Who Could've Seen This Coming? New Jersey Devils Fathered in Raleigh AGAIN by Carolina Hurricanes

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My name is Zach Berman.

I've been skiing the last two days and I am somber.

I am also, well, the Devils are also burnt, burnt as is tradition in Raleigh.

They go down there.

They get torched to a crisp as a decaprio says and what's, oh my gosh, one spawn of time

in Hollywood will recap the most predictable New Jersey Devils game of the season.

Talk about why this keeps on happening in Carolina and how the Devils just have not been

able to change this inevitability, this ownership that the Hurricanes organization has presented

over the New Jersey Devils and will preview tonight's game against a bad Chicago Black

Hawk steam.

And I have some unpopular opinions on what I want to happen tonight.

You'll never guess what happened yesterday in Raleigh, North Carolina at Bolanovo Center.

The Devils lost to the Carolina Hurricanes, only scoring one goal in the process.

What a surprise.

Guys, gee, Williker, oh, wait a second, they score, I forgot, I genuinely forgot, I've

getting to add it off in like the most garbage of garbage time at his first goal this season

with less than a minute remaining and they were down for the guy that was brought in

because the team was so deep, he could be a fourth liner wound up on the first line

out of the gate and it took until March, March 28th for him to not only score his first

goal, but to record his first point in a Devils uniform, one of the funniest goals in modern

Devils history, like bad funny, but genuinely funny, like I got an audible chuckle out

of that.

I think it was the first thing all game that made me smile.

Devils lose five two, not five one, but five two in Raleigh after a decent enough first

period where they were only out shot eight to six.

The Devils scored the first goal of the game because it is still March.

Also give me fuel, give me fire, give me his 22nd goal of the year from Timo Meyer on

a one on a two on one, nice pass by Dawson Mercer to set it up, it was a God awful call

on the goal from Dom LaGreca who if we're being honest and I know this is like frowned

upon as a broadcaster to like talk about other broadcasters like this.

Dom LaGreca's firing is like about as imperative as Tom Fitzgeralds is.

You cannot have a guy botching names on his own team, 70 games into the season.

Like he is as checked out as the team looked and he's been checked out since like December.

And it's a shame because he's a good dude and he's a lifelong Devils fan.

I don't care about that.

I'm a lifelong Devils fan.

I'm not talented enough to be the voice of the team.

That's also an MSG problem.

So like take that up with James Dolan because they weren't willing to re up Bill Spalding's

contract.

Yeah.

Great goal.

Terrible call.

And after the first period, you're like, well, they might have waited until it was too

little too late to win a game in Raleigh, but they haven't done so.

However many years, three years now, they haven't beaten the Canes all season long.

What better time than right now?

What better time in the present like what do you have to lose?

And then the second period rolls around.

And the Canes start doing Canes things and the Devils start doing Devils things in Raleigh.

Typically when the Canes beat the Devils, which is like every time, they tend to score in

bunches.

They scored three goals in five minutes in the second period, starting after a bad penalty

by Lenny Haminajo.

It was the only penalty the Devils took all game, but one of the biggest warts in these

Devils Hurricanes match up has been special teams.

The Devils have been unable to score the power play against Carolina since like forever,

since like the Obama administration and whenever the Devils go in the kill against Carolina,

the puck winds up in the back of the net and Nikolae Eilers ties the game on a power play

goal.

Malik's internecation and Taylor Hall.

I have no idea what the hell Jonathan Kovacovitch was doing on this play like I, I'm not even

kidding.

Benchon for Dennis Choloski.

Like at least Choloski is so bad he's funny.

Kovacovitch is just depressing the watch and he's got like five more years on his contract

and can't be moved.

Like get this guy off the team.

Oh my gosh, my, my hoodie is a dissolving into my into my virtual background.

Oh, no boy.

Kovacovitch was just like the pilonious pile on I've ever seen yesterday a truly pathetic

excuse for a veteran defenseman.

I know he's coming off a torn ACL.

I've said that I think he's going to be better next year.

Shut him down for the rest of the season.

Like I can't watch his dude anymore.

Just get him off the team.

Oh, yeah, this was an own goal.

Went in off a Brendan Dillon last.

So Calabunga.

About three and a half minutes later.

Guess what happened against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The holes can't clear the zone.

Oh, I'm so surprised by this revelation.

Max Cipilkov can't get it out.

He's going to see him thaw her hung out to dry and Jackson Blake walks in all alone puts

it past Markstrum to one.

And you knew the third Carolina goal was coming soon after and it's certainly get guess

what happened.

Devils can't clear the zone.

Nico Hescher leaves his man Brendan Dillon leaves his man and Jordan Stahl is all alone.

And yet this puck was shot right at Jacob Markstrum two years six million dollars per

and you can't make that safe.

Get off the team man.

Blake, can you just retire seriously?

How do you let that go in?

How?

Good God.

It is truly great and I get that of course Markstrum wasn't going to say no to an extension

that was way more than what he was actually worth.

