WHJC 2010-2011 - Game 1 - USA vs Finland

A year ago, I found myself gripped in hockey fever.

The anticipation of the Olympics, successful seasons for both the Devils and Sabres, and even getting a few pickup games in myself, I could not get enough hockey.

The most exposure I had to international games was the World Cup of hockey which I attended at Madison Square Garden in 1996, and the Olympics every 4 years. But even as I was aware of the World Junior Championships, I had never had a chance to even watch a game on TV. Enter the NHL Network.

During what Time Warner Cable would later call “a preview period,” my roommates and I would have the great fortune of not only being able to watch the Network, but watch some of the action from the 2009-2010 WJHC.

Watching the youngsters who would soon populate the NHL was an excitement to say, “Hey, I remember when he played in the tourney that year.”

We watched every game we could, making it a point to skip whatever regular season NHL game was on in order to focus our national pride, in practice for the Olympics. Even our neighbors took an interest in the Championships and found their way into our apartment for a game or two.

We sat on the edge of our seats as the Americans faced off against the Canadians in Canada for the Gold Medal, we screamed, cheered and celebrated when Jack Campbell’s kick save sprung a 3-on-1 rush and John Carlson ripped a no-look shot past Martin Jones for the winner in a 6-5 game.

Tonight, the USA hockey team opened up their 2010-2011 campaign with a 3-2 overtime winner over Finland. The game was one which the US had tried their hardest to give away, especially in the third period, when it seemed as if only a handful of players were trying to get the goal which would give them the 2 goal lead they desperately needed. That group was lead by Montvale, NJ native Kyle Palmeri who single-handedly nearly gave the Americans that lead.

Unfortunately, defensive breakdowns would allow the Fins to tie it up with over 10 minutes to go, putting doubt in minds of the USA supporter crowd, and fueling the cheers of a mostly Canadian Pro-Fin side.

Luckily, the Americans would have the last laugh with their overtime winner, sending the masses into the Buffalo night happy, and those going back across the border with a little knot in their stomach knowing the Americans could play like crap and yet still come out victorious.

Look out, Canada, we’re coming for you again.

The 2010 New Jersey Devils 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

--Written by Bill Tucker (BulletProof), a poster on the NJDevs.com website--

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Rock,
The hallways were quiet, just the sound of a clock
Ticking ‘way time and three months of shame,
Preparing itself for the Maple Leafs game

All except for one man, alone in a room,
Lou was there sitting, saddled with gloom.
This team that he built was disaster, in fact,
Towards the depths of the standings, they currently sat

“How could this possibly happen?”, he swore.
“The players are tested and ready, what’s more,
Our coach had success with the minor league team.”
“This season has been just a horrible dream”

But then, out the window, there awoke such a clatter
Lou sprang from his chair to see what was the matter.
Leaving smashed jars of jelly askew in his wake,
He peered out the window at the cause of this quake.

The night was as still as the new fallen snow
But Lou could make out tiny shapes down below.
The crowd was first tiny but soon more showed up
Until suddenly their numbers began to erupt.

When the mob began shouting pro Devils chants,
Lou then realized they weren’t just ants.
In Championship Plaza, assembled as one,
The whole Devil’s Army, united they’d come.

They wore jerseys with Kovy and Marty and Clarkson
Amongst Parise and Zajac and even a Rolston!
Some honored the past with Stevens and Dano.
One guy even sported an “Emerick and Chico”

They shouted and yelled out the best chants they knew
And the more the crowd cheered, the larger they grew.
Even the mascot joined in on the fun
As Devils themed carols loudly were sung.

The spirit of oneness filled the Brick City sky
And soon Lou realized why the tear in his eye.
The moment at hand gave his lip a small quiver
As he realized the gift the fans had delivered.

Despite all the failures and lost expectations,
Pride still existed within Devils Nation.
Players may leave and have other plans
But the true core of the team was the heart of the fans.

With a sweep of his arm, Lou threw up the shade
And to the mob down below, gave the smallest of waves.
The crowd responded with an uproarious cheer
And Lou could do nothing but grin ear to ear.

The party raged on to the wee morning light
And no one quite knows the attendance that night.
All that is remembered is the spirit of pride
In all that the team has helped to provide.

So, no matter what day you hold dear this season
Or frustrations you hold, regardless the reason,
When you come to the Rock, in a voice loud and shrill,
Show our team love with a, “LET’S GO DEVILS”!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Santa's Christmas List for the Devils

GOOD
Travis Zajac – Even with his scoring slump without winger Zach Parise, Zajac has exemplified perseverance through adversity this season. He has developed into a vital forward, excelling at both ends of the rink. His defensive awareness and ability to move the puck exceptionally well should make him a Selke candidate, but the team is horrific, and that storyline is clouding the recognition of Zajac. Oh, and the fact he is the only “defensive” player who can make a clean outlet pass from the defensive zone speaks even further to his value on this team.

Ilya Kovalchuk – His horrendously slow start sent some fans off the deep end, and his $100 million price tag gave them the perfect excuse to do so. Ironically, after Parise was injured, Kovy struggled to assume the role of the premier winger of the team, yet was the main force for Atlanta just a year ago. Recently, however, Kovalchuk is the reason why the power play units are finally finding some semblance of success. Problem is, the Devils need him to contribute at even strength too, but Santa isn’t going to hold him solely responsible for the underachievement of so many others, so his recent 5 game point streak has him on the good list just in time for Christmas.

Dainius Zubrus – The 6’5” Lithuianian forward has taken beyond his fair share of heat from fans due to his low numbers and high price tag. What casual fans forget is that the score sheet shows neither the intangibles nor what the player creates just being on the ice. Sure, a measure of success should be how many points are amassed, but when a team cannot score if they were playing a team full of corpses, you need to look beyond the scoresheet and look at the performance on the ice. Zubrus never takes a shift off and is obviously playing with every ounce of his heart. He is most certainly deserving of being on the good list just for his heart when those around him are clearly checking out.

Jason Arnott - Reacquired from Nashville at the start of the summer, Arnott has brought back the same hard-hitting, hard shooting game which he had during his previous tenure with the Devils. Arnott is a clear candidate for the ‘Good List’ because he leads the team in goals, from game 1 when he fired a power play goal past Kari Lehtonen until the beginning of November, he was well on his way to a 30 goal season, but he has cooled since sitting at 10 for the year. Regaining chemistry with Patrik Elias also has given some life to the 2nd line, consistency, however, is the bane of the offense.

Colin White – For the past few seasons, White has not only been the scapegoat of the fans, but has also seen his physicality and overall game go downhill in part due to his career-threatening eye injury. This season, White’s edge has seemingly reappeared and he has reaffirmed himself as one of the best defenders on the Devils. He has resumed hitting opponents at the boards and in front of the net, and has even been willing to drop the gloves after registering his first fight in over 3 years. You don’t look for White to step in offensively, but his defensive role on the team cannot be undervalued.

Anton Volchenkov – Came to the Devils as a free agent and immediately was a fan favorite. It is no surprise why he was cheered when announced on his first trip back to Ottawa, his heart and effort are a prized intangible for any team. The fans there thanked him with their ovations just as the fans of his current team have roared with applause on his big hits. Volchenkov missed significant time after breaking his nose by blocking a shot earlier in the year against Washington. Volchenkov came back and resumed the physicality which is in desperately short supply on the current Devils’ roster.

