For the first time since mid-January, the Devils lost two of their previous three games this past week. Some felt that the Washington loss did not sting nearly as much as their loss to the Kings.
On paper, when comparing the two records side by side, anyone would agree with that statement. However, when looking inside the numbers, you can see that Los Angeles came into the game absolutely on a tear. Winning five of their previous 6 games and earning points in 6 of their last 7 [the first game of this section was an overtime loss to Dallas], the Kings came into Newark kicking some rear-end and taking names. The teams they defeated were no simple task: Colorado, Minnesota, Chicago, Ottawa [okay, maybe that one should have been a win, no matter who you are], and the same Washington Capitals who dominated the Devils last Tuesday night at The Rock.
So the Devils had some motivation, like they needed any extra, going into Monday night’s contest with the New York Rangers. The same Rangers team who were utterly embarrassed by Dallas at MSG Sunday by a count of 10-2. Going into the contest, the two teams were knotted at 2 wins a piece in the season series, but the Devils had won the previous 2 match-ups including an 8-5 victory in the Prudential Center.
Henrik Lundqvist, who allowed the flu to keep him on the bench while Stephen Valiquette was lit up like the 4th of July on Sunday, was back in net for the Rangers. Coach Tom Renny had his team pressing the entire first period, trying to lure the Devils into making a mistake which the Rangers hoped to capitalize on, and were successful in drawing numerous first period penalties, but had nothing to show for it.
David Clarkson squared off against Erik Reitz in a sloppy fight which neither player truly grabbed an upper hand until Clarkson landed a few solid punches before taking Reitz to the ice. Fights like this one were exactly what this rivalry seemed to have been missing as of late. Neither side seemed willing to really take it to the other, physical wise, until Monday’s game.
There were countless hits into the boards, “extra curricular activities” as Doc Emerick calls them, following whistles, gave this game all the makings you would expect from a Devils-Rangers game.
Following a Colton Orr victory over Mike Rupp in what I have to admit was a solid, the Rangers seemed to not only take the momentum from the Devils, but take some life out of the Prudential Center as well.
But less than four minutes later, the Devils stole it all right back, as Bobby Holik found a Breandan Shanahan rebound right in front of Lundqvist and stuffed it 5 hole before the keeper could get into a butterfly position.
Thanks to a Brandon Dubinsky penalty at 1315, the Rangers found themselves short handed for the second time in the game. Zach Parise made sure they would pay for it as he leveled the score, putting home a Travis Zajac rebound for the power play goal and his 31st goal of the season.
The Rangers would only be able to muster 11 shots in the third period, with only two or three giving the crowd any semblance of nervousness.
Parise would seal the victