A night after the scenarios nearly played out to perfection, the idle Devils again turn their eyes to the scoreboard and hope for help from the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta at Carolina
Last night, the Atlanta Thrashers sprinted to a 2 goal lead on the Carolina Hurricanes before the end of the first period. They just couldn't sustain the same intensity throughout the remaining two periods of play.
Carolina turned the game around and by the end of the second, not only were they within a goal of tying the game but they were in complete control of Atlanta.
The Thrashers found themselves surrendering chance after chance as Carolina spread faltering Atlanta out, as odd man rushes became the angle of attack for the Hurricanes.
Late in the third, Eric Cole found himself behind the Thrashers defense and was fed a beautiful pass en route to his equalizer. The goal would prove to be huge for the Canes as the two teams headed to overtime.
But the Thrashers refused to go quietly into the night as they found a way to turn the pressure back on during the extra period, and it resulted in Tim Stapleton netting only his second goal of the season for the winner.
Rangers at Ducks
A few hours after the Thrashers pulled off a rare road victory, the Rangers faced off against the Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
Rangers controlled most of the play early on and capitalized on a poor change by the Ducks to set up the opening goal. Artem Amnisimov picked up a loose puck and broke in on a 3 on 2 as the Ducks scrambled to complete the change. Amnisimov moved the puck to Ryan Callahan who took only a second to move the puck to the right wing to Brandon Dubinsky who ripped a wrister behind the glove and pad of Ban Ellis.
Just four minutes later, Corey Perry changed the complexion of the game as he took a seamlessly harmless shot on goal from the right corner behind the Ranger net. The “pass” deflected off the skate of defenseman Dan Girardi and between the legs of Henrik Lundqvist.
Two minutes later, the Ducks struck again. This time a defenseman took the shot, Lubomir Visnovsky, which again banked off a Ranger player, Marc Stahl, before hitting the back of the net.
With under a minute to go, Visnovsky struck again with another shot from the point. This time, however, it didn’t need any help from Ranger players to get home.
The Rangers had come out of the gate on fire, looking like they’d have another dominating performance off the heels of their route of Philadelphia on Sunday, but the Perry bounce and followed by Visnovsky’s goals seemed to break their backs. They tried to mount a concentrated offensive effort late in the 2nd but ran out of time, and luck, as Ellis was equal to the task.
The Ducks would strike quickly in the 3rd, as Bobby Ryan added his second point of the game with a goal of his own, and the Rangers would answer to keep the game within two off a goal from Marion Gaborik. However, Ryan and Perry would put the lead back to three after some crisp passing on a rush which resulted in Perry’s second goal of the night.
The Rangers continue to squander critical points as they are now within reach of two teams, with only one space between them and being out of the playoffs. With the bottom 7 teams getting their acts together, now is the absolute wrong time for New York to hit a rough patch.
It is, however, fortunate for those chasing them, such as the Devils who are 10 points back with 2 games in hand.
Tonight, there are four games for Devils fans to keep their eyes on tonight:
Buffalo at Boston
Sorry Sabres fans, we joined you last night pulling for mutual demise of opposing clubs, however you’re in our crosshairs and it’s your time to be cheered against. The Devils need Boston to win this one in regulation in order to have a chance in redeeming their Tuesday night blunder against Ottawa. Keeping the gap at 8 points would be huge entering tomorrow night’s contest against the Thrashers.
Flyers at Toronto
Which Flyers’ team will show up tonight: the pathetic waste against meek Eastern Conference foes that can’t seem to motivate themselves to victory, or the one which dominated the Edmonton Oilers the other night? The Devils hope the latter team arrives in Toronto and shuts down a team that’s ahead of NJ’s quest for the playoffs.
Senators at Florida
With both teams behind them, one would think it wouldn’t matter what the outcome of this game was. However, even with a game in hand, the Devils need the Sens to win this one in order to not fall back behind another team. Florida is only a point behind New Jersey so a loss in overtime/shootout is okay due to the tiebreakers, however a Panther win puts the Devils back into 13th.
Canadiens at Blues
Montreal has a 17 point lead on the Devils, so no big deal who wins this game, right? Well, if they falter like every East team has done lately, why not believe they can be caught. So it may be a little farfetched, but keeping teams close is always a plus, so let’s go Blues!
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Showing posts with label Carolina Hurricanes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carolina Hurricanes. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Playoff Life Support - March 9th
For at least one night, Buffalo Sabres fans can join together with New Jersey Devils as their teams sit idle and cheer for the same teams. Two games tonight have major playoff implications for both teams as the season starts to wind to a close.
Here’s a quick look at the match-ups and their impact on the race:
Atlanta at Carolina
For the Devils: This game needs to end in regulation. A 3 point match-up, while not completely devastating at this point, down the road could be brutal as the Devils try to climb their way from the basement of the league to the top 8 in the conference. The optimal result is the Thrashers winning, and while it will put New Jersey 3 back from catching Atlanta, the bigger picture is to keep the Hurricanes from putting any further distance between them and the Devils.
For the Sabres: Atlanta can win this match up in extra time, but the optimal result is a regulation victory. Should the Hurricanes force overtime, but fail to win, they would pull into a tie with Buffalo, but still be on the outside looking in by way of wins. If the Hurricanes win this game, the Sabres fall back to 9th by a point but they do gain the game in hand, thus keeping the Sabres in control of their own destiny.
Rangers at Anaheim
For both teams: This game not only needs to end in regulation, but the Ducks have to get this one. The more teams at the bottom of the pack, the better the Devils odds get as long as they get back to their winning ways and the rest play mediocre. New Jersey sits 10 points back of the Rangers after failing to close any ground with their regulation loss last night. Buffalo is in a much better position, obviously, being in the 8th seed. The Sabres’ currently sit only 2 back of the Blue Shirts, but 9 back of 6th placed Montreal. Both Buffalo and New Jersey have 2 games in hand on New York, making a loss tonight for the Rangers a critical hit to their playoff chances. Yes the Rangers currently sit in the playoffs in 7th place, but Carolina also has 2 games in hand and is only 3 points back. If you want to stretch even further, Toronto is 6 back, with a game in hand.
It should be an interesting night for the Eastern Conference.
Here’s a quick look at the match-ups and their impact on the race:
Atlanta at Carolina
For the Devils: This game needs to end in regulation. A 3 point match-up, while not completely devastating at this point, down the road could be brutal as the Devils try to climb their way from the basement of the league to the top 8 in the conference. The optimal result is the Thrashers winning, and while it will put New Jersey 3 back from catching Atlanta, the bigger picture is to keep the Hurricanes from putting any further distance between them and the Devils.
For the Sabres: Atlanta can win this match up in extra time, but the optimal result is a regulation victory. Should the Hurricanes force overtime, but fail to win, they would pull into a tie with Buffalo, but still be on the outside looking in by way of wins. If the Hurricanes win this game, the Sabres fall back to 9th by a point but they do gain the game in hand, thus keeping the Sabres in control of their own destiny.
Rangers at Anaheim
For both teams: This game not only needs to end in regulation, but the Ducks have to get this one. The more teams at the bottom of the pack, the better the Devils odds get as long as they get back to their winning ways and the rest play mediocre. New Jersey sits 10 points back of the Rangers after failing to close any ground with their regulation loss last night. Buffalo is in a much better position, obviously, being in the 8th seed. The Sabres’ currently sit only 2 back of the Blue Shirts, but 9 back of 6th placed Montreal. Both Buffalo and New Jersey have 2 games in hand on New York, making a loss tonight for the Rangers a critical hit to their playoff chances. Yes the Rangers currently sit in the playoffs in 7th place, but Carolina also has 2 games in hand and is only 3 points back. If you want to stretch even further, Toronto is 6 back, with a game in hand.
It should be an interesting night for the Eastern Conference.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Huge Night in the East
Tonight's match-ups in the Eastern Conference have steep implications for three teams in terms of their playoff hopes and dreams.
The Devils face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Prudential Center in Newark. In order to keep pace with the top 8 teams in the Eastern Conference, the Devils need to win this match up. For a change, it really does not matter if the Devils win in regulation or not, as long as they get those two critical points.
A half hour after the Devils and Penguins face-off, the Rangers begin their critical matchup with the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa. Just a night ago, the Rangers fell to the eighth seed in the East. Just two points are separating the them from the Buffalo Sabres and being on the outside looking in. This is almost a must win for the Blueshirts because not only are they in an absolute free-fall, but they have played a considerable number of more games when compared to every team in the Eastern Conference.
Then at 830 pm, the final game which fans of teams on the bubble are keeping an eye on is the Hurricanes vs the Chicago Blackhawks. This matchup has playoff implications for both conferences as both Carolina and Chicago are in the thick of the hunt, both are in for the time being.
Optimal results for Devils fans is obviously for both the Rangers and Hurricanes to lose their games in regulation. Should the Devils win and these results come to fruition, the deficit would be 8 and 9 points, respectively. This would be a huge turn of events as the Devils have games in hand on both teams to their advantage.
It should be an entertaining Friday night for hockey fans across the league.
It could also be a great start for New Jersey Devils fans with growing dreams.
The Devils face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Prudential Center in Newark. In order to keep pace with the top 8 teams in the Eastern Conference, the Devils need to win this match up. For a change, it really does not matter if the Devils win in regulation or not, as long as they get those two critical points.
A half hour after the Devils and Penguins face-off, the Rangers begin their critical matchup with the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa. Just a night ago, the Rangers fell to the eighth seed in the East. Just two points are separating the them from the Buffalo Sabres and being on the outside looking in. This is almost a must win for the Blueshirts because not only are they in an absolute free-fall, but they have played a considerable number of more games when compared to every team in the Eastern Conference.
Then at 830 pm, the final game which fans of teams on the bubble are keeping an eye on is the Hurricanes vs the Chicago Blackhawks. This matchup has playoff implications for both conferences as both Carolina and Chicago are in the thick of the hunt, both are in for the time being.
Optimal results for Devils fans is obviously for both the Rangers and Hurricanes to lose their games in regulation. Should the Devils win and these results come to fruition, the deficit would be 8 and 9 points, respectively. This would be a huge turn of events as the Devils have games in hand on both teams to their advantage.
It should be an entertaining Friday night for hockey fans across the league.
It could also be a great start for New Jersey Devils fans with growing dreams.
Teams Fail to Capitalize
On a might where the Eastern Conference playoff race picture could have gotten a lot clearer, it only got tighter.
Going into play last night, the Buffalo Sabres trailed the Carolina Hurricanes by two points and the New York Rangers by three. All three of these teams were in action, with the Sabres and Hurricanes squaring off in Raleigh while the Rangers played host to the Minnesota Wild at the Garden.
The beat case scenario for Devils fans, and fans of any team below Buffalo in the standings for that matter, would have been a Rangers loss in regulation, and a Sabres win also in regulation. If this had played out, Buffalo and Carolina would have been in a virtual tie and the Rangers only a point away.
The Wild did their part as they easily handled a struggling Rangers team who have looking unimpressive over the course over the past month. The 3-1 loss personified how the Rangers have struggled and scoring has come at a premium for the squad that out shot the Wild 41-19 during last night's contest.
In Carolina, the Sabres were able to strike first when Steve Montador score his fifth of the year from Tyler Ennis and Andrej Sekera. But Juri Tlusty equalized the game just over two minutes later with a talley of his own.
Brad Boyes, who scored in his first game with Buffalo against the Rangers earlier this week, put the Sabres ahead again with his second in as many games. Montador and Sekera would add assists on Boyes' 14th. The lead again would be short lived as Chad LaRose would level the two teams just over a minute later for he most offensively explosive period of the game.
Both teams would earn a point by way of heading to overtime, but the Hurricanes would walk away with the extra one as Jamie McBain would net the game winner. The win pushed the Hurricanes ahead of the Rangers for 7th in the Conference, keeping Buffalo in 9th by 2 points.
Going into play last night, the Buffalo Sabres trailed the Carolina Hurricanes by two points and the New York Rangers by three. All three of these teams were in action, with the Sabres and Hurricanes squaring off in Raleigh while the Rangers played host to the Minnesota Wild at the Garden.
The beat case scenario for Devils fans, and fans of any team below Buffalo in the standings for that matter, would have been a Rangers loss in regulation, and a Sabres win also in regulation. If this had played out, Buffalo and Carolina would have been in a virtual tie and the Rangers only a point away.
The Wild did their part as they easily handled a struggling Rangers team who have looking unimpressive over the course over the past month. The 3-1 loss personified how the Rangers have struggled and scoring has come at a premium for the squad that out shot the Wild 41-19 during last night's contest.
In Carolina, the Sabres were able to strike first when Steve Montador score his fifth of the year from Tyler Ennis and Andrej Sekera. But Juri Tlusty equalized the game just over two minutes later with a talley of his own.
Brad Boyes, who scored in his first game with Buffalo against the Rangers earlier this week, put the Sabres ahead again with his second in as many games. Montador and Sekera would add assists on Boyes' 14th. The lead again would be short lived as Chad LaRose would level the two teams just over a minute later for he most offensively explosive period of the game.
Both teams would earn a point by way of heading to overtime, but the Hurricanes would walk away with the extra one as Jamie McBain would net the game winner. The win pushed the Hurricanes ahead of the Rangers for 7th in the Conference, keeping Buffalo in 9th by 2 points.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Boyes Delivers in Debut
Congratulations, Sabres fans! After the first period of last night's game against the New York Rangers, this year's deadline acquisition is already 100% more productive in terms of goals than last year, and is one point away from equaling that of Raffi Torres's short stint in Buffalo.Almost a year ago, the Sabres traded Nathan Paetsch and a second round pick. The trade was widely regarded as a successful move for the Sabres and was a borderline steal when they acquired the player who amassed 50 points at that point in the year for a struggling Blue Jackets.
Torres, however, failed to live up to any of the expectations held for him while wearing the Blue and Gold. He failed to register a goal for the club and only amassed 5 assists through the remaining portion of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.
Late Sunday night, the Sabres beat the Deadline Day Rush and made a trade in the midnight hours to acquire power forward Brad Boyes from St. Louis. The Blues received the Sabres 3rd round pick in this year’s draft to complete the deal.
