Devils Debrief 2025/26 - Episode 27 - Devils 7-2 Nottingham Panthers

Gaz and Franny sit down and deconstruct the Devils dominating win over the Panthers.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Today's episode of Devil's Insider is brought to you by Minerva Hearing. Hear the cheers, protect your ears. Hello, Kroysel, and welcome to the Devil's Debrief. I'm Gareth Ewish that you're with Carlifdel's Edge Neil Francis, and we are sitting here after a big victory for the Devils, 7-2 against the Nottingham Panthers. And uh Ronnie, I have not enjoyed a game like that for uh a few weeks now. That was real fun.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Yeah, from the Devil's point of view, I mean, one of the most entertaining and complete performances of the season. Um it felt weird, didn't it? Uh after the first period to only be a goal up because it was such a dominant performance. I think 20 shots to eight. Uh, but there was a late comeback from the Panthers with two, I mean, not classic goals, but uh desperation goals, maybe. Um, and I wondered how that would affect the devils because we've seen before performances where we've dominated first periods and not put teams away and then it's bitten us. But uh the the intent was there at the start of the second period. I thought maybe the second period was even more impressive than the first period because uh limiting the Panthers to only two shots on goal for the entire period, scoring was it three of our own um without conceding, um, was just incredible. And it was just the relentlessness of that performance, and that's a word we used a lot in the first half of the season that we haven't seen much of in this in this back end. So it was great to see um back to that style.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

And we've talked for what seems like months on uh Insider in our reviews and our previews of games, where we've been screaming out for the devils to start with their tempo and to dictate the game and to get goals ahead and then sort of manage the game to their standards, to the way that we want to play. And it really did feel like from the first pack drop that we were gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Yeah, it was. I mean, the the first shift was pretty wild in itself, the the Panthers going down on a two-on-one opportunity, only for it to go the other way and uh have a two-on-one of its own. And we should have known from that shift it was gonna be, you know, uh an entertaining game, and um it was from that point on the devils just took over and yeah, dictated the game as right because it was the work away from the puck for me that was the most impressive. There was lots of possession, but as soon as the devils lost possession, they were hunting in packs to go and get it back, and they successfully did. Uh, to the extent where when Panthers did have the puck, they were throwing it away all over the ice. So many turnovers that really would have annoyed Danny Stewart because they were just turning the puck over and inviting more pressure. And I felt for Kevin Carr. You know, he made some vital uh poke checks early on to deny the Devils um good scoring opportunities, but they were just turning pucks over and then just getting more and more pressure on him. And um good on the Devils for taking advantage of those turnovers. We haven't seen that of late, and uh, you know, hopefully this is a springboard now to lead into the season off the back of you know, it was a it was a an upbeat weekend in Belfast, but a poor performance on Friday night. So it's clearly that something's been said to get the guys playing this way, and uh long may it continue.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Indeed, uh, you know, you may listen to the debrief before you listen to Paul Thompson's uh post-game interview, but uh he was not a man who was pleased with a 7-2 victory really uh tonight. So I do uh encourage everyone to go and listen to what he said. The the gist of his point, uh Rani, was that of course he's happy that it's a 7-2 hockey game, but he doesn't want this to be a high that you come down from. He'll be happier when there's a performance next weekend against Dundee, there's a performance the weekend after. He's not, I think, not trying to get carried away with this one good performance, it needs to be consistent.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Yeah, and I imagine he's frustrated with this level of showing because it hasn't been here a lot in the back half of the season. It's what we saw at the start of the year, um, and he'll be wondering where's where's this performance been for the last you know number of weeks. Uh, so yeah, while I know inside he'll be really happy with how they responded, he'll also be saying, Well, you know, that is the level, that's the standard. We shouldn't be deviating from that standard as much as we have been doing. So uh yeah, it it needs to continue now. I mean, there's not that many games left, so you would just hope that this style, this um domination can can continue into the next performances, and then all of a sudden the fear factor is back about the card of devils, which I don't think we've had um since probably Christmas time. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Going back to the game attach, let's talk about the decision to split the line of Barrow, Olyshewski, and Ferguson. They've been playing really well together as a line uh all altogether, but tonight they were put on separate lines, and it felt like the energy that they bring as a complete line did spread throughout the whole team. Yeah, we had this discussion on Insider.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