Any of the Goalies – Johan Hedberg, Mike McKenna, Martin Broduer – The Devils have the worst goal differential in the league at -40 following play on Sunday. Lazy fans would immediately throw the blame on the keepers for not stopping more than they let in, which would be a monumental error. Even after a 7-1 loss in Atlanta, you cannot throw all of the burden of Devils defensive failures on the keepers. The defense has been decimated with injuries.

Others enjoying presents without fear of coal: Rod Pelley, Adam Mair, Matt Taormina, Matias Tendenby, Zach Parise, Jacob Josefson, Tim Sestito.

GIFTS & COAL
David Clarkson – having a horrendous season scoring wise, but because of a kind gesture towards my little cousin, he automatically receives a thumbs up.

Any player not listed above or below.

BAD LIST
Brian Rolston – Can’t skate for more than 30 seconds, can’t score, can’t do much of anything yet commands $5.03 million a season and doesn’t seem to keen on trying to get any better. The lumps of coal cannot be large enough for this player.

John Maclean – The only reason he’s even going to get coal on Christmas is because he just lost his job as head coach and we don’t want his family to go cold. The expressionless, emotionless, don’t give a crap coach is now taking another role in the organization. Thankfully he will not be able to pollute the locker room with his negativity anymore.

Jamie Langenbrunner – The former hero when he first came to the team, Langenbrunner has fallen off in all aspects of his game. Of his 3 goals this season, only one has come with an actual goalie in net, [the other 2 being empty netters]. From the disaster tempertantrum at the end of last season because of being given a mandatory game off by former and now current coach Jacques Lemaire, to the lack of productivity, and the absesnce of any leadership, Langenbrunner earns coal in his stockings, and eventually an almost certain ticket out of town.

Mark Fayne - Yes, he’s a rookie, but his play and decision making has been horrendous. From improper positioning, to bash-your-head-into-a-hard-surface choices, Fayne has cost the Devils in so many different ways, it’s a Christmas Miracle he’s still on the big club.

Lou Lamoriello – He earned major points for keeping Ilya Kovalchuk and acquiring Jason Arnott. The problem is he never addressed the cap problems and has yet to start negociations with Zach Parise who enters restricted free agency next summer. He also sat on his hands entirely too long with John Maclean hoping the ship would right itself. Now the Devils are the worst team in hockey, with a steep cliff to climb if they even have aspirations of making the playoffs. If they do make it, which I am predicting, they could very well find themselves getting in by the same fashion as the Flyers did last season.

"Give Me Something to Believe"

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.

A Beat and A Roar

[Author's note: trying to write this from my phone so excuse spelling/punctuation.]

On Wednesday night, the Devils showed something to the hometown fans that has become few and far between: a victory. The faintest pulse that gave the impression to at least this writer, that all might not be lost with this season.

From the opening face-off until the final horn, the Devils did to the Coyotes what so many teams have done to the all season long, take advantage of a team who came out a little flat, capitalized on their scoring chances, and while allowing a large number of shots, they were low percentage zones. They also had some luck on their side, as a Coyote shot went hard off the post after beating goaltender Martin Brodeur.

Patrik Elias continued his recent point streak, Ilya Kovalchuk tallied his first multi-goal game as a Devil, and even Mark Fayne registered his first career goal.

Tonight, the Devils seek their 2nd win in a row, which would be only their second time doing so all season long. This time, they'll have some moral support from the fans. For the first time, there will be an organized supporter's section bellowing chants, cheers and songs from the confines of section 209.

Whether you already have tickets, or are on the fence, try to make your way up to the section for a chant or two. Organizers will be in the section minutes after gates open so feel free to stop by, chat and share your passion for the team.

Faceoff is at 7:00, tickets are still available for the section, see the posts below for information on how to acquire your seats in this, the innaugrial game for the Supporters of 209.

Let's Go Devils!

The Official 209 Chant List

Here is the collection of chants which will be utilized for the 12/17 game vs. Nashville:


1) Lets go Devils
Lets go Devils! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]
Lets go Devils! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]
Lets go Devils! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]

2) Following an opposing penalty
YOU! YOU! YOU! OOOOOOOOOOOOOH! YOU CANT DO THAT! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]
YOU CANT DO THAT! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]
YOU CANT DO THAT! [clap clap clap-clap-clap]

3) Following a Devils Penalty: Kill
Kill! [horn] Kill! [horn] Kill! [horn]

4) After a good save by the goalie:
MARTY! (CLAP CLAP) MARTY! (CLAP CLAP)
-or-
HEB-BERG (CLAP CLAP) HED-BERG (CLAP CLAP)

5) 1 - nottttttttthing, Newwwww Jerseyyyyyyyyyyy. This can be done anytime shortly after we score a goal and we could change it to any score as long we don't give up a goal. like It's 3-nothingggggg, etc. [This may be altered to fix 2-1 leads, etc.]

6) Follow the 208 chant, which is Yeahhhhh Yeahhhhh Yeahhhhh WOOOOO just like the Rolling Stones Song Brown Sugar. This will be done right after we score, when they finish playing the hey song.

7) After a Devils Goal
Yell the name of the player [first or last, or both] followed by clap-clap or clap clap clap-clap-clap.
(ex. Zub-rus! clap-clap or Tra-vis Za-jac clap clap clap-clap-clap]

8) Late 3rd period [about 90 seconds left], if Devils are winning by more than 1:
Call/answer
I
I believe
I believe that
I believe that we
[pause, then together]
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE WON [x’s 5]
[NOTE: This chant can/will be modified for use earlier in the game. change "HAVE WON" to "WILL WIN."]

9) If there is a stoppage after the “I believe” chant but before the final horn
[Call/answer, pointing towards subject]
Is that not the scoreboard? Yes that is the scoreboard!
Is that not the number [Devils’ Score]? Yes that is the number [same]!
Is that not the number [Opp. Score]? Yes that is the number [same]!
Is that not the winning team? Yes that is the winning team!
Is that not the losing team? Yes that is the winning team!
[Together]
WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM! WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM!

10) "We Love Ya"
We Love ya, We love ya, We love ya
And anywhere you skate we will follow, we'll follow, we'll follow
'Cause we support the Devils, the Devils, the Devils,
And that's the way we like it, we like it, we like it.
Oh woahhhh oh woahhhh oh woahhhhh (repeat line)

The First Official Supporter Section?

Every fan base has, at some point during their season, held a discussion of whether or not it may be possible have a group of the most passionate fans centralized in one section.

The topic is a staple at least once a season for every professional sports franchise, but outside of soccer [or if you prefer, football] it never really comes to fruition. One could argue, however, that in Canada, every seat in every Canadian arena is one giant supporter section. But in the United States, its an idea that comes, grows some legs, but then fades away back into the thought caverns of the fans.

A group of New Jersey Devils fans seek to introduce a new tradition this Friday night, and surprisingly, the organization is behind them.

About a month ago, the idea floated out there, “Would you be interested in being a part of a supporter section at the Rock?” The question was posed by NJDevs.com member, Satan’s Hockey. A month later, with a warm reception by the users of the website, the fans will meet in section 209 of the Prudential Center for the debut of the Devils Supporters Section.