During the second period of their matchup with the New York Rangers, the Sabres were on the power play when Boyes registered his first goal with the team. Andrej Sekera fired a shot from the blue line which Henrik Lundqvist kicked out to his left side. Paul Gaustad took the rebound and released a blind, between the legs pass across the top of the crease to a waiting Boyes who deposited an off-balanced shot behind Lundqvist for the marker which gave the Sabres a brief 2-1 lead.
Boyes would later say sarcastically of the play, “Goose and I had talked about doing that play during the skate, guess it actually worked.”
With the win, the Sabres were able to keep pace with the Carolina Hurricanes, who also won on the night, but also gained two valuable points on the Rangers. With three games in hand on the Blueshirts and two on the Hurricanes, the Sabres are in control of their own destiny as they’re behind by only three and two points respectively.
The Sabres expect the Boyes to be a critical component of a playoff run, and his durability cannot be understated. Boyes is one of only four players to have played over 400 consecutive games, as hit currently sits at 471 games played.
Next up for the Sabres is a critical matchup versus the Carolina Hurricanes.
If Buffalo can emerge victorious in regulation, they will take over the 8th position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Devils Seek to Rebound
Two days after failing to keep pace with the teams above them, the New Jersey Devils seek to get back to their winning ways when they visit the Florida Panthers.
On Friday night, the Devils were beat at their own game, seeing their 8 game winning streak snapped by the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the loss, the Devils failed to earn two critical points which would allow them to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive.
Before the end of the game, further up the East Coast, the Carolina Hurricanes polished off a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburg Penguins and the New York Rangers embarrassed the Washington Capitals 6-0 in DC.
That left those scoreboard watching with a complete feeling of hopelessness as they knew how pivotal the 2 possible points were in this game. By the start of the 3rd period, the Devils were in a 2-0 hole, and the fans knew the results of the other games, but feared a possible devastating point-less effort.
When Mark Fayne’s 4th goal of the season had somehow found the back of the net, fans began to hope that if they couldn’t get the two, maybe they would be able to steal A point from the Lightning on home ice.
Unfortunately, recent history was not on their side. Prior to this matchup, the Devils had won 12 of their past 13 games against the Lightning, with the only loss came on the memorable 3-1 defeat last season which had to be played over the course of two nights as the Prudential Center had lost power during the second period of that matchup.
Tonight, as Devils fans head to bed, they can rest and breath a little easier as fate dealt them a favorable hand in their quest for the playoffs.
The Hurricanes could not ride the wave of success they had against Pittsburg the night before into Montreal. While their offense had the right paperwork to get across the border, apparently the defense did not as they surrendered two first period goals en route to a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens.
In Buffalo, the Sabres hosted the Red Wings and while the Sabres did secure a loser point, they failed to gain the extra point of ground on the 8th seeded Hurricanes, losing 3-2 in the shootout to Detroit.
Toronto also failed to gain the extra point on Carolina as they too fell in the shootout to Pittsburgh, 6-5. The Penguin offense rebounded in staggering fashion, but their defense also failed to make it into Canada.
Should the Devils pull out a victory tomorrow versus the Panthers, they’ll be 1 point back of Florida, 4 back of the Maple Leafs, 5 behind the struggling Thrashers, 7 behind the Sabres and returning to 9 points back of the Hurricanes. All of those scenarios, of course, are dependant upon all games falling in the Devils’ favor, including the Thrashers knocking off the Maple Leafs in regulation.
Sunday will also mark the first game back from Martin Brodeur after sitting the past 8 games with a knee injury suffered in the Devils’ Super Bowl Sunday victory in Montreal.
Ilya Kovalchuk also seeks to extend his career high 12 game point streak. Over the course of the 12 games, Kovalchuk has 7 goals and 7 assists.
Lastly, Sunday could, and quite possibly, will be the end of Jason Arnott’s second stint with the Devils. With the Trade Deadline looming Monday afternoon at 3, and his desire to be part of a team in the playoffs for a chance at a Stanley Cup, it is safe to assume Arnott will not only waive his No Trade Clause, but also request to be traded. Lou Lamoriello has not commented on the situation but it is safe to assume, he would try to accommodate the aging center.
Game time for Sunday’s tilt is at 5 pm.
On Friday night, the Devils were beat at their own game, seeing their 8 game winning streak snapped by the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the loss, the Devils failed to earn two critical points which would allow them to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive.
Before the end of the game, further up the East Coast, the Carolina Hurricanes polished off a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburg Penguins and the New York Rangers embarrassed the Washington Capitals 6-0 in DC.
That left those scoreboard watching with a complete feeling of hopelessness as they knew how pivotal the 2 possible points were in this game. By the start of the 3rd period, the Devils were in a 2-0 hole, and the fans knew the results of the other games, but feared a possible devastating point-less effort.
When Mark Fayne’s 4th goal of the season had somehow found the back of the net, fans began to hope that if they couldn’t get the two, maybe they would be able to steal A point from the Lightning on home ice.
Unfortunately, recent history was not on their side. Prior to this matchup, the Devils had won 12 of their past 13 games against the Lightning, with the only loss came on the memorable 3-1 defeat last season which had to be played over the course of two nights as the Prudential Center had lost power during the second period of that matchup.
Tonight, as Devils fans head to bed, they can rest and breath a little easier as fate dealt them a favorable hand in their quest for the playoffs.
The Hurricanes could not ride the wave of success they had against Pittsburg the night before into Montreal. While their offense had the right paperwork to get across the border, apparently the defense did not as they surrendered two first period goals en route to a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens.
In Buffalo, the Sabres hosted the Red Wings and while the Sabres did secure a loser point, they failed to gain the extra point of ground on the 8th seeded Hurricanes, losing 3-2 in the shootout to Detroit.
Toronto also failed to gain the extra point on Carolina as they too fell in the shootout to Pittsburgh, 6-5. The Penguin offense rebounded in staggering fashion, but their defense also failed to make it into Canada.
Should the Devils pull out a victory tomorrow versus the Panthers, they’ll be 1 point back of Florida, 4 back of the Maple Leafs, 5 behind the struggling Thrashers, 7 behind the Sabres and returning to 9 points back of the Hurricanes. All of those scenarios, of course, are dependant upon all games falling in the Devils’ favor, including the Thrashers knocking off the Maple Leafs in regulation.
Sunday will also mark the first game back from Martin Brodeur after sitting the past 8 games with a knee injury suffered in the Devils’ Super Bowl Sunday victory in Montreal.
Ilya Kovalchuk also seeks to extend his career high 12 game point streak. Over the course of the 12 games, Kovalchuk has 7 goals and 7 assists.
Lastly, Sunday could, and quite possibly, will be the end of Jason Arnott’s second stint with the Devils. With the Trade Deadline looming Monday afternoon at 3, and his desire to be part of a team in the playoffs for a chance at a Stanley Cup, it is safe to assume Arnott will not only waive his No Trade Clause, but also request to be traded. Lou Lamoriello has not commented on the situation but it is safe to assume, he would try to accommodate the aging center.
Game time for Sunday’s tilt is at 5 pm.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Hotter than Hell
18 games ago, the Devils were for all intensive purposes playing for pride.
Marred in one of the worst seasons in team history, they were destined for a lottery pick, and quite possibly the best odds to win the #1 pick overall in the June draft.
Climbing out of last place seemed to be just as much of a challenge as even thinking about the playoffs without feeling the pit in your stomach knowing it would be impossible.
Even with the initial coaching change, the Devils struggled to regain any semblance of their old winning ways under Jacques Lemaire. Ilya Kovalchuk was having one of the worst seasons in his career and was at one point on pace for under 30 goals. Martin Brodeur looked as human as ever and the rest of the team looked lost, confused and defeated even before giving up goals to their opponents.
After back to back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers, the latter being their 4th loss in a row and 29th on the year, the Devils could easily have listened to the critics and some of the more casual fans and packed it in for the season. They could have traded away their expiring contracts, pulled up some of the younger players to give them a taste of NHL action, and called this season an official bust. But they didn’t quit.
Less than 24 hours after falling in a hard fought 2-1 loss in Philadelphia, the Devils hosted the then-surging Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was this game that the Devils said, ‘Enough’ and turned their season completely around.
The offense not only finally clicked, but they exploded, putting up season highs in goals and winning margin in the 6-3 victory. Training after the first two periods, the game seemed to be destined for the same path of recent games, the team, however, refused to cave, and put up 5 goals in the 3rd period.
Their next game would not come until the following Friday when the two teams would meet again, this time in Tampa. The layover should have killed any momentum the team had built with the 6-3 win, but it didn’t. Even after allowing the first goal, the team re-focused and exploded for another 4 goals in the first period. That lead was never challenged and so began the first steps in this recent 18 game hot streak.
Even after falling to the Detroit Red Wings, for their 30th loss of the season, and then having the All Star Break to think about that loss, the Devils picked right up from where they left off and continued to mount a resurgence which has baffled many, but still leaves few outside of the organization and its fans believing the comeback can be completed.
Tonight, the Devils took another major step forward.
Coming off the hells of an incredible victory over the New York Rangers, the Devils headed to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the Hurricanes. The location served as an embarrassing way to kick off 2011 when the Devils surrendered 4 goals in the first period en route to an embarrassing 6-3 loss which saw Martin Brodeur be chased from the net within the first 10 minutes. [A fact, might I add, we were reminded of no fewer than 5 times during the first 10 minutes of tonight’s game by Play by Play man Steve Cangilosi.]
Just 74 seconds into the game, Patrik Elias won an offensive zone draw back to Mark Faye. Fayne quickly wristed a shot on goal, but on its way to the net, it was tipped by Dainius Zubrus right through the butterfly of Cam War for the opening goal.
The Devils continued to push the play, but also trade chances with the Hurricanes until just past the midway point of the period. Nick Palmieri batted a crossing pass out of the air in his defensive zone, it was carried up ice by Ilya Kovalchuk who circled the Hurricane zone, almost tantalizing his opponents with it as he tried to find a shooting lane or a clear pass. He finally did after completing his first revolution of the zone and fed Henrik Tallinder for a one-timed goal that was destined to go wide of the net, but instead hit off of Brendan Sutter’s leg and beat Ward for another goal. With his assist, Ilya Kovalchuk tied his career long points streak at 10 games.
Brian Rolston would clean up a Patrik Elias shot for the team’s third goal of the period and his 10th of the season. With that assist, Patrick Elias moved to within 1 point of 800 on his career.
The two teams would play evenly matched throughout the second, with neither side tallying a marker.
Patrick Dwyer would net one for the Hurricanes to pull them back within two, as Carolina capitalized on their momentum to start the 3rd period. The Hurricanes looked like they deserved to win the period, let alone the game, from their play to begin the period, however, the Devils would answer. Zubrus would score on a wrist shot on a feed from Elias. The goal would give the Devils their 3 goal lead back and also give Elias his milestone point of 800.
Seven wins in a row. That is a phrase Devils fans have not been able to say about their team in almost 2 years. Yes, that’s years, not seasons, years.
A team that was once in last place for the league, has amassed 32 points in 18 games. They missed out on any points in the aforementioned Detroit game, and fell twice to the Florida Panthers in overtime missing out on two combined points there.
As mentioned by Tom Gulitti of The Record, 6 weeks ago, the Devils were 27 points behind 8th place in the Eastern Conference. With their win tonight, the Devils now sit 10 points back, with a game in hand with 23 to play.
The climb continues Tuesday night in Dallas where the Devils will face the Stars for the first time since they traded Jamie Langenbrunner in exchange for a conditional pick. This game will be the 2nd of a 4 game road trip which will take them back to south Florida, for a meeting with Tampa Bay and ending with the Florida Panthers. The Panthers game will be the final game for the Devils before the NHL Trade Deadline which falls on February 28th.
Marred in one of the worst seasons in team history, they were destined for a lottery pick, and quite possibly the best odds to win the #1 pick overall in the June draft.
Climbing out of last place seemed to be just as much of a challenge as even thinking about the playoffs without feeling the pit in your stomach knowing it would be impossible.
Even with the initial coaching change, the Devils struggled to regain any semblance of their old winning ways under Jacques Lemaire. Ilya Kovalchuk was having one of the worst seasons in his career and was at one point on pace for under 30 goals. Martin Brodeur looked as human as ever and the rest of the team looked lost, confused and defeated even before giving up goals to their opponents.
After back to back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers, the latter being their 4th loss in a row and 29th on the year, the Devils could easily have listened to the critics and some of the more casual fans and packed it in for the season. They could have traded away their expiring contracts, pulled up some of the younger players to give them a taste of NHL action, and called this season an official bust. But they didn’t quit.
Less than 24 hours after falling in a hard fought 2-1 loss in Philadelphia, the Devils hosted the then-surging Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was this game that the Devils said, ‘Enough’ and turned their season completely around.
The offense not only finally clicked, but they exploded, putting up season highs in goals and winning margin in the 6-3 victory. Training after the first two periods, the game seemed to be destined for the same path of recent games, the team, however, refused to cave, and put up 5 goals in the 3rd period.
Their next game would not come until the following Friday when the two teams would meet again, this time in Tampa. The layover should have killed any momentum the team had built with the 6-3 win, but it didn’t. Even after allowing the first goal, the team re-focused and exploded for another 4 goals in the first period. That lead was never challenged and so began the first steps in this recent 18 game hot streak.
Even after falling to the Detroit Red Wings, for their 30th loss of the season, and then having the All Star Break to think about that loss, the Devils picked right up from where they left off and continued to mount a resurgence which has baffled many, but still leaves few outside of the organization and its fans believing the comeback can be completed.
Tonight, the Devils took another major step forward.
Coming off the hells of an incredible victory over the New York Rangers, the Devils headed to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the Hurricanes. The location served as an embarrassing way to kick off 2011 when the Devils surrendered 4 goals in the first period en route to an embarrassing 6-3 loss which saw Martin Brodeur be chased from the net within the first 10 minutes. [A fact, might I add, we were reminded of no fewer than 5 times during the first 10 minutes of tonight’s game by Play by Play man Steve Cangilosi.]
Just 74 seconds into the game, Patrik Elias won an offensive zone draw back to Mark Faye. Fayne quickly wristed a shot on goal, but on its way to the net, it was tipped by Dainius Zubrus right through the butterfly of Cam War for the opening goal.
The Devils continued to push the play, but also trade chances with the Hurricanes until just past the midway point of the period. Nick Palmieri batted a crossing pass out of the air in his defensive zone, it was carried up ice by Ilya Kovalchuk who circled the Hurricane zone, almost tantalizing his opponents with it as he tried to find a shooting lane or a clear pass. He finally did after completing his first revolution of the zone and fed Henrik Tallinder for a one-timed goal that was destined to go wide of the net, but instead hit off of Brendan Sutter’s leg and beat Ward for another goal. With his assist, Ilya Kovalchuk tied his career long points streak at 10 games.
Brian Rolston would clean up a Patrik Elias shot for the team’s third goal of the period and his 10th of the season. With that assist, Patrick Elias moved to within 1 point of 800 on his career.
The two teams would play evenly matched throughout the second, with neither side tallying a marker.
Patrick Dwyer would net one for the Hurricanes to pull them back within two, as Carolina capitalized on their momentum to start the 3rd period. The Hurricanes looked like they deserved to win the period, let alone the game, from their play to begin the period, however, the Devils would answer. Zubrus would score on a wrist shot on a feed from Elias. The goal would give the Devils their 3 goal lead back and also give Elias his milestone point of 800.
Seven wins in a row. That is a phrase Devils fans have not been able to say about their team in almost 2 years. Yes, that’s years, not seasons, years.
A team that was once in last place for the league, has amassed 32 points in 18 games. They missed out on any points in the aforementioned Detroit game, and fell twice to the Florida Panthers in overtime missing out on two combined points there.
As mentioned by Tom Gulitti of The Record, 6 weeks ago, the Devils were 27 points behind 8th place in the Eastern Conference. With their win tonight, the Devils now sit 10 points back, with a game in hand with 23 to play.
The climb continues Tuesday night in Dallas where the Devils will face the Stars for the first time since they traded Jamie Langenbrunner in exchange for a conditional pick. This game will be the 2nd of a 4 game road trip which will take them back to south Florida, for a meeting with Tampa Bay and ending with the Florida Panthers. The Panthers game will be the final game for the Devils before the NHL Trade Deadline which falls on February 28th.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Walking the Line
Less than two weeks from the trade deadline, and just over 20 games to go in the regular season, the Devils are doing just that, "walking the line."
They're walking the fine line between being buyers or sellers over the next 12 days. This week could, and probably be, the defining factor for the Devils as a team for the remainder of the season.
With two games against the 8th place Hurricanes, and a match-up with the rival, and current 7th place, Rangers in between, 6 critical points are there for the taking.
If the Devils want to maintain any glimmers of hope of sneaking into the post-season, they realistically need all 4 points versus Carolina while allowing none in return. In short, they need to win their showdowns with the Hurricanes tonight and Saturday in regulation to stay alive. Should they be able to do that, they'll find themselves within 8 points of a coveted playoff spot and almost certainly be buyers at the trade deadline.
Winning has not come easily for the Devils as of late as their last two games have been decided by just one goal, and the offense has not been able to crack the three goal mark in either game. What has been consistent, however, has been the play of Johan Hedberg in net.
When Martin Brodeur went down with an MCL sprain agains the Canadiens 10 days ago, some Devils fans feared the worst. Hedberg, on the other hand, quieted the skeptics with his play over the past four games, earning wins in three and allowing an average of just over one goal per game including his relief appearance for the injured Brodeur.
Helping Hedberg has been the exceptional play of winger Ilya Kovalchuk who has netted back to back game winning goals and is riding a multiple game point streak.
The biggest downside to tonight's encounter will be the absence of defenseman Anton Volchenkov who is sitting the third and final game of his suspension.
The Devils will look to get back to their form from a few games ago and get the lead early. Obviously, playing with an early lead is much easier than playing catch-up, but when the Devils score within the first 10 minutes of a game, they usually score no fewer than 3 goals.
I see this game being a 4-2 decision, Devils on top. Kovalchuk will add two points, his goal will not be the winner, however, that will be Patrick Elias' honor as he gets back into a scoring groove.
They're walking the fine line between being buyers or sellers over the next 12 days. This week could, and probably be, the defining factor for the Devils as a team for the remainder of the season.
With two games against the 8th place Hurricanes, and a match-up with the rival, and current 7th place, Rangers in between, 6 critical points are there for the taking.
If the Devils want to maintain any glimmers of hope of sneaking into the post-season, they realistically need all 4 points versus Carolina while allowing none in return. In short, they need to win their showdowns with the Hurricanes tonight and Saturday in regulation to stay alive. Should they be able to do that, they'll find themselves within 8 points of a coveted playoff spot and almost certainly be buyers at the trade deadline.
Winning has not come easily for the Devils as of late as their last two games have been decided by just one goal, and the offense has not been able to crack the three goal mark in either game. What has been consistent, however, has been the play of Johan Hedberg in net.
When Martin Brodeur went down with an MCL sprain agains the Canadiens 10 days ago, some Devils fans feared the worst. Hedberg, on the other hand, quieted the skeptics with his play over the past four games, earning wins in three and allowing an average of just over one goal per game including his relief appearance for the injured Brodeur.
Helping Hedberg has been the exceptional play of winger Ilya Kovalchuk who has netted back to back game winning goals and is riding a multiple game point streak.
The biggest downside to tonight's encounter will be the absence of defenseman Anton Volchenkov who is sitting the third and final game of his suspension.
The Devils will look to get back to their form from a few games ago and get the lead early. Obviously, playing with an early lead is much easier than playing catch-up, but when the Devils score within the first 10 minutes of a game, they usually score no fewer than 3 goals.
I see this game being a 4-2 decision, Devils on top. Kovalchuk will add two points, his goal will not be the winner, however, that will be Patrick Elias' honor as he gets back into a scoring groove.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Kovalclutch
For their first win, the Devils knocked off Buffalo in overtime. The game winning goal came off a one timer from the stick of Ilya Kovalchuk.
A month later, the Devils again emerged victorious from another overtime victory, and again, the winner came off the stick of Kovalchuk.
Two nights ago, Dainius Zubrus netted the equalizing goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs early in the 3rd period. The Devils seemed to break free from the funk which had surrounded them for most of the game but couldn’t net the go ahead goal to give them a regulation win.
To overtime they would go, and cue Mr. Kovalchuk. Starting from behind his own net, he carried the puck across center ice, eluding two Maple Leaf defenders, finding himself open on the right wing. Kovalchuk did not hesitate to fire a shot on net that beat goaltender James Reimer stick side for yet another winner.
Finally, last night, after a Travis Zajac faceoff win in the San Jose zone, Kovalchuk picked up the loose puck and ripped a shot to the stick side of Anti Niemi for his 19th goal of the season and second winner in as many nights. Granted this winner was not in overtime, it was yet another winner for the Devils and another game winning goal for the $100 million man.
The team is completely on fire right now, having won 12 out of their previous 15 games. In the games which they have not won, they have earned points in two of three. 26 points out of a possible 30 have brought the Devils from lottery pick favorites, to dark horses with an outside chance of making the playoffs.
It is no secret the team’s mentality has changed to focus on one game at a time. They have to, it’s to save their sanity, and remove doubt. They’re openly saying they’re leaving the scoreboard watching to the reporters and the fans. It’s a perfect mentality for a team that at one point this year looked dead to rights.