But I think between his play this season and the extension, I don't even know if Jacob

Markstrum would have cracked my top 50 least favorite devils of all time before this season

began.

I think he might have jumped Andre Pilates my least favorite ever like we are on that

level.

I despise Jacob Markstrum with a fury of a thousand sons like I cannot stand this dude.

And it's like I feel bad because he's a good player.

I mean, he was a good player.

He's a good person.

And once upon a time, he wasn't terrible and he wasn't even close to anywhere near

this list.

And now just a joke of an NHL goalie, a joke of a team.

Third period begins and the devils continue to get outplayed.

Oh yeah, they were outshot 15 to five in the second period.

They were out shot 11 to eight and third.

And this is when things began to get really pathetic.

Again, bad turnover, can't fully clear, Nemech coughs it right up to Shane Gostisper

who walks in and throws it on goal should have been saved goes in.

Nemech had a terrible being yesterday.

Everybody had a terrible game yesterday.

And of course, because the devils struggle so much on special teams against the hockey

equivalent of inflicting anaphylactic shock.

Seth Jarvis scores the empty matter because well, is it really a devil's canes game of

Seth Jarvis who the devils picked Alexander Holtz over didn't score?

The devils are nowhere near competing with the Carolina Hurricanes, not even beating them,

competing with them.

And we'll talk about that in the other side of the break because this is just utterly

pathetic from a team that should be nowhere near this bad, this deep into their supposed

contention window, which is probably slam shot.

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So why can the New Jersey devils not see seem able to beat the Carolina hurricanes when

it has been obvious for the longest time that they are the team in the eastern conference

to be they just are.

The obstacle is there they are the obstacle they're going to play a certain way they're

not going to change how they play and the New Jersey Devils have not figured out a way.

After all this time to build a team that isn't even it's like let alone competing with

Carolina like beating them is the most important thing they're not even close to beating them

like I know that.

Sheldon Keith knows all about being owned by another team in the division.

He was front and center to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs be owned over and over again

by the Boston Bruins so you'd think that he would know a little something about how

to get over the hump that comes with struggling so mightily with a team in your own division.

Right.

Why is Tom Fitzgerald not even bothered to try and change things towards what the devils

need to be doing in order to even compete and like yeah I know it always comes back to

the Leafs doesn't it like yeah the Leafs are owned by the Bruins but they every time

they've played in the playoffs they take the series to seven games the devils are

even competing with the canes they were swept in the season series this year.

They lost in five last year they lost in five two seasons ago and in 23 24 they were

swept in the season series Carolina owns the New Jersey Devils and after the game yesterday

Connor Brown said there's some things that happened throughout the game and some emotions

got high and were just handled poorly when you have scars against a team sometimes it

could be that much harder to manage.

What does that say about everybody involved with Carolina's ownership of the New Jersey Devils

and the new player comes in in his first season as part of the organization immediately

can diagnose that and yet the coach can't the GM can't the players can't I like Nico

he sure I would love nothing more than for him to stay as a devil the captain can't what

kind of captain are you if you're not addressing this why should why why should you be leaving

that to a guy who's on the team in his first year and Connor Brown has been part of both

sides of this he's been part of those Leafs teams that struggle to get over the hump against

Boston he's also been part of Edmonton Oilers teams that have owned and arguably as talented

not more talented Dallas stars team in the playoffs.

Sky is as good of a veteran player in his role as they come Devils are lucky to have him

and to be completely honest with you I've always thought that the take the cap and see

away from Nico thing was just a bunch of reactionary BS to hear that this is the first time

where I'm going like what is this guy really do is captain because clearly they're not

winning all that much I know the cap and see is more of a symbolic thing than anything

else but like that's that's pathetic the devil scored four meaningful goals against Carolina

all season long in the last three games oh yeah they scored three in the first game

doesn't who cares honestly the Devils have scored more meaningful goals on their own net

against the hurricanes this season they have not won in Raleigh since 2022 and I will

go so far as to say that as long as Tom Fitzgerald is GM of the New Jersey Devils I'd

be shocked if they ever win in Raleigh again during his tenure hopefully this is the last

time at Tom Fitzgerald team from Newark New Jersey well he can go take another job for all

that I care loses in Raleigh to the hurricanes the hurricanes are not changing their style they are

going to play a certain way the same players are going to play their certain roles and if you

don't adjust if you don't try and combat that that's on you like yeah they're a better team

but they're not that much more skilled to the point where every time the Devils go to Raleigh or

play the hurricanes it shouldn't look like you're playing a team from a league better than you the

hurricanes make the Devils look like an a gel team every time they they play one another and as

well coached as Carolina is as talented as they are they are not that much more talented than

than the New Jersey Devils to the point where you should be looking like an a gel team every time

you play them like enough is enough have some pride I said on the podcast prove me wrong they

proved me more right than I've ever been about this team this team is incapable of beating the