While they have not tabbed themselves with a name, the idea is simple, support the team, no matter how bad things seem. The rules are simple: You must be passionate, you must be willing to chant, cheer and do whatever it takes to generate some electricity into the crowd, and [most importantly] you must wear RED!

Fans who have never experienced the type of atmosphere which will happen in this section should not fear, as there are talks of creating chant lists, but the chants will undoubtedly be simple enough for everyone to join in. The organizers and members who plan on attending are also pledging to keep chants clean, and as free of vulgarity as possible.

Coming from a school where we had to build our supporter section from the ground up, I have seen the steps this will need to go through in order to be a success. There will be days where the fans will be scarce [UB vs. Kent State, November 2006, 14 fans in the section] and days when it will be overwhelmingly packed [Home opener, 1 year later, largest student turnout in UB history] but the members of NJDevs.com are on the right path and going through the proper channels to ensure it will have a fighting chance at working.

If you have nothing to do on a Friday night in December, and are looking to have a good, entertaining time, then you should seriously consider spending a few bucks and heading to the Prudential Center. You could witness the birth of something historical in section 209, or, if you so choose, could be a part of that yourself.

Go to the Official Thread at NJDevs.com for more information about the section, and how to purchase your tickets [at a supporter section discounted rate, by the way] and be a part of the 209 Supporters Section.

Let’s Go Devils!

The Nightmare Continues

The night started off pretty well for this particular fan.

Tappan to Newark in under 40 minutes.

Inside the arena in less than 5, but my friend and I realized we had forgotten our coats to donate to the Devils’ coat drive. Still though, no big deal.

We both signed up for Score-O, got some decent food for the considerable price [same as last time but the portion seemed much larger], got to our seats which were well worth the $40 price tag on each.

During warm ups, I was selected to be one of the shooters, and thought, wow, tonight is shaping up to be a good night.

That is, until the opening faceoff. 17 seconds later Tomas Holmstrom’s harmless toss on net banked off the post, off Brodeur and into the net. 1-0 Detroit.

Okay, not a big deal, they just need to reset, re-focus and use the remaining 59 minutes 43 seconds to tie it up.

That is until about 90 seconds later, Daniel Cleary broke in on the left side and ripped a shot over Brodeur’s glove hand, off the post, off the crossbar and into the net, 2-0 Detroit.

That was all you needed to know to determine how this one would play out.

Their even strength is atrocious, they continue to play dumb hockey. Players are right, the effort is there, but their brains are not. They aren’t playing smart, team hockey and instead playing on their own not thinking of one another.

The only exception to this atrocity is the power play, where for the first time in a long while, the Devils are finally firing on all cylinders with the man advantage. While they are not scoring on every single one, this is not NHL 2011 after all, they’re nearly 50% over the last 3 games, including 1 for 3 last night.

Something needs to change badly with this team. Be it the coach, be it some player movements [I’m looking at you, Mark Fayne, who should be on his way back to Albany right this second], they need a shakeup in some form immediately.

Oh and for the record, I hit the plastic barrier placed on the mouth of the net on the first shot, missed slightly wide right on the 2nd. There were no winners out of the 4 of us last night. But had the barrier not have been there, we as a group would have outscored the Devils.

One Third of the Way Through

I don’t even know what to write right now. Words cannot describe this season, they just can’t.

There are so many clichés, so many quips that are fitting, but I just can’t bring myself to type them.

The only thing keeping the Devils from being the absolute worst team in hockey are the Islanders, and they cannot even beat them when they face one another.

There is rampant speculation through the fan-base that there’s an unholy bias from the league towards the team. Fines and punishments from the summer coupled with a large discrepancy between calls for and against fuel these conspiracy theories.

I, however, refuse to buy into this. It cannot be that elaborate of a scheme orchestrated by Gary Bettman.

To put it simply, the Devils are playing dumb hockey. The team as a whole is making awful decisions, from as high up as the general manager to any one of the players on ice, bad decisions are being made, one after another.

Behind the scenes, the general manager is apparently sitting on his hands while the era of successful, borderline dynasty, comes to a screeching halt a mere three months after being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the Stanley Cup. A man who would never accept anything less than the absolute best effort from his team and players has suddenly taken on an air of complacency with underachievement and poor effort.

The coach, while in his rookie year at the NHL level, has also taken a bull-headed approach to the struggles. As the losses mounted, rather than bring about physical punishments, he decided to attack the problem cerebrally. Film sessions, closed door meetings, and other methods clearly failed to gain the players heart, attention and effort. He also refuses to change up a system which is horrendously failing and is beyond flaw. Staring at the ceiling will only get you so far before one would make adjustments instead of throwing the same garbage out there night after night with the hopes of something turning into gold.

Last on the list are the players. The overly talented bunch who apparently decided they’d rather not play the organized, smart hockey they used to be synonymous with, and instead play the selfish undisciplined brand. Blind passes to no one, electing to pass to a man in triple coverage rather than rip a shot on goal to create a rebound, and complete lack of accountability anywhere is killing the team.

Defenseman are failing miserably on their coverage assignments and are not playing with aggression to demand the respect of opposing forwards and make them think twice about trying to get to the dirty areas. The offense refuses to even tread into high percentage areas for what looks like a fear of being hit. They pull up and opt for the outside, low percentage shots through crowds of two or three defenders. When they do decide to crash the net and actually go on the attack, they can and have shown the ability to score. But those instances have become few and far between.

People will blame devastating injuries taking key cogs out of the machine that used to run with such efficiency, it will irritate the hell out of opposing teams. Now, instead of analysts asking “how are the Devils able to defy the odds year after year” they now finally can say “see, we told you so.”

The culture around this team is hurting badly. Fans are losing hope and patience quickly.

It is time for the team to stop letting the game come to them, playing not to lose, and for once, go out, play all out and take the game away from their competition.

With the worst first-third in franchise history over, will the real New Jersey Devils please step up for the final two frames?

They may not make the playoffs, but if they could make a run to be within contention of the final spot, I think many in the Devil Land would be satisfied that they almost salvaged this season.

Only time will tell, but they need to get off on the right foot tonight versus Detroit.

Roster Focus - Defense

With the dismal performance of the Devils’ blue-line down the stretch and throughout their brief stay in the playoffs, it is no secret that upgrades, if not a complete overhaul, is needed on defense.

Players Under Contract:

Colin White - $3 million/2 yrs remaining – 81 GP, 2 G, 10 A, +8
The story of Colin White this season was eerily similar to that of Jekyll and Hyde. One night, he would show flashes of brilliance similar to that when he had two fully functional eyes and played his position above and beyond his current ability. Other times, however, he looked lost and was embarrassed on several occasions by opposing forwards. In White’s defense, he had little to no support from his staple partner Mike Mottau, who on most occasions rather than compensate for White’s aggressiveness, would play himself out of position, creating chances for the opposition. If the Devils will mercifully give him a new defensive partner, White could build on a good 2009-10 campaign, but that is a big if.