Entering the action tonight, the Devils sit a mere 12 points back of the 8th place Atlanta Thrashers, 14 back of the 7th place [and rival] New York Rangers. 6 critical points sit for the taking next week as the Devils will face 9th place Carolina twice and the Rangers once.
It will undoubtedly be a tall order for the team, especially without Martin Brodeur and defencemen Anton Volchenkov for at least the Wednesday game at home versus Carolina.
However, on the shoulders of Johan Hedberg and of course, the scoring machine Ilya Kovalchuk, victories against even the best teams in the NHL can be earned.
A month later, the Devils again emerged victorious from another overtime victory, and again, the winner came off the stick of Kovalchuk.
Two nights ago, Dainius Zubrus netted the equalizing goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs early in the 3rd period. The Devils seemed to break free from the funk which had surrounded them for most of the game but couldn’t net the go ahead goal to give them a regulation win.
To overtime they would go, and cue Mr. Kovalchuk. Starting from behind his own net, he carried the puck across center ice, eluding two Maple Leaf defenders, finding himself open on the right wing. Kovalchuk did not hesitate to fire a shot on net that beat goaltender James Reimer stick side for yet another winner.
Finally, last night, after a Travis Zajac faceoff win in the San Jose zone, Kovalchuk picked up the loose puck and ripped a shot to the stick side of Anti Niemi for his 19th goal of the season and second winner in as many nights. Granted this winner was not in overtime, it was yet another winner for the Devils and another game winning goal for the $100 million man.
The team is completely on fire right now, having won 12 out of their previous 15 games. In the games which they have not won, they have earned points in two of three. 26 points out of a possible 30 have brought the Devils from lottery pick favorites, to dark horses with an outside chance of making the playoffs.
It is no secret the team’s mentality has changed to focus on one game at a time. They have to, it’s to save their sanity, and remove doubt. They’re openly saying they’re leaving the scoreboard watching to the reporters and the fans. It’s a perfect mentality for a team that at one point this year looked dead to rights.
Entering the action tonight, the Devils sit a mere 12 points back of the 8th place Atlanta Thrashers, 14 back of the 7th place [and rival] New York Rangers. 6 critical points sit for the taking next week as the Devils will face 9th place Carolina twice and the Rangers once.
It will undoubtedly be a tall order for the team, especially without Martin Brodeur and defencemen Anton Volchenkov for at least the Wednesday game at home versus Carolina.
However, on the shoulders of Johan Hedberg and of course, the scoring machine Ilya Kovalchuk, victories against even the best teams in the NHL can be earned.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Better Hold on Tight
Two months ago, a game like last nights would have been over midway through the second period.
If those Devils would have somehow found a way to net the equalizer, as Matias Tedenby did, then surely the final dagger would have been Jeff Skinner's second power play goal with under 10 minutes to go in the third period.
These Devils, however, didn't roll over they way they would have during the first half of the season.
These Devils battled. And it paid off.
With under three minutes remaining. Ilya Kovalchuk started up ice from his own end. I had even said aloud to my friend sitting next to me in section 230, "It's time for Kovy to do something." A pair of moves through Hurricane defenders put the crowd on the edge of their seats, some even being frustrated that this rush could end in the same fashion they had seen before with a turnover, only it didn't.
Kovalchuk got to the right wing boards, drawing two defenders, and fired a shot seemingly harmless on net. The catch was that Cam Ward bad been giving up rebounds like they were the packets of cards every fan got at the game Friday night. Nick Palmieri jumped on the loose rebound and used the vacated space to lift a shot over Ward's right shoulder and in for the equalizer.
I firmly believe the Prudential Center had not erupted into such an ovation all season long.
In a game that they had to win, the Devils had overcome two power play goals by Jeff Skinner, and killed off a third penalty by Anton Volchenkov, without earring a power play of their own.
It a tense game to watch as a fan, but when the Palmieri goal hit the back of the net, fans knew they still not only had hope, but could steal this one back before regulation expired.
Just a few minutes later, Patrik Elias nearly made that hope come true as he found himself wide open in front of Cam Ward after a feed from Brian Rolston. Elias tried to drive the shot home before Ward recovered, but he toed the shot and the puck slid harmlessly into Ward's butterfly. Following the whistle, all Elias could do was look to the rafters in disbelief.
If the Palmieri goal had the crowd on fire, the Elias near miss had them believing this was the Devils' night. The buzz between regulation and overtime was amazing, people talking about playoffs (insert Jim Mora sound byte here). Others making friendly bets who will get the winner, none even wagering on any Canes. The confidence the team has shown on the ice has undoubtedly reached their loyal fans.
Even with the overtime being pretty evenly matched, there were no talks of doubt, no talks of this is the end. People are believing and the players know and feel it.
Travis Zajac broke into the Carolina zone, drew two defenders as he left a drop pass for Mattias Tedenby, late in overtime. Tedenby coolly took the pass and follow Zajac, who now assumed the role of lead blocker, into the slot and ripped a wrist shot off Ward's right arm and in, sending the 13,000+ in attendance into a frenzy of jubilation.
The win put the Devils 15 points back of the Hurricanes for 8th in the Eastern Conference. More importantly, they climbed above both the Islanders and the Senators, thus beginning their climb back to the chase.
If those Devils would have somehow found a way to net the equalizer, as Matias Tedenby did, then surely the final dagger would have been Jeff Skinner's second power play goal with under 10 minutes to go in the third period.
These Devils, however, didn't roll over they way they would have during the first half of the season.
These Devils battled. And it paid off.
With under three minutes remaining. Ilya Kovalchuk started up ice from his own end. I had even said aloud to my friend sitting next to me in section 230, "It's time for Kovy to do something." A pair of moves through Hurricane defenders put the crowd on the edge of their seats, some even being frustrated that this rush could end in the same fashion they had seen before with a turnover, only it didn't.
Kovalchuk got to the right wing boards, drawing two defenders, and fired a shot seemingly harmless on net. The catch was that Cam Ward bad been giving up rebounds like they were the packets of cards every fan got at the game Friday night. Nick Palmieri jumped on the loose rebound and used the vacated space to lift a shot over Ward's right shoulder and in for the equalizer.
I firmly believe the Prudential Center had not erupted into such an ovation all season long.
In a game that they had to win, the Devils had overcome two power play goals by Jeff Skinner, and killed off a third penalty by Anton Volchenkov, without earring a power play of their own.
It a tense game to watch as a fan, but when the Palmieri goal hit the back of the net, fans knew they still not only had hope, but could steal this one back before regulation expired.
Just a few minutes later, Patrik Elias nearly made that hope come true as he found himself wide open in front of Cam Ward after a feed from Brian Rolston. Elias tried to drive the shot home before Ward recovered, but he toed the shot and the puck slid harmlessly into Ward's butterfly. Following the whistle, all Elias could do was look to the rafters in disbelief.
If the Palmieri goal had the crowd on fire, the Elias near miss had them believing this was the Devils' night. The buzz between regulation and overtime was amazing, people talking about playoffs (insert Jim Mora sound byte here). Others making friendly bets who will get the winner, none even wagering on any Canes. The confidence the team has shown on the ice has undoubtedly reached their loyal fans.
