that particular series (The Final) they were. Look at the Packers last year, the NY Giants this year and the St. Louis Cardinals last season. They weren't the best teams but they played the best when it mattered. If I can remember, neither of those teams had a game given to them like the Kings did in game 6. The NHL has some explaining to do to this organization and its great fans.

 

[CalamityX11]

Proud of my Devils....

no one would've thought we were going to the Stanley Cup..... sucks how we lost it(despite the LA Kings makeing a Disney run at the title).... but it happens... I'm more so sad/mad for Marty cause come on at age 40, one more chance to win it? damn..... so close. For Kovy(who signed with the devils for $ and the chance to win the cup), Parise, Elias once again, Deboer & the coaches... for NJ!!!!

but we beat the Rangers.... we got that going for us.

 

[MadCaptain]

The Kings weren't better. They were easily more talented but talent does not make a team good. Even given that, its not the Kings fault that the Refs went on crusade against the Devils. They took advantage of all the help they got and blew the game away.

 

[linebackeru]

Team had a great run, showed a lot of character, DeBoer did a great job and I am looking forward to seeing this team play under his sytem next year with a full season from Zajac and a year of the adjustment under their belts.

Did the refs blow in game 6, yes. However, we had games 1 and 2 on our sticks, especially the open net miss by Fayne. If they sink that and/or Kovy's crossbar shot with 20 seconds left, we are celebrating a Cup.

 

[SJ20]

Not sure the Kings were better either. True, the Devils should have never even thought of leaving NJ after the first couple games without winning one of them. And they should have never went down 0-3, but they did. Then, they won 2 games and I started to believe in them. Then the refs took game 6 over not long after it started and I began to believe the fix was in. Look, the Kings have a solid team and they needed no help from the officials. But they got it.

 

[Vortimous]

Good stuff, everyone.

Game 2 still bothers me. I thought the Devils played better than they did in game 1 but there was no sense of urgency. They had to MAKE SURE they won that game after losing game 1. Game 3 was rough with the officials allowing the first Kings goal which was a joke. But, I can let that go and say the Devils got a bunch of PP minutes in the first period (even though our PP blows) and failed to score. But I have no answers and all questions when it comes to game 6. The Devils were tired and trying to make a comeback. They had just withstood the Kings attack including a Kings PP. Then comes the call. I thought at first, the Devils were going on the PP. Even so, the call on Stoll makes the Bernier hit never happen. They could have called Penner for his hit on A-train. At the very fucking least, call a make-up call after the 5 minute major has started. We didn't even get that. If these officials were US court judges there would be hardly any crime as everyone would be sentenced to death like the Devils were. And finally, a tired team has to play the rest of the game a man down. Then 2 other players get booted. And they kept on calling ticky tack penalties against the Devils the rest of the game. Don't turn the NHL Final into a clown show.

Dont forget the pick on our D man (getting out of the way of there offensive guy) that allowed goal 4 early in the second... not that we would of come back, but being down 3-1 or 3-2 at the end of period 2 is alot more easier than 4-0. Dont forget about that great ref too, that sealed the game as much as the 3-0 on the five minute major....

Kovy, hope we never see this kind of injury at the most critical time for you again... we need your offensive talent so fix what ever the hell is wrong with you and lets make another run next year...

 

[kellmit]

The Kings deserved to win... ya Bernier shouldn't have been issued a major (that was a 2min penalty at most) but we CANNOT give up 3 fucking goals on that major.... they were just better at capatilizing on the oppertunities then we were

 

[SJ20]

The Devils deserved a chance to compete and the refs robbed them of it. That call is rough in a pre-season game let alone game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. And the rest of the game they kept calling bogus penalty after bogus penalty on the Devils. What a freaking joke!

 

[Nasty_Magician]

The Devils deserved a chance to compete and the refs robbed them of it. That call is rough in a pre-season game let alone game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. And the rest of the game they kept calling bogus penalty after bogus penalty on the Devils. What a freaking joke!

You have to give up on blaming the refs. We beat ourselves in the first 2 games. We should have been able to overcome the penalties. Letting in 3 goals during that 5 min pp was completely unacceptable. We imploded. Don't let 1 call spoil what was a great season in which we knocked off our 2 most hated rivals on the way to the finals.

 

[Vortimous]

You have to give up on blaming the refs. We beat ourselves in the first 2 games. We should have been able to overcome the penalties. Letting in 3 goals during that 5 min pp was completely unacceptable. We imploded. Don't let 1 call spoil what was a great season in which we knocked off our 2 most hated rivals on the way to the finals.

I would say that if it as just a game... but this was for the CUP... it doesnt get any higher than that... and while yes, I was happy to see us there, to lose it like that for a CHAMPIONSHIP just should not happen. The refs shouldnt control the outcome of a championship game like that... It turns the NHL into a joke and thats exactly what the NHL did. There was no way LA was going back to NJ for a potential game 7... they wanted it to end in LA and it did.... it wasnt just the call on us... it was the non calls and everything else that game.... Yes I am still mad... If I was the devils coach or GM, I would still be raising hell about it and keep bringing it to light... because if this kind of crap can decide the championship and they get away with it, you damn well know it can be done again... why even play, just hand over the Cup to who the NHL wants to win.... Game 6 was a puppet show and that is just sad... I wish Parise would tell the world what the refs told him about the non call and the call... he said he will keep it to himself as to not irate the fans... I would love to hear what they told him....

 

[MadCaptain]

It wasn't just the boarding call. That was the least blatant.

It was the pick that directly let to a Kings goal. Come on, physically getting involved in a play which creates an odd-man chance is blasphemy for a ref.

It was the two ejections for seemingly normal occurrences in the seconds period. Yes sure, in a regular season game you can eject players to prevent fighting and future altercations but its the fucking finals and the last game at that. The Devils were not going to fucking "send them a message for the next game". THERE WAS NO FUCKING NEXT GAME. Thats proof that the refs decided the kings will win the game during the 2nd period. They essentially eliminated the very slim chance for a comeback because the Devils now had to play 3 men down.

 

[SJ20]

You have to give up on blaming the refs. We beat ourselves in the first 2 games. We should have been able to overcome the penalties. Letting in 3 goals during that 5 min pp was completely unacceptable. We imploded. Don't let 1 call spoil what was a great season in which we knocked off our 2 most hated rivals on the way to the finals.

You have to give up on trying to change how others view things. You will never change my opinion of game 6 of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Final. NEVER! It helped spoil it, it did. The New Jersey Devils win Cups. The rivals thing was great but it wasn't completed as the Cup is in LA. And the refs had something to do with it.