Stealing a line from the song ‘Believe’ by The Bravery tells you exactly how the night went.
The fans came, 3000 fewer than last weekend, but they still came.
A large contingent, between 50-75 fans, joined season ticket holders in their perches high above the ice in section 209.
The banner at the top said all you needed to know about what to expect from the fans at The Rock, the supporters had arrived.
They came in droves, nearly everyone obeying the ‘wear your red’ law established by the group as a whole. The looks on the faces were of hope and excitement. The young and old alike shared words of encouragement, the debated on chants and whether they should sit or stand, but everything was set for one of the most organized fan movements in the recent history of the Devils’ fan base.
The second the lights went out, the section erupted into a chorus of “Let’s go Devils” to a magnitude that made you feel as if this were a game in May. Granted, while around the rest of the arena it may not have come across that way, in that section the energy was electric.
Once in a while, the group would begin a chant and members unsure of how to follow, but that was to be expected for almost a completely dry run. But that did not deter the celebration nor the energy of the fans.
The cheered their lungs out throughout the first, trying to will the Devils to do something, anything so they could lose their minds. Yet that something never came, and the Devils failed to even touch half of the energy they displayed on Wednesday night versus Phoenix.
Even after the late period goal by the Predators, they still held their enthusiasm, roaring up another “Let’s go Devils” before the end of the first, but still almost no real life from the team.
The fans tried to regain that energy from the first period, and inspire the team, but four minutes in, Martin Erat fired a shot high glove side over Martin Brodeur. The crowd seemed to hit a lull of doubt and uncertainty at this point, yet they refused to allow it to last and again riled themselves back into the game. Aiding this effort were some phenomenal saves by Brodeur including a stacking of the pads on a 3-on-2 break for the Predators.
Some will be quick to blame the referees, and rightfully so, on a few of the horrendous calls, yet the team could not mount any sustained pressure for any extended amount of time. The effort was there, but only in bits and pieces of waves, and almost as soon as it arrived, the carelessness and lack of awareness took over and destroyed their efforts and chances.
The fans even prepped for the worst during the 2nd intermission, telling, if not asking, one another to not boo following the final horn should the team not register a goal [The amount of compliance with this was phenomenal, by the way, I respect each and everyone who stayed until the end and did not boo.]. What would have been the point? The team knows how bad it is for fans, and it cannot be any easier for them in the locker room, but something has to give.
How can they come out playing inspired and focused hockey one night, then two nights later, look just the opposite? This Jekyll and Hyde approach to every game is going to keep them from achieving any semblance of success on a consistent basis. There’s effort, but no aggression on the fore-check, there’s chemistry, but there’s no one able to finish, or willing to try to finish for that matter. 17 shots on goal, 30 total attempts [including those blocked or missed] are not going to get it done, especially when luck is clearly not on their side for the time being.
The fans impressed, but their efforts and heart could not be matched by the players on the ice, who just days earlier said they fed off the crowd and would do everything not to disappoint them.
Well, Devils, give us something to believe.
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