Carolina hurricanes and they are going to be incapable of beating the Carolina hurricanes for as

long as things are run the way they are it's as simple as that just it is what it is and if they

don't want to change things then I'm just wasting my breath on that note everybody freaking out about

the the Devils fan taking her jersey off and changing into a Carolina hurricanes jersey that the

team posted like don't get your own decent a bunch over that like we know the Devils pay fans to do

that in their in their building we seen them do it to rangers fans like that's a setup like guys

there are so many other things to be really really pissed off about I wonder if we'll get more of

those things tonight as the Devils take on the Chicago black hooks we will preview that after this

break next unlocked on Devils well if you're betting man and you're smart you probably

should have made a lot of money betting against the Devils last night and where could you have

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all right devils black hawks tonight at the prudential center

seven p.m. puck drop five p.m. where I am in the mountains of I guess near the mountains

but it's not like city I know Zach you're always traveling I know I get it I get it

but this is a game that means absolutely nothing to the New Jersey devils or Chicago black hawks from

a competitive standpoint both teams are bad both teams black hawks are tanking

which is called what it is the devils are doing a poor job of tanking but players don't tank

Chicago 27 33 and 13 I don't know why they hired Jeff Blazel I think Kyle Davidson

in the amount of time that he has had to turn the ship around in Chicago it honestly reminds me a

lot of the trouble that the devils have had in the past of turning the ship it's year whatever

the rebuild other than Conor Bedardi of nothing to show for at what point is does the pressure

get put on him black hawks are 44 and two in their last ten the devils are six four and oh in

their last ten last time these two teams met the last time I was happy as a devils fan Simone

Nemitz scored a hat trick in overtime at the United Center on national TV and the next day

Jack Hughes was revealed to have sliced his finger at Chicago Cut so things have been no bueno

for either of these teams this year well things have certainly been bueno for Conor Bedardi

is 30 goals and 60 games 67 points I mean he's Conor freaking Bedardi it's a great player

I wish or I guess the black hawks fans wish that there could be someone else around him

but it still just feels like overall the hawks are kind of in purgatory and his devils fan

no how that feels this is not a game that

and I know it sounds bad I get it I don't care I have no desire to see the New Jersey Devils win

this game like the draft pick situation that's out the window they're not getting first overall

they're not winning the lottery I get it this isn't even about that anymore this is about getting

people fired and if it takes the devils losing embarrassingly in front of a Sunday night crowd

against a bad team the devils have been playing well against bad teams been so be it

the setup is there because oftentimes when the devils play Carolina they tend to as I've

described it in the past let the canes beat them twice we'll see if that happens tonight

I just I can't root for them to win a game against a Western conference team that is

meaningless in the standings if it's not going to do the devils any good and I don't think

it's going to do the devils any good to win this game like what do you get out of this standings

wise if you win you get nothing get absolutely nothing and the last thing this organization needs

are more meaningless wins that do nothing except to lose the fan base aren't not even the fan

base the front office into thinking they're further ahead and they actually are we just don't need

that I'm tired of being in purgatory and if that means rooting for this team to lose a game

and I'm not saying that you're a bad fan like I'm not going to tell you how to be a fan

like that is not that's not right this is what I'm doing if you disagree with it you're more than

welcome to but I can't bring myself to root for the devils to win this game I just can't

which is why they're going to Jake Allen's going to play lights out we already know they're going to

win three one jack brat and someone out of the ordinary yeah screw it to don off scores again why not

and they'll find a way and they'll keep spinning their tires is there anything else I really want to

talk about I think that the damage stuff that's been coming out I'm just not sure what to make of it

because yeah I'd like Matthew and I as I'd be happy to have him here but at the same time like

it's a nothing burger of a story if a Tom Fitzgerald likely hopefully won't have a job at the end of

the season and conversely give me one good reason why what's his face oh my god Brad give me one

good reason why Brad tree living should still have a job neither of these guys should have jobs

at the end of the year so you know what like that's just a bunch of click baby BS at least that's

the way I see it like I cannot bring myself to worry about potential offseason trades made

between two GMs who might not have jobs come the offseason so if we have to double back all

across that bridge when we get there but I really don't want to double back because that would mean

Tom Fitzgerald keeps his job and fire Tom Fitzgerald fire Tom Fitzgerald for the love of God we

haven't beaten the Keynes and Rolly in like three years fire Tom Fitzgerald oh my god we'll talk

about tonight's game tomorrow and whatever else wicked comes this way in just this

zombie of a season that I just want to end oh yeah they play the Rangers on Tuesday so we'll

preview devil's Rangers tomorrow night as well guys go watch college basketball tonight actually

that doesn't overlap you can watch both go watch you come Duke it's gonna be way way more fun

I mean I'd say go watch baseball but Metz game still going the Yankees for whatever reason

don't have a game on the first Sunday of the season thanks Manfred you know where to find me

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guys as always let's go devil's fire Tom Fitzgerald