Lemaire disciplines Peters

It's still early in the season and Devils coach Jacques Lemaire is still getting to know his players and they are still getting to know him and the way he wants them to polay

So, Lemaire might not have ripped into his team in the locker room between periods of Saturday's 5-2 season-opening loss to the Flyers and he might not take a hardline stance yet with the players who took extended shifts in that game. Lemaire has no room for leeway, however, when it comes to taking dumb penalties.

That's why he sat enforcer Andrew Peters for the remainder of the game Saturday after Peters picked up an extra unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing with the officials about a roughing penalty with 7:55 left in the third period. The extra minor left the Devils shorthanded for four minutes.

"When Peters got the extra two, he didn't play after that," Lemaire said. "There's certain things you've got to learn quick. He knows. He told me this morning. He said, 'Usually, I don't do this. I just lost it.' I said, 'Well, try to keep it in control.' That's one thing I don't like. If the referee gives you a penalty, you go in the box and that's it. One [penalty] is enough, because the day you might take one, an extra one, and the game will be 2-2 and then we'll lose the game because of this. That's how it works.

"We call this discipline, the old discipline."

The discipline might become as harsh in other areas as the season progresses if the players don't learn their lessons. Knowing when to be hard on a player and when not to is something Lemaire has to figure out.

"That's what you call coaching," he said. "You have to make the right decision. A lot of times it's so important how you do it, the approach you take with the guys -- on a loss, on certain wins, depending on what's going on. I do know that the guys, they try.

"I've got guys who had long shifts. It will be better, more effective, if they have shorter shifts. So, now you say, 'It's not good for you to take long shifts.' And in two weeks, [it's], 'You'll [expletive] sit on the bench [if you take a long shift]. Is that what you want?' If they don't understand, then you've got to go through the act. But, now it's a learning process for me and for them."

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Comments

[sid]

I really like Lemaire

[RG9]

I guess tomorrows game will show if his discipline is workin out

[iamtheprodigy]

Wow, he really said that? lol. Geez, he really makes his points.

[Tull]

wow TG, you're busy here today! thanks for all the info/updates. tmrw is another day, hopefully a better one.

[Speedz]

what a beast

[devilstown]

I know it's early, it's only one game, Marty had an uncharacteristicly bad game, new coach, Elias is out, the dog ate my homework, blah, blah, blah. This team is not very good right now. Rolston has to be one of the players Lemaire was talking about with the long shifts, a few times I thought he was going to just pass out on the ice. The line changes in general looked ridiculous, players jumping off the bench then back on, diving over the boards, jeez, did they all forget how to play overnight. Peters has shown ZERO since coming here, he skates around aimlessly, doesn't hit anyone, can't contribute offensively, and worst of all seems genuinely disinterested in hockey. HE MUST GO !

[TG]

I noticed the Zajac line had a few long shifts, but they weren't the only ones. Lemaire mentioned Bergfors yesterday.

[NJ2010]

Halischuk can not play with a checking line he needs to play with more offensive minded players. If he is going to be reduced to a fourth line he should be put in the minors instead where he can play his game.

[iamtheprodigy]

I agree with most people about Peters. He was brought in to be physical and fight, and all he did last night was skate around and get 4 PIM. I don't recall him throwing a single hit and he couldn't start a fight. When they were only down 2-0, a fight could have helped turn the momentum around, but Peters just didn't do anything. Unlike some others, I'm not saying "Kick him off the team, now!", but he really needs to get going. A few times it looked like he wanted to throw a hit, but he was too slow and got to them too late. If he can't get to people in time to hit them, and he can't start a fight at a good time, then he's not doing his job and he's useless. Hopefully Lemaire gets this into his head and he shapes up. It'd be a big disappointment if he can't even competently accomplish his small role on this team.

[Dave]

Obviously you didn't watch...

[Brodie30]

Pelley had at least one long shift too. He may have just gotten stuck though.

[Puckster]

I understand the need for Peters as a heavyweight, but in my opinion he should only be playing against teams that have a heavyweight in the lineup as well. The Flyers big fighters weren't playing last night and PL3 or Clarkson could have easily handled anyone who was going to fight.

[Fitz]

Remember it takes two to tango. if no one wants to fight him with philly up by a few goals, then what is he supposed to do.

[devilsfan]

In Peters case you can't hit what you can't catch. Useless.

[Fitz]

The Devils didn't lose the game because of fourth line players

[Dave]

Correct...Peters had a few big hits, what about the team of scorers? Where's everyone picking on them?

[mikeP]

I bet Peters plays against the Rangers (Brashear) instead of PLx3, simply because Peters is a veteran enforcer.

[nnjrules]

Tg,
Not sure if this was asked, but why are the devils using U2's private plane for the nest 3 road trips?

[dennybrute]

Peters Peters Peters...why are we talking about Peters..we should talking about Marty and what we're going to do in goal this year

[Craigwell]

denny: we wait until game 2 before thinking any more about goal.

[iamtheprodigy]

Dave: We didn't lose because of the fourth line players, but if the team doesn't have everyone doing their job, then we're going to have a lot of trouble this season. That includes the fourth liners. Peters especially could have done a lot more to help the team that game. Maybe he wasn't the difference between winning and losing, but he could have had a much bigger effect than he did.

[gambi99]

Fitz, your 100 percent right, like dennybrute just said before, if Marty, who has been on a decline for the last few years is really becoming just a "normal" goalie or nothing special or even worst then a normal goalie, we are going to be in big trouble. It's not just one game it's over the last few years he is letting in more and more soft goals and they seem to come at the worst times (it's not like we were winning 4-0 and it happens).

[Jason]

There was nobody dressed for Philly that would fight Peters even if they were down 2-1. So expecting him to draw a fight down 5-2 is crazy. There is 1 guy to blame for that loss, and he sits between the pipes and makes a ton of money.

[Zorin]

How about getting some consistency on the PP, JL!

[george]

Remember when Elias got sick and the team sucked, and everyone said, look, post lockout, the Devils are finally weak HAHAHA. What happend? Elias came back and we won the Division. I don't care how much people love Marty, for the past 9 years Elias has been the most important player for the Devils, no one is even close. That is why we were able to win last year with Scott Clemensen in goal. It's why JS Giguere won the Conn Smyth and not Marty. Marty had one more shut out in the 2003 playoffs, but he only had to stop 16 shots a game, as opposed to 50. So... My point is, as long as Elias is in the lineup, we will be great.