Uh, for the last number of weeks, that line has been the only line generating any offense when it's been Barrow, Oleshewski, and Ferguson. So we we did say, do you split them up and try and get a little bit of that on everything, or do you kind of stick with something that you know is almost a sure thing because they were a you know a goal or two a game uh when the other lines weren't firing? That worked to some extent, but then obviously it was the final straw on Glasgow where we didn't see enough offense from any of the other lines, um and split them up, and I thought it worked really well. Um, you know, you think that some players were getting some chemistry, and that was kind of taken away, but then they got chemistry. It it looked more balanced, didn't it? Is probably what I'm trying to say. It looked more balanced across all of the lines rather than loading up one style on one line and then not having any secondary scoring. So, you know, well done, Paul Thompson, for making that bold decision that it paid off, and uh it needs to now use that as a as a springboard.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Yeah, for me, with the the the way that the lines were structured tonight, it felt more like everyone had their preferred role on their line. So McDonald and Sanford for instance got a goal apiece tonight, with Donald as the little Johnny on the spot poacher getting that brilliant pass from Joey Martin. Cole Sanford getting some space in front of net and rifling it top corner. Maybe sometimes when they play together, sometimes it feels like they want to be too nice. They don't want to be that sort of greedy scorer on their line. But tonight, on the lines that they were, they were the greedy scorers that they could be. And then further on down, you know, of course, if Contos could be the playmaker on that line with Barrow doing that that work in the corners that he loves to do. And he felt that Contos wanted to do that a bit more because he could see Barrow doing it, and he thought, right, if I do this, then maybe I'll get a little piece of something. And just everyone seemed to have their role defined a little more across these lines than I felt.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Yeah, I think it's a really good assessment, a good observation. It's uh yeah, I'll go back to that word balance. It looked more balanced, and players knew what their roles were out there. Um, but again, I mean, regardless of whatever line you put him on, Ryan Barrow again gives you talking points because that one penalty kill shift was just phenomenal. I mean, he ragged the puck for I think a full 30 seconds of that shift, and just when you thought he'd run out of space, you know, you twist and turn, come out with the puck and kill more time. Um, I thought that that was excellent. And you know, and and also a shout out to the fourth line as Capone, Davis, and Duggan, who started off well with you know, good intent, provided the energy, and were rewarded with uh you know some points on that line as well, from some good chases down from Capone. Um uh good and lovely finish by Ben Davis as well. So yeah, it was it looked more like horses for courses in terms of positions and roles on the team, and it was I'd imagine that was really difficult to play against if you're Nottingham Panther.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Indeed, it was, and they uh just couldn't handle the Devils tonight. They'll move on to Wednesday in the Challenge Cup final. So the Devils for any two home games next weekend uh with the Dundee Stars coming in for a home and home uh retro night on uh Saturday. So uh we have a nice new shirt to play in as well. That'll look great. Um, we'll go into a little bit more on Insider, but um, I think Paul Thompson's been pretty clear, he can't except anything less than the same level of commitment and performance next weekend across those two.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

Yeah, and what he will be drumming into his players is do not lower your performance levels because you think a lower place team is coming in. Look at the Glasgow clan currently in eighth place. Look how that worked out when the performance level wasn't where it was tonight. And Dundee have had a ruffled season, but sometimes wounded animals are uh very dangerous, and uh Dundee certainly will be that. And especially over the the back-to-back home games, you don't want to give them any sniff. So you want to come out the traps flying like we did tonight to kind of set the tone that it could be a miserable weekend. Dundee, on the other hand, will want to come out to show that they're not they're not intimidated by playing back-to-back games in this arena. So I'd imagine they'll be looking to start off with some intent and uh and try and make the weekend easier for themselves. So again, it's it's a different kind of encounter, uh, but an intriguing one nonetheless.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

Indeed, it will be. We'll be back midweek with Insider, and then of course, two debriefs next weekend. So uh, you lucky lucky people, you can look forward to that. Uh, but for now, we're gonna sign off and uh thank you very much for listening. And we'll see you soon. Good night. And thank you to our sponsor, Minerva Hearing, who have brought you this podcast today.