Even with the overtime being pretty evenly matched, there were no talks of doubt, no talks of this is the end. People are believing and the players know and feel it.
Travis Zajac broke into the Carolina zone, drew two defenders as he left a drop pass for Mattias Tedenby, late in overtime. Tedenby coolly took the pass and follow Zajac, who now assumed the role of lead blocker, into the slot and ripped a wrist shot off Ward's right arm and in, sending the 13,000+ in attendance into a frenzy of jubilation.
The win put the Devils 15 points back of the Hurricanes for 8th in the Eastern Conference. More importantly, they climbed above both the Islanders and the Senators, thus beginning their climb back to the chase.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Game 54 - Pregame Write Up
If you’re a Devils fan, you’re trying to look for the positives in anything regarding the team, especially in a point-counterpoint system.
Point: The Devils are on pace for X number of points for the season.
Counterpoint: They’re only 16 back of the 8th and final playoff spot.
Point: Brodeur went down hurt, again, on Sunday
Counterpoint: Hedberg is coming off 2 periods of relief where his only blemish deflected off Kovalchuk.
Etc.
When the Devils take to the ice Tuesday night, it will be in a critical game for their playoff lives.
Yes, it is true that from here on out, every game is considered critical, however, this game and two more within the next 12 days, come against the team holding on [more like clinging] to the coveted 8th spot.
If the Devils win all 3 in regulation, they can trim the gap by 6 points without taking into account any of the games in between. Overtime wins earns them a 3 point advantage on their proverbial rabbits. Anything less will severly hurt their chances. The thought alone of the magnitude of these games could drive any person understandably to near panic.
Luckily for us, the players’ current mindset is one at a time, and they leave the insanity and madness to the fans.
Since the All Star Break, the Devils have amassed a 3-0-1 record, earning 7 out of a possible 8 points with the only loss coming to Florida in overtime last Friday night.
If you’re a fan who enjoys trying to find trends or patterns in a season and believes they’ll be repeated, you’ll be happy to note that the last time the Panthers stopped a potential Devils’ winning streak, they did so in overtime and gave the Devils enough motivation to then turn around and rattle off 4 straight wins.
On Sunday, New Jersey took another step towards repeating the past by jumping out to an early lead against the Montreal Canadiens, and then playing terrific shut-down defense following Brodeur’s injury en route to a 4-1 victory. The Devils were rewarded for their effort by climbing in the standings to 13th place, tied with Ottawa and 7 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs follow play Monday night.
Carolina enters Tuesday’s contest winning 5 games out of their last 10, including their overtime win against the struggling Atlanta Thrashers which halted a 2 game skid. Eric Cole netted the game winner after Carolina had a horrendous defensive third period in which they squandered two leads.
Recent head to head history gives the edge to Carolina as they have had the better of the two clubs including a memorable come from behind victory in Game 7, in Newark, during the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals where the Devils blew a late 3rd period lead of their own, and the surrendered the game winner with under 2 minutes to go in regulation.
This Devils team, however, is much different than the one the Hurricanes embarrassed in 2009. First, they have Ilya Kovalchuk who is finally settling in and finding his groove with the team he has been with for just over a year, and will be with for the next 14. Kovalchuk had two goals on Sunday, added an assist on Friday and has been on fire offensively as of late. He also has been contributing regularly on defense, including some aggressive back checking against Florida.
Dainius Zubrus has also been a bright spot for the Devils’ offense as he netted his 10th Sunday afternoon.
The climb is steep, the task feels almost impossible, but the Devils need to remain focused on just one game at a time.
A team that once seemed destined for the first overall pick in the draft has now given itself a new lease on life, and its fans a reason to have some grounded hope that the season can be saved, and the playoffs, just maybe, with some luck and some favorable breaks, could be made.
One way or another, if the Devils team which has emerged recently continues to come out for the remaining 29 games, fans can be guaranteed it will be one hell of a ride to the finish line.
Point: The Devils are on pace for X number of points for the season.
Counterpoint: They’re only 16 back of the 8th and final playoff spot.
Point: Brodeur went down hurt, again, on Sunday
Counterpoint: Hedberg is coming off 2 periods of relief where his only blemish deflected off Kovalchuk.
Etc.
When the Devils take to the ice Tuesday night, it will be in a critical game for their playoff lives.
Yes, it is true that from here on out, every game is considered critical, however, this game and two more within the next 12 days, come against the team holding on [more like clinging] to the coveted 8th spot.
If the Devils win all 3 in regulation, they can trim the gap by 6 points without taking into account any of the games in between. Overtime wins earns them a 3 point advantage on their proverbial rabbits. Anything less will severly hurt their chances. The thought alone of the magnitude of these games could drive any person understandably to near panic.
Luckily for us, the players’ current mindset is one at a time, and they leave the insanity and madness to the fans.
Since the All Star Break, the Devils have amassed a 3-0-1 record, earning 7 out of a possible 8 points with the only loss coming to Florida in overtime last Friday night.
If you’re a fan who enjoys trying to find trends or patterns in a season and believes they’ll be repeated, you’ll be happy to note that the last time the Panthers stopped a potential Devils’ winning streak, they did so in overtime and gave the Devils enough motivation to then turn around and rattle off 4 straight wins.
On Sunday, New Jersey took another step towards repeating the past by jumping out to an early lead against the Montreal Canadiens, and then playing terrific shut-down defense following Brodeur’s injury en route to a 4-1 victory. The Devils were rewarded for their effort by climbing in the standings to 13th place, tied with Ottawa and 7 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs follow play Monday night.
Carolina enters Tuesday’s contest winning 5 games out of their last 10, including their overtime win against the struggling Atlanta Thrashers which halted a 2 game skid. Eric Cole netted the game winner after Carolina had a horrendous defensive third period in which they squandered two leads.
Recent head to head history gives the edge to Carolina as they have had the better of the two clubs including a memorable come from behind victory in Game 7, in Newark, during the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals where the Devils blew a late 3rd period lead of their own, and the surrendered the game winner with under 2 minutes to go in regulation.
This Devils team, however, is much different than the one the Hurricanes embarrassed in 2009. First, they have Ilya Kovalchuk who is finally settling in and finding his groove with the team he has been with for just over a year, and will be with for the next 14. Kovalchuk had two goals on Sunday, added an assist on Friday and has been on fire offensively as of late. He also has been contributing regularly on defense, including some aggressive back checking against Florida.
Dainius Zubrus has also been a bright spot for the Devils’ offense as he netted his 10th Sunday afternoon.
The climb is steep, the task feels almost impossible, but the Devils need to remain focused on just one game at a time.
A team that once seemed destined for the first overall pick in the draft has now given itself a new lease on life, and its fans a reason to have some grounded hope that the season can be saved, and the playoffs, just maybe, with some luck and some favorable breaks, could be made.
One way or another, if the Devils team which has emerged recently continues to come out for the remaining 29 games, fans can be guaranteed it will be one hell of a ride to the finish line.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Game 7: First Home Win
Only saw the 3rd again, this time because I went on a haunted Buffalo ghost walk.