Bryce Salvador - $2.9 million/2 yrs remaining – 79 GP, 4 G, 10 A, +8
Salvador performed above and beyond expectations this season. When Paul Martin went down with a broken arm, Salvador stepped up his game tremendously and even contributed on the offensive side of play. His plus-8 was second on the team behind only Andy Greene and tied with Colin White. For a player who’s primarily defensive minded, this is quite an accomplishment as are his 4 goals. Salvador continues to bring to the team his physical edge and mean streak which is in desperately short supply, especially with White’s eye taking away from his willingness to drop the gloves [no slight to Colin]. The question mark will be whether the Devils re-sign frequent partner Paul Martin as he hits free agency July 1st, but the versatile Salvador showed ability to work well with whomever he was paired with.

Andy Greene - $750k/1 yr remaining – 78 GP, 6 G, 31 A, +9
Greene showed dramatic improvements in his all around game throughout the season. Taking on an everyday role helped allow Greene to showcase his offensive prowess by nearly quadrupling his point total from the previous season. Having 29 more games to play in, Greene regained the scoring touch he gave fans a glimpse of during the 2007 postseason against Tampa Bay. His awareness continues to be a valuable asset to the defensive corps and will only increase his contract value if he should hit the free agent market in 2011. One would hope the Devils make a serious pitch to retain his services beyond the end of his current deal.

Anssi Salmela - $625k/1 yr remaining – 9 GP, 1 G, 2 A, -5
His return to New Jersey as part of the Ilya Kovalchuk trade started off promising as he amassed his points in the first 5 games. However, as the team maintained its mediocre play, Salmela’s play dropped off, and he found himself a healthy scratch for most of the remainder of the season, and the entirety of the playoffs. With the retirement of Jacques Lemaire, Salmela may have a better shot to regain a playing positon but his competition will be stiff as Tyler Eckford and Matt Corrente seek to gain a spot with the big club and Mark Fraser seeks to become a regular.

Matt Corrente - $600k/ 1 yr remaining – 12 GP, 0 pts, E [2 GP, 0 pts, E in playoffs]
With the injury to Paul Martin, the Devils needed to find help for the blue-line throughout the organization. Corrente got the first shot, but the most amount of time filing in as the 6th defenseman went to Mark Fraser. Corrente played in 7 straight games before sitting. Corrente was looked upon to add some size and youth during the playoffs and he played well for as bad as the team played as a whole. Look for the 2006 1st round draft pick to be in strong competition to gain one of the 6 starting defense spots. Alexander Urbom, who almost made the team out of his first NHL training camp, could provide to be a formidable competitor.

Rob Davidson - $500k/1 yr remaining – 1 GP, 0 pts, E
Injuries were the only reason that Davidson made it to the Devils this season. It is highly unlikely that the former Sharks draft pick will be in consideration to make the team out of camp next season and will need to rely on injuries or inconsistency to allow him to crack the roster.


Restricted Free Agents

Mark Fraser – 2009-10 salary: $500k, 61 GP, 3 G, 3 A, +3
A pleasant surprise to the defensive corps with so many disappointments, Fraser logged the 5th most games by Devils’ defenseman this season. His size and aggressiveness gave the Devils an edge which they had lost when David Clarkson went down with an injury. With an increased role, and the status of Paul Martin as a Devil being uncertain, expect the Devils to at least offer Fraser a new contract this offseason. He has the talent and ability to make it in the NHL as a regular and will help the team greatly.

Tyler Eckford – 2009-10 salary: $685k, 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, E
Eckford earned himself playing time at the NHL level in only his second season as a professional. He spent three years playing for University of Alaska-Fairbanks amassing 16 goals and 71 points, while his first season in Lowell, he tallied 2 goals and 27 points. Expect the 7th round pick to be given an offer from the Devils to remain part of the organization. While he should compete for a roster spot during camp, expect his contract to have a 2-way clause so that the soon to be 25 year old will have a chance to further hone his skills.


Unrestricted Free Agents

Paul Martin – 2009-10 salary: $4.5 million – 22 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 pts, +10
The decision on whether or not to retain Paul Martin will probably be the second most challenging one facing the Devils this offseason, right behind trying to keep explosive winger Ilya Kovalchuk. Martin has become one of the best American-born defensemen in the game and will probably be paid as such should he hit the free agent market. He could easily command over $5 million per season, and with how many needs the Devils need to address, retaining the 2nd round pick from 2000 could prove to be too difficult. His play since returning from injury was subpar and he never seemed to fully reach his pre-injury form. Expect the Devils to make an offer, but don’t be surprised if he tests the waters and earns a bigger paycheck from another club.

Mike Mottau – 2009-10 salary: $775k – 79 GP, 2 G, 16 A, +4
One of the biggest disappointments in the eyes of the fans, Mottau struggled to play consistent all season long and throughout the playoffs. His liability on defense and absentmindedness failed to compensate and cover his partners mistakes or aggressiveness. Failure to make reads, failure to play the body and not chase the puck around like a pee-wee player explained why he was a career minor leaguer until arriving on the Devils in 2007. How he continued to log not only top minutes, but play over 200 games during the past 3 seasons is a miracle in its own right, that or pure stupidity and lack of better options by an organization struggling to build a solid defensive core. Unfortunately, I see the Devils continuing to compound their mistake and give Mottau not only a contract, but a multi-year deal worth well above his value. I see a 3 year, $1.5 million for a massive liability, and why not throw a no trade clause to boot for this 32 year old.

Matrin Skoula – 2009-10 salary: $575k [acquired from TOR via PIT] – 19 GP, 0 G, 3 A, +7
Skoula didn’t put up jawdropping numbers, but for the first time in a few years, the Devils deadline deal for a defenseman did not leave the fans palm-slapping their faces and begging for a do-over. He sure was no Nick Havelid. Could Skoula remain a Devil? Yes it is a possibility, but look for the Devils to try and go with a younger look and for defenders who can fill a leadership role on a team dieing for some identity, backbone and heart.


Where to go from here?

The Devils could make a run at retaining Martin should they fail to sign Kovalchuk. Even with re-signing Martin, they would need to add at least one more veteran defender.

Mottau and Skoula should be allowed to walk, Mottau especially should be escorted out so that he may not plague our backline ever again.

Fraser and Eckford should be tendered offers to ensure youth is maintained.

Who’s out there that could fit?

Wishing on a shooting star:

Scott Neidermayer – 09/10 salary: $6.75 million, 80 GP, 10 G, 38 A, -9
With 48 points, Neids would have outscored almost the entire Devils roster, save from Elias, Langenbrunner, Zajac, and Parise. The bad news is he will turn 37 this summer so one has to wonder, should he not retire, how much will he have left in the tank. The really bad news is how large of a price tag he will garnish should he choose to leave Anaheim. The Devils should highly consider making him an offer if not just for his offensive prowess which the defensive unit is sorely missing, but for his leadership which the Devils are in desperately short supply. The Devils need a new leader, Neidermayer knows the system and could teach the inexperienced defense a thing or two about winning and being a team.

Who we should get:

Dan Hamhuis, NSH – 09/10 salary: $2.5 million, 78 GP, 5G, 19A, +4
At 27, Hamhuis looks to be entering his first free agency of his career. The Predators blue-liner has played in nearly every regular season game since 2003-04, missing a grand total of 9 games. He finished 3rd on the Predators defense in scoring but only registered one assist on the power play so his contributions in that category could be lacking. What he can bring to the team is an immense amount of experience from international competitions, so he knows how to adapt to various styles of playing. Hamhuis is also very disciplined when it comes to penalties, as he only amassed 49 minutes on the year, including one fighting major.


Who we probably will get:

Willie Mitchell, VAN – 09/10 salary: $3.5 million, 48 GP, 4 G, 8 A, +13
This former Devils’ season came to an abrupt halt thanks to a concussion suffered on January 16th against the Penguins. He has played in at least 60 games in every season since leaving the Devils except for the past one, and he has been a plus player his entire career except for a minus-12 in 2001-2002 while playing for Minnesota. Should Vancouver decide not to re-up their 4 year veteran, I could easily see Lou Lamoriello extending an offer to bring back Mitchell after a 9 year absence from the organization. He would bring consistency as well as leadership should the effects of his concussion not linger.

Season Recap - The Year of "Really?"

Four days later, the loss still stings.

Not because it was against Philadelphia, and the fact their fan base is having a field day poking fun at the absolutely abysmal performance that their opponents put forth, but because there was so much more potential in this team that was never realized.

Off to an incredible start, the Devils looked primed to make a solid run at the Stanley Cup, something which had eluded them since 2003.

However, when the calendar turned from 2009 to 2010, the edge was gone.

Crisp passing, accurate shooting, and the hop in their step seemed to vanish and gave way to mediocre performances.

Then in February, the Devils made a very un-Devils-like move by trading for winger Ilya Kovalchuk. Giving up a top 2 defenseman in Johnny Oduya, third line winger Niclas Bergfors, prospect Patrice Cormier and a first round pick, the Devils seemed to send their fans, as well as the rest of the league, that they were ready to make a serious run at Lord Stanley.

While he managed to average a point per game with his new squad, the team as a whole still struggled to come close to their level of success during the first half of the season, as their record from the February 4th trade until the end of the regular season was a disappointing 12-9-5.

It seemed as though the Devils were content with simply playing to the level of their competition rather than creating their own identity of taking over games, especially against teams not in contention for the playoffs.

This created an air of doubt in many fans heads as the playoff picture began to unfold, especially when it became clear that the Flyers would be a potential first round matchup if a perfect storm of scenarios played out.

Going into the final day, the bottom 2 playoff spots were still up for grabs between 3 teams, as were the seeding for second and third in the conference.

The Flyers, Rangers and Canadiens all vied for the final spots, with the Habs having only positioning to worry about, the Rangers and Flyers would square off in the deciding game. It was simple for both teams, win and you’re in while the loser is left to wonder.

The Devils and the Buffalo Sabres both had a stake in interest for this game as well, since the loser would play the 6th seeded Bruins while the winner could face the Flyers or Canadiens.

While sitting in a bar in Buffalo with three Sabres fans and one fellow Swamp Rat, the topic of who would you rather face was a frequent topic of conversation. Then different scenarios began to play out.

“Well if the Flyers win, I hope the Sabres win so that they get Philly and we get Boston. But if the Rangers win, I hope we win so we can get the Canadiens.” Was just one of the many comments made through the duration of the contest.

As soon as Olli Jokinen’s shootout attempt was turned aside by Brian Boucher, the reality had begun to set in, it was almost fate sealing the kiss of death with Travis Zajac’s 25th goal of the season to tie the score in the 2nd period.

Buffalo would need to net another goal behind goaltender Martin Brodeur during the 3rd period for the Devils to avoid a team which they had gone 1-4-1 against during the regular season.

The Sabres would try to pull out all the stops to clinch the 2nd spot in the east, but with under 2 minutes to go, fate reared its ugly head again as the Sabres took 2 penalties in succession leaving them two men down. Coach Lindy Ruff in a last ditch effort to steal a win, pulled his goaltender Patrick Lalieme following the Mike Grier which I know I wished the Devils could have declined.

When Jamie Langenbrunner had his open look from the offensive blue line, he ripped a shot to prevent an unnecessary overtime, but put a seed of dread into the pit of my stomach.

Two weeks later, the seeds of dread had sprouted and become full flowers of disappointment.

After a hard fought loss in game one, and a very spirited victory in game 2, the Devils had seemed to find themselves.

The motivation and high of exuberation lasted until the overtime of game 3 when “noted sniper” Dan Carcillo took a nifty pass across the crease from Mike Richards and deposited it into the gaping 4x6 behind Brodeur who was protecting the post against a wraparound.

While not a soul stepped up in this game other than Brian Rolston and Martin Brodeur, Mike Mottau forgetting to pass off his man, Travis Zajac forgetting that Mottau tried hard all series to do everything he could to kill the Devils chances, and Colin White not being able do a simple chip over Richards’ stick all contributed to the horrendous goal.

Game 4 started off promising as Kovalchuk would net his first goal of the postseason when a goaltender was in his crease. However, the 2nd period proved to be an almost Twilight Zone as the Devils would not only surrender the lead but fall behind.

20 minutes away from having to perform a miraculous comeback in the exact same fashion as they had done ten years previous, one would have thought that the Devils would come out flying [no pun intended] in the 3rd period.

What happened next, I believe, was the personification of the past 3 months, the Devils did not show up. Coming out flatter than road kill on the Jersey Turnpike, the Flyers sniper Dan Carcillo struck again just 4 minutes and 10 seconds into the period.

The Devils were dead to rights, and when Jeff Carter scored on a power play just over 5 minutes later, the heart left the team as well.

There was no fire in the team, no desire to comeback and give the fans who were planning to support them in Game 5 at the Prudential Center a glimmer of home.

Even with a sellout crowd trying desperately to will them on, the Devils game out in game 5 just as sloppy as they had left game 4. The Flyers capitalized on their early powerplay opportunity, something the Devils failed to do consistently throughout the series, with a Daniel Briere goal just 3:16 into the competition.

It came as no surprise that the Devils would again have a horrific second period, and in a game they needed to have, they would not be able to muster a single goal past a goaltender whose last playoff experience game five years prior in mop up duty for the San Jose Sharks.

What followed in the next day and a half was almost more horrific than the embarrassing performance put on by the team during the series. There was almost no one holding themselves accountable for the losses.

Constant quotes of “we didn’t execute, we tried, we just didn’t have it” became staples from the players all the way to their General Manager. Even the head coach did not address the team following the game 5 loss.

The only real fire game following game 4 when General Manager Lou Lamoriello allegedly threw a jar of jelly across the locker room in a tirade.

Sure, many said they were disappointed, but with this being the third straight year they have not only were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but losing on home ice, no player truly seemed upset over having to trade their hockey equipment in for golf clubs.

As fans, we seem to hold our team to a higher standard than they are being held to by the front office, Owner Jeff Vanderbeek aside. The air of content with winning the Atlantic Division and being KO-ed by the 7th seed is not only nauseating but beyond frustrating.

Having given up a significant amount of talent for 30 games from Ilya Kovalchuk and not getting out of the first round is embarrassing.

There’s no guarantees he will even consider an offer from the Devils before July 1st, and going off past history of hard-nosed negotiating tactics, an offer from this organization might not even be in his ballpark, leaving many to feel at this point the deal may have been a waste by not coming home with our 4th Cup in 15 years.

Knowing that Jacques Lemaire will be returning as head coach signals another season of constant line juggling and a more defensive slant than offensive.

Watching the playoffs outside of the NJ-PHI series, one thing that was constant is the lines remaining the same. At no point do you hear commentators saying “here are the lines, but as we know it can and more than likely will change.”

