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This Devils team that we all kind of liked before the season started sure isn't performing up to snuff. To be fair, they are pretty banged up with Mike Cammalleri, Ryane Clowe, Adam Henrique and Martin Havlat all on the shelf. But who would have predicted any of those injuries? If you couldn't tell, I'm being facetious.

Cory Schneider is suffering the brunt of this middling play. He was a favourite sleeper coming into the season based on his excellent numbers splitting time with Martin Brodeur last season. Actually, he's posted excellent numbers each year of his career as he's split time as the starter across four seasons.

Now as the full-time starter, he's drowning. And all these minutes might be a part of the problem. While he was splitting time, there were rarely stretches where he was the full-time starter. Schneider wasn't being asked to start five, seven, nine games in a row. He was starting both ends of back-to-backs or all three in a three-games-in-four-nights situation like these past three games (all losses) this week were.

Schneider has started all 14 games for the Devils this season (only two back-to-backs so far though) and it wouldn't shock if all this action is messing with his consistency.

It would also help if the Devils were playing the same possession style they were last year and have for basically the last 20 years a few blips notwithstanding. The Devils were 20^th in shot differential before last night's 31-17 (shot totals) drubbing by the Red Wings.

Add all that up and it's no wonder Schneider got yanked early on both ends of this week's back-to-back. It's high time they gave Keith Kinkaid a start. I don't know that he's a solution but starting Schneider every night hasn't been working out great either. I mean, shots like this aren't supposed to go in.

Shit happens of course. Schneider will probably be fine. His numbers (0.906 save percentage, 2.91 GAA) aren't irredeemable. I have my concerns if the Devils plan on starting him 70+ times though. The days of riding a starter that hard are over.

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Pavel Datsyuk was a late scratch for the Red Wings due to a groin injury. No word on when he'll return.

With Datsyuk out they loaded up the top line with Henrik Zetterberg, Gustav Nyquist and Johan Franzen. That's not necessarily notable since the Wings will often use that line even with Datsyuk in the lineup but I figured I'd point it out as we've seen Gustav Nyquist go scoreless in four straight. It's not for lack of opportunity. Nyquist is likely just experiencing some regression as his shooting percentage even after going 0/5 last night is still way too high at 21.2%.

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The Capitals ended their five-game losing skid last night against the Blackhawks. They had been getting dominated pretty thoroughly until a five-minute stretch to close the second period rocketed them from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 lead. Toss on some stout goaltending from Braden Holtby and that's all she wrote.

I am still a big believer in Holtby and this Caps team in general. I think that with the talent they have, sprinkle in some good coaching and they'll be in the hunt for a playoff spot come next spring. I also really just believe Holtby is a talented goalie. I'd try to buy low while you can.

Just when you thought the Andre Burakovsky dream was dead he ends a three-game drought with a two-point night. He's ultimately going to stumble as the season wears on and he'll probably finish shy of 50 points but you have to believe in his talents. He's a keeper.

Regression Alert: Joel Ward has goals in three straight games and seven goals on just 22 shots this season. You better believe he's got a slump coming. At least as far as goal-scoring goes.

Evgeny Kuznetsov was a healthy scratch last night. Hard to see it as a positive for him that the team won while he was scratched. This happens enough the coaches might notice a pattern.

Kuznetsov had actually been producing fairly well with a three-point scoring streak before being held off the board in his most recent game against the Flames. He had some lackadaisical play in that game that surely led to this scratching.

I know some people will look at Barry Trotz's track record in Nashville with Alexander Radulov and the Kostitsyn brothers and ask if this is really a good situation for Kuznetsov. I am not going to go that route. You think Kuznetsov is the first rookie to get benched for missing some defensive assignments? This is part of getting better as a pro. Maybe Kuznetsov doesn't produce big numbers right away but it's going to take a while before I give up on him. It wasn't that long ago he was carrying the Russians to the gold medal at the World Juniors. He's a game-breaker. Give him some time.

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You've got to love some of the random line combinations that pop up throughout an 82-game season. For instance, last night the Blackhawks had Ben Smith skating on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. I get that Patrick Sharp is injured and Bryan Bickell has been a bust but really, Ben Smith? Really?

To be fair, Smith was a top scorer at Boston College and scored damn near a point per game across two half-seasons in the AHL before making the permanent leap to the NHL last season. Maybe he has some untapped potential we aren't aware of.

But here's my issue. They've got Teuvo Teravainen sitting in the minors and they call up Peter Regin who is on his 47^th chance. I think we've figured out Regin isn't an NHL talent. So Regin takes Smith's spot on the fourth line and Smith moves up to the top line. How about Teravainen gets a shot?

That's not exactly how these things work. If Teravainen was going to get his NHL shot he'd have earned it in training camp. Obviously he hasn't done enough to earn "first call-up" status.

So, fine, you aren't going to give Teravainen a shot unless he forces your hand, well how about Kris Versteeg then? He's a proven commodity who can skate in the top six in a pinch. They rolled him out there with the net empty in crunch time needing a goal to tie the game. Why not also roll him out there for the other shifts with the top line?

I'm clearly just frustrated that Kane, my "sleeper" pick for the Art Ross has stumbled out of the gate with just nine points in 14 games. That entire rant can be chalked up to deflecting frustration about Kane struggling onto anyone but Kane. But I think I make some valid points.

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Don Maloney talks about infusing more youth into the lineup. They have called up Tobias Rieder and Brandon Gormley but both will sit far enough down the depth chart that they won't be all that relevant in fantasy leagues this season. Rieder did score a goal in his debut but has been held scoreless since.

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Derek Stepan is a go tonight. He'll skate between Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello. Derick Brassard owners rejoice as he'll continue alongside Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis.

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You can follow me @SteveLaidlaw.