1.) Marty looked like vintage marty, from what i saw. Nice to see him get shutout #102
2.) Our 5 on 3 powerplay was horriffic. Rolston is unbelieveably passive on the blue line. the behind the net camera angle showed how many lanes he passed up. Also, are our PP units the only ones who dont like shooting off a one timer?
3.) Andy Greene has continued to prove to the fans that he deserves to be a regular in the line up. My only question is if the fans see the effort from a player who struggled most of last season, how can't the Devils' coaching staff? He's right in front of them day in and day out, there is almost no explination as to why he is being benched in favor of Cory Murphy. I'd also like to take the time to point out that the Devils are 4-0-0 when Greene plays, and 0-3-0 when Murphy plays. Please take that into account, Jacques.
4-3-0, 8 points
Next up: Thursday @ the Rangers, 7:00
1.) Marty looked like vintage marty, from what i saw. Nice to see him get shutout #102
2.) Our 5 on 3 powerplay was horriffic. Rolston is unbelieveably passive on the blue line. the behind the net camera angle showed how many lanes he passed up. Also, are our PP units the only ones who dont like shooting off a one timer?
3.) Andy Greene has continued to prove to the fans that he deserves to be a regular in the line up. My only question is if the fans see the effort from a player who struggled most of last season, how can't the Devils' coaching staff? He's right in front of them day in and day out, there is almost no explination as to why he is being benched in favor of Cory Murphy. I'd also like to take the time to point out that the Devils are 4-0-0 when Greene plays, and 0-3-0 when Murphy plays. Please take that into account, Jacques.
4-3-0, 8 points
Next up: Thursday @ the Rangers, 7:00
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
"Its Time for Letting Go"
With thanks to Tina Turner for the lyrical quote title of this post, it means a lot more after tonight's result.
Now joining the ranks of Aaron Boone, 0.5 seconds, 2 blown leads vs. Big East teams, and countless shots/saves by opposing goalies hockey games, 0.2 and Jussi Jokinen have joined the ranks of epic sports heart breaks.
The point of this article is not to focus on the misery, however, and instead to plead, beg or slap fellow Devils fans across the face, and hopefully, get them to STOP crying about the "no call" at the end of the game.
There is no question Jokinen and goalie Martin Brodeur made contact as the pass was being made just prior to the shot. Replay shows it, everyone saw it, point there. The issue is whether or not there should have been a call or not.
Moments after the game, the NHL released the following statement:
While it is true, the NHL almost never disagrees with the referees, I agree with the non-call.
My own personal reaction was that Brodeur moved into Jokinen's path to draw contact rather than focusing on the puck as it moved across the blue line. After watching the replay a few times, however, I feel it was more of a case of incidental contact and neither playing being at fault.
Regardless of my opinion, nor outsiders thoughts, we as a fan base need to move beyond it, right now.
It is no secret that referees in the Easter Conference playoff bracket have been exceptionally horrendous. One major factor, in my opinion, is not having one set of refs per series. But that is a different subject for a different post.
Devils fans, we need to stop making excuses and look at the positives that are coming from this game. We came out flatter than road kill in the first, and played just as bad for the second. We dug ourselves into a hole and it looked like we were on our way into getting slaughtered. But then we got a spark.
Brian Gionta took a long pass off the boards, turned it into a breakaway, and stole a little momentum before the end of the 2nd period.
That gave the Devils confidence, and they played like it in the 3rd period.
A powerplay goal by Brendan Shannahan made it a one goal game, with plenty of time to spare.
David Clarkson's goal with just under 10 minutes to go made it an entirely new hockey game.
The Devils had numerous chances, at least 5 or 6, to grab the lead, and either pushed the puck wide, got a bad shot off or Cam Ward made good saves.
In the end, it was their inability to clear the puck in the closing minute that caused the chance for the shot itself. If Paul Martin beats Jokinen into the corner after Brodeur's save, he might be able to clear the puck. If the wingers covering the point put a stick out before the shot, we head to overtime. If Mottau takes Jokinen to the left instead of pushing him right, blocked shot, go to overtime.
Too many what ifs happened following Clarkson's goal to be pinning the loss on a non-call with 0.2 seconds to go in the game.
Right now, we need to just take the positives of the spirited comeback and let that be the motivation to win by a multi-goal margin Thursday at the Prudential Center.
Now joining the ranks of Aaron Boone, 0.5 seconds, 2 blown leads vs. Big East teams, and countless shots/saves by opposing goalies hockey games, 0.2 and Jussi Jokinen have joined the ranks of epic sports heart breaks.
The point of this article is not to focus on the misery, however, and instead to plead, beg or slap fellow Devils fans across the face, and hopefully, get them to STOP crying about the "no call" at the end of the game.
There is no question Jokinen and goalie Martin Brodeur made contact as the pass was being made just prior to the shot. Replay shows it, everyone saw it, point there. The issue is whether or not there should have been a call or not.
Moments after the game, the NHL released the following statement:
Interpretation of goalie interference rule: New Jersey at Carolina - 19:59
of the third period - 04.21.2009 / 10:34 PM ET
The NHL's goalie interference rule sets a mandate to protect the goalie in the blue ice – to let the goalie do his job. In the white ice, it is a more delicate matter, including who moved into whom. The referee has one split-second look at it and it is a judgment call. NHL Hockey Operations has no video review capacity in this instance. Hockey Operations officials agreed with the call on the ice, that it looked like the goalie, Martin Brodeur, moved out toward the skater.
While it is true, the NHL almost never disagrees with the referees, I agree with the non-call.
My own personal reaction was that Brodeur moved into Jokinen's path to draw contact rather than focusing on the puck as it moved across the blue line. After watching the replay a few times, however, I feel it was more of a case of incidental contact and neither playing being at fault.
Regardless of my opinion, nor outsiders thoughts, we as a fan base need to move beyond it, right now.
It is no secret that referees in the Easter Conference playoff bracket have been exceptionally horrendous. One major factor, in my opinion, is not having one set of refs per series. But that is a different subject for a different post.
Devils fans, we need to stop making excuses and look at the positives that are coming from this game. We came out flatter than road kill in the first, and played just as bad for the second. We dug ourselves into a hole and it looked like we were on our way into getting slaughtered. But then we got a spark.
Brian Gionta took a long pass off the boards, turned it into a breakaway, and stole a little momentum before the end of the 2nd period.
That gave the Devils confidence, and they played like it in the 3rd period.
A powerplay goal by Brendan Shannahan made it a one goal game, with plenty of time to spare.
David Clarkson's goal with just under 10 minutes to go made it an entirely new hockey game.
The Devils had numerous chances, at least 5 or 6, to grab the lead, and either pushed the puck wide, got a bad shot off or Cam Ward made good saves.
In the end, it was their inability to clear the puck in the closing minute that caused the chance for the shot itself. If Paul Martin beats Jokinen into the corner after Brodeur's save, he might be able to clear the puck. If the wingers covering the point put a stick out before the shot, we head to overtime. If Mottau takes Jokinen to the left instead of pushing him right, blocked shot, go to overtime.
Too many what ifs happened following Clarkson's goal to be pinning the loss on a non-call with 0.2 seconds to go in the game.
Right now, we need to just take the positives of the spirited comeback and let that be the motivation to win by a multi-goal margin Thursday at the Prudential Center.
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