Players cannot be treated as interchangeable parts, it is not the industrial revolution out there, there needs to be chemistry. Players need to be able to anticipate what their line mates will do in a given situation and without that, there will be an uphill battle to find success.

The Devils have a laundry list of needs to address this offseason, starting with the critical need for NHL level talent on the blueline.

Over the next few weeks, I will be brining to you, the reader, my offseason analysis, where I feel the Devils need to improve, what they can do, what I wish they will do, what is realistic that they will do and the deals which will probably be done because of past history which most likely leave many scratching their heads, if not palm slapping themselves in the face, as the organization makes the same mistakes they have been since the lockout, refusing to adapt to the new NHL.

Do not get me wrong, I love this team, but when an organization seems so set on recreating their success from the 90s when it is clearly a different game, I cannot help but be pessimistic that we will suddenly learn from previous mistakes.

When the GM blows up at the coaches during a series, but then says all of their jobs are safe, that is not a good sign, especially going from absolute disappointment to feeling content. The almost robotic and automated responses in his press conference also do not paint an optimistic picture for the fan base.

When it is no secret that there was open tension between the captain and the head coach, and a temper tantrum playing out through reporters by said captain, and yet there is a feeling of no need for a change anywhere in leadership, there is something critically wrong with your organization. Allowing insubordination, especially from someone in as high of a leadership position as Captain, proves there is no accountability for other players in the team, thus allowing for room to slack off and for heartless performances.

Free Agency opens July 1st, but the Devils could start to retain players now, especially certain ones whose contracts expire a year from now (I’m looking directly at the guy wearing number 9).

For now, we’re left hoping maybe a lightning bolt of New NHL Knowledge will fall from the heavens and strike at least two people in our organization right in the melon.

Enjoy the remainder of the playoffs, since any series out there will be better than ours was.

Canada's Golden Effort

When thinking of the Men’s Hockey portion of the XXI Winter Olympics, the gold medal game would pit the host country, Canada, renewing a rivalry with a long history versus the Russians, with the United States maybe vying for a bronze medal if even that much. Realistically, outside of the most passionate fans bursting with national pride and those filled with limitless optimism, the USA hockey team probably wouldn’t factor in the gold medal.

But when the Canadians fell to the USA in the group stage, it set up the Russia-Canada matchup to determine who COULD vie for a medal and who’s Olympic dream would end in utter and complete disappointment.

What, then, could be the second best-case scenario? A USA team that over achieved to meet Canada in the final, creating one of the most intense atmospheres in history.

On Sunday night, after both endured interesting pathways, that secondary matchup is exactly what hockey fans received.

Round one of this rivalry went to the Americans in was dubbed one of the most exciting hockey games ever played in the Olympics.

Round 2 did not fail to live up to game 1’s high level.

The atmosphere was exactly what this type of game would draw: loud, excited, almost rabid.

It started with a United States team going all out to try and put themselves ahead with an early lead, but the first period ended up just the opposite.

Jonathan Toews scored off a Mike Richards rebound after stealing a blown pass from Erik Johnson intended for Brian Rafalski. It was a bad play that every single pee-wee hockey player learns early on: never EVER try to clear a puck from behind your net to the front of it. Johnson probably got caught up in the moment, and maybe even panicked a little when Toews pressured him from his left side. Either way, the pass was picked off, Richards shot low right on Miller, and no one was near Toews who fired the puck off his forehand into the net behind the sprawled Miller.

Corey Perry’s goal on 3 on 2, eventually a 3 on 3, put Canada up 2-0. Nifty passing taking advantage of 3 former Penguins set Perry up for a nice, screened shot which Miller had little to no shot at stopping.

5 minutes later, however, the USA broke through with their first of the game. Patrick Kane took a shot from the right wing boards which Ryan Kesler deflected between Roberto Luongo’s legs.

Moments later, Ryan Suter took a rebound shot through Luongo’s legs again, only this time the keeper was able to get just enough to force the puck just wide of the post. From the overhead replay, the puck danced tantalizingly close to the open net but ever so depressingly wide. This was the American’s second best chance, and final one of the period.

At this point, the US had some significant momentum building, but these efforts were put on hold with the sounding of the intermission horn. Coach Ron Wilson undoubtedly went into the locker room knowing that not only could his team get the equalizer, but also knew exactly how to break through Luongo, who was beginning to show signs of weakness. Low shots forcing rebounds would leave open looks at the high part of the net.

Out of the gate in the 3rd, Canada looked for the KO punch, but Miller was equal to the task. The USA pressed as hard as they could, but at the halfway mark of the period, it was clear that Canada was content with simply meeting the Americans at the blue line, and almost trapping any offensive attempts.

The time kept ticking off the clock, and as 2nd period power plays showed, shots, let alone goals, were at a premium. Under 90 seconds to go, Miller headed to the bench for the extra attacker, and even then, the US struggled penetrate the Canadian defense.

Under thirty seconds to go, the US dumpped a puck in on goal which Luongo gloved but could not control. This allowed the US to maintain possession in the zone, and eventually, Kane fired a shot on goal and Devils’ teammates Jamie Langenbrunner and Zach Parise scrambled to beat Luongo to the loose puck, and Parise won the footrace and tied up the game with a mere 24 seconds left.

Confidence soaring, momentum on their side, the US went into the end of regulation riding high. The problem was, Canada wasn’t deflated.

Coming out in the overtime, the Americans seemed to hold the momentum as they seemingly controlled the puck well. However, one miscue on defense allowed Sidney Crosby to take a Jarome Iginla pass to the low slot wide open and beat Miller low for the gold-clinching goal.

It was a majorly disappointed ending for the squad, and it showed on their faces, but in the end, they had nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of.

What they can take away from these games is that they have nowhere to go but up as nearly the entire team were first timers in the Olympics, and the average age was 27. They also skated with the best in the world and took one from them. And they will be holding the title of second best in the world. Next time, they wont have to face Martin Brodeur, Chris Pronger and a handful of others, and while Sidney Crosby will be around, as will Jonathan Toews, the talent emerging from the Juniors circuit are promising.

Monday marks the resumption of the NHL regular season and Wednesday is the trading deadline, so do not fear, hockey is not over for the season, still plenty more to come.

Enjoy!

Canada vs USA - Round 2, This Time for Gold

Here we are, a week later, in a very an identical situation. The only difference is, and it’s a major, MAJOR difference, this one is for it all.

Neither the United States nor Canada haven’t been to a Gold Medal game since 2002 when the two, obviously, paired up for a clash at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Canada took that contest, and the gold home with them by a count of 5-2. The men were not alone in taking gold from the host country, as the women also defeated the American women’s team by a count of 2-1

On Thursday, the Canadian women made history repeat itself, this time besting the United States 2-0.

Tonight, however, the USA hockey team comes in with a slight edge.

They controlled their previous game against Canada, even after Sidney Crosby pulled the Canadians within a goal with under 5 minutes to go, the USA held on and added a tally of their own off the stick, and one heck of an effort, from Ryan Kesler.

Sure, the Canadians will have home ice advantage, even if they’re supposed to be the “away” team tonight, and they will have revenge on their side, the Americans have been playing more consistent hockey.

Coming off an undefeated group stage, the Americans opened the elimination round with a matchup against the Swiss.

Giving them as many problems as they did during group play, the Swiss proved to be a formidable opponent, keeping the game close throughout. Zach Parise broke the scoreless tie midway through the 3rd period but the Swiss stayed tough, meeting the USA with an equally persistent offensive attack. It was not until Parsie tallied another goal, this time an empty netter, could the United States exhale collectively, and Ryan Miller toss his first Olympic Shutout onto his resume.

Up next would be Finland, who had a very daunting line-up headlined by Olli Jokinen and the Ruutu brothers, and anchored in net by Miikka Kiprusoff.

But the US would not be intimidated by the names on paper, and brought the play directly to the Fins.

An early blunder by the usually solid Kiprusoff set the tone for what would prove to be a long afternoon. Ryan Malone would kickoff the scoring by capitalizing on Kippers gaffe as he came way too far out of the crease to play a loose puck, but when his poke check failed, Malone had a wide open net to shoot for.

Pat Kane would net a pair, Zach Parise, Erik Johnson and Paul Stastny each added another in one of the most offensively prolific first periods of the Olympics.

After the first, the USA took a noticeably defensive stance and pull back the reins on an offense which was firing on all cylinders.

Miller would be spelled midway through the third as a precaution to avoid any unforeseen injuries in a game that the end result was little in doubt. Tim Thomas was his relief and surrendered the first goal against the Americans since Crosby’s goal in the Canada game.

While the Americans in the stadium were chanting for their country, the Canadian contingent decided to boo the Americans, thus prompting a “we want Canada” chant in response.

The Canadians path seemed to be a much more difficult one, but it proved to be much easier. Germany proved to be little competition as Canada ran up the score by count of 8-2. Russia was next, and should have been one of the marquee games of the tournament, but after a few bumps early on, the Canadians seemed to back the Russians into a corner and beat them down, punch after punch.

The hapless Russians made mistake after mistake on the ice. Defensive lapses, goaltending blunders, and a major coaching error, failing to pull Evgeni Nabokov after a 4 goal first period and allowing him two more goals in the second before mercifully giving him the hook in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov all contributed to the horrors which fueled the Canadian domination.

The surprise Slovakians were the only thing standing between the Canadians and the gold medal game. Many Canadian fans and writers were already counting on the gold medal game, and even when the team had a 3-0 lead late in the third, chants of “we want USA!” rained down from the stands. The problem was, someone forgot to tell the Slovakian team it was over.

With under 10 minutes to go, a fluke goal got behind Roberto Luongo to pull the Slovaks within two. A few minutes later, another goal gave the underdogs a massive breath of hope, and sucked the life and arrogance from the Canadian crowd, whose visions of a gold medal game were hardly guaranteed. Even as the final minute counted down, the Slovaks did not give up. With seven seconds to go, they had their best chance to tie the game, but Pavol Demitra’s shot clanged off the crossbar and away from the front of the net.

The Canadians survived a major scare, which could have been one of the most devastating losses ever for their country, but they now come up against a USA team who not only has beaten them before, but is playing their best hockey of the Olympics. The Canadians, who had a major air of confidence after a dominating performance against the Russians, now have had that goof feeling ereased by the late never-quit attitude of the Slovakians.

The first five minutes will prove, again, to be the setting point for the game.

Should the Americans grab an early lead again, you could quickly see, feel and hear a panic in the Canadian Pacific Coliseum this afternoon.

Russia vs. Canada - Live Blog

Feel free to join in and comment tomorrow, 2/24 @ 715 PM

Do You Believe in Millercles? YES!

My heart is still beating beyond at a rapid pace. Pounding actually.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Ryan Miller feels like right now, and I only watched the game. He pretty much stood on his head, said to his teammates, “I will win this for us.” And he did, stopping impossible shots without as much as milliseconds to react and get into place.

He was on autopilot at that point. Completely in the zone. Wide open looks for Canada thwarted by the limbs and extremities of Miller.

In one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen, the United States outlasted…. No, out played and hustled Canada down the stretch.

Don’t believe me? Ask Ryan Kesler and Cory Perry. Perry seemingly had possession of the puck in his own zone with a yawning net, Kesler refused to be denied his shot to seal the victory, and with a diving poke check, earned his team a memorable victory.

The night started with a Brian Rafalski goal, 41 seconds into the contest.

While the goal was answered less than 6 minutes later by Eric Staal, Rafalski would again put the US out front with a goal that seemed to have its own eyes, finding the smallest of holes to fit through and into the back of the net.

An unease, tense and almost worried silence filled the crowd of Canada Pacific Collesum going into the intermission.

Brodeur’s gaffes, clearly cost his team, but none were ever as prevalent as his blunder late in the 2nd period as he failed to poke check a loose puck in front of the net. Bobby Ryan chipped the puck over the sprawling Brodeur’s stick where it landed near Chris Drury, who in his best game wearing Red White and Blue [yes, I’m including the Rangers], found the back of the net to put the Americans ahead for good.

In the third, on a power play, Rafalski again would factor in on a goal. This time with a blistering slap shot from the point that tipped off Jaime Langenbrunner’s stick on its way through Brodeur for the 4-2 lead.

While Sidney Crosby’s goal with under 5 minutes remaining in regulation only added to the dramatics of tonight, Kesler’s efforts combined with Zach Parise’s to chip the puck ahead to begin the play and the outstanding, if not mythical, effort of Ryan Miller helped carried the USA hockey program into a new status.

Since the sport began, the Canadians have had a superiority complex over their neighbors to the south.

Tonight, the US went to their neighbor’s house, played their game, dominated when it mattered the most, then, they skated off the ice having won against their cocky rivals for the first time in Olympic competition in 50 years.

But this wasn’t the first time the US has emerged victorious against Canada in recent history.

For the third time in just over a month, the United States Hockey teams have gotten the best of their Canadian counterparts. First, winning the Under 17 World Championships, then the World Junior Championships, and finally, tonight, completing an undefeated group play by beating Canada.

This game didn’t mean immediate respect for just the USA as a team, but more importantly on Ryan Miller as an individual.

Jeff Marek of Hockey Night in Canada tweeted, “Miller just solidified his Vezina resume.” While it is true that the Olympics are not typically factored in the Vezina consideration voting, people will take note of him putting the US on his back and giving them a sense of confidence that they will be able to endure the relentless Canadian attack.

He did it while out-dueling another Vezina winner in Brodeur, who definitely took major steps back tonight. He more than likely played himself right out of the lineup with his performance in the past 2 Canadian Games, and I would be shocked, as would a lot of other people, if Roberto Luongo does not take to the pipes for Canada’s next game against Germany.

Mike Eruzione said he was pround of the heart-filled effort tonight and as a whole. I think the entire 1980 Olympic team would be proud of this squad because they are proving if you play as a team, you’ll be even a team stacked with all-stars. And I wonder if the late Herb Brooks may have even been either smiling or even helping the puck find the holes in the Canadain defense and goaltender.

But as for tonight, Facebook and Twitter have both exploded with posts of praise for the United States and, more specifically, for Ryan Miller.

Which leads me to wonder, had NBC not booted the game to its cable affiliates and kept it on their main channel, had more non-hockey fans become instant fans of the sport thanks to one of the greatest hockey games ever played?

Congrats to the United States, congrats to Ryan Miller for proving he is approaching god-like status in the eyes and hearts of USA Hockey fans, congrats to Brian Rafalski for being a go to scorer from the defensive position, congrats to Ryan Kelser for his all heart play to seal the win, and lastly, congrats to Joe Thornton for thinking this was a playoff game and completely failing to show up.

Tonight, I think the entire country believes in Miller-cles.

The Battle for North America

Hockey rivalries are distinctly different from those of other sports. While other games have tried to shy away from referencing wars since the conflict in the middle east has been reignited, the world of hockey refused to follow suit.

And I do not blame them one bit, for it is the play on the ice which almost certainly proves their deservedness of holding the title of battles.

Players on both teams give it their all, even during regular season NHL games, to ensure victory over their counterparts. They fight on, bloodied, bruised and battered, to gain that ever so desired win.

Sponsors will try to place a kinder tone to try and remove some of the everpresent hostility by slapping cute names on them. The prime example is the Rangers, Islanders and Devils rivalry being tagged “The Metro Ice Challenge.” The fans of these teams know their rivalry by other names, “The Battle for the Hudson” and “The Battle for New York.”

In 2007, the Buffalo Sabres took out the Islanders and Rangers successively in the playoffs, ultimately throwing their hat into the rivalry ring by claiming paramount over “The Battle for the Empire State” as fans plastered this distinction onto t-shirts throughout the greater Buffalo area.

Calgary and Edmonton consider their clashes to be the “Battle for Alberta.” Each of the 6 skirmishes are consistently sold out and ticket prices on the street going for similar price tags as Red Sox-Yankees.

On Sunday night, Canada and the US will engage in the Battle for North America for the 3rd installment already this winter.

The two squared off in the Under-17 World Championships, with the Americans coming out on top.

In January, the World Junior Championships were the stage for the 2nd encounter, with the Americans again prevailing over their northern counterparts.

What better stage than the Olympics for the next meeting of the minds between these two nations? While the winner won’t be winning tournament, at least not at the immediate end of the game, they will be in good position to contend for gold by earning an automatic place to the elimination round, thus avoiding what could be a very difficult pathway to the medal rounds.

This game carries so much weight for USA hockey fans, and while it is nowhere near the magnitude of the historic 1980 USA vs USSR semifinals game, it still would mean a lot to the new aged fans.

Canada created, mastered, expanded the sport of hockey, there is no doubting that. The debate nowadays, is whether or not they actually deserve the title of best in the game.

They have always held the higher rank over their kid brother in the United States, with an ever present superiority complex over their neighbors to the south.

What better way to not only earn worldwide respect, but to also silence some of the critics in the Great White North?

The US needs to play as solid of a game as they did versus Norway. Regardless of between the benches announcer Pierre McGuire thinks, they need to be aggressive and take chances when necessary.

McGuire chastised the US defenders numerous times for trying to join in the offensive attack, and even wrongly scolded the entire team for not backing up attacking defenders when Zach Parise was not only in perfect position for defensive support, but needed to head to the bench for a new stick thus allowing Ryan Suter to enter deep into the zone and create an scoring chance.

Canada, on the other hand, comes off a shootout victory against the Swiss which made them look very vulnerable and mortal. After 2 first period goals, the Canadians struggled and put an air of panic in the crowd at arena. And it wasn’t until coach Mike Babcock took full advantage of allowing a shooter to go more than once after the first 3 that the Canadians won.

Yes, Martin Brodeur did play phenomenally and if not for one bad bounce, would have won the game in regulation by a count of 2-1, but that is the sort of luck the Americans seem to have over them this hockey year.

That type of luck, plus the sleeping giant in the USA’s first line which has yet to make a significant scoring impact in these games, makes me think the edge should go to the Americans for Sunday night. Add into it that Ryan Miller is playing his best goaltending of the games, if not including the entire season, and the US has a legitimate chance.

A typical Chris Pronger dirty hit away from the play wouldn’t hurt to get the Americans power play goal or two.

The Curse of Cangailosi

While we sit on this Olympic break, we need to think, if our struggles continue, do we protest Jacques’ performance, or request an alternate substitute in the broadcast booth?

The nasaly voice, the inability to have a working stereo microphone, these phrases could easily describe any sportscaster. But none are more prevalent than Steve Cangailosi’s season on the lead microphone when he comes in relief of Doc Emrick.

While the damage to our eardrums can, at times, be a nuisance, what his presence at the mike does to the team on the ice is much, much worse. It could be considered…. A curse.

Wins are at a premium when Cangailosi calls the action alongside Chico Resch. More times than not, the Devils find themselves on the wrong side of the score sheet.

Exhibit A: Since the NHL on NBC started for this season, Doc has missed at least 5 Saturday Devils games. In those 5 games, the Devils are 1-4-0, with their only win coming against the Islanders.

Exhibit B: Nearly all of the other games which Cangailosi has called when Doc has been doing his work for Versus have also been losses.

So while sometimes, it may be nice to hear a man who calls a game with a tone of voice that makes you feel like you’re listening to the TV on max volume with a pillow wrapped around your head, the end result taken on our team has been more drastic and devastating.

This article is written in an entirely sarcastic tone. Due to the recent Devils' struggles, rather than jump on the doomsday bandwagon, i decided to poke fun at the situation.

National Pride

There is always something that I seem to find deep inside whenever I see team representing the United States in competition on TV.

Be it softball, soccer, or heck even curling, I find my attention being drawn to the competition and pushed away from the remote.

Case in point: hockey’s World Junior Championships. Sure, I heard a little about it and kept it ever so slightly in the back of my mind this past weekend when I learned the USA was taking on Canada in group play, but the thought then became lost behind New Years plans, traveling back to Buffalo, and the final Bills tailgating of the season which I was highly anticipating for the sheer fact it was the last Sunday I would need to be away at ungodly hours of the morning to begin the pregame festivities.

When the game and weather turned to be completely miserable, my roommates and I decided to head home and try to fight the lake affect snow that had set up shop over the greater Buffalo metro area.

Following a 2 hour shoveling session which was 1 part shoveling the driveways and pathways to our apartment, and the other part being spent laying the foundation for a snow table in the back yard, we took to the couches for something entertaining to watch.

Enter the WJC: Canada vs. Switzerland semi-final game. While I will lay my personal take/bias aside for this particular article, it was during this game we found out about the USA-Sweden game later this same evening

When 9 pm rolled around, we begin to flip to the game during the commercials of an entertaining animated show on a certain network station, but once the show ended, our remote became locked on the hockey game.

Our living room quickly filled with armchair coaches, and analysts providing our own insight to the game while still sharing a common bond of pulling for the red white and blue. Cheers, boos, swears were just a few of the utterances coming from the trio of die-hard hockey fans who suddenly wanted to know anything and everything about the players on the ice.

Even after learning that 3 of the talented teenagers were prospects of the hated New York Rangers, my displeasure quickly vanished when the US took a 3-2 lead in the 3rd period.

Following the 4th goal by the Americans, we began discussing changes in our plans for Tuesday night in order to compensate for the 8 pm start of the USA Canada rematch.

It truly is quite remarkable, at least for myself, when just the fact an American team is in contention for a championship, how quickly many will jump on the bandwagon trying to somehow will the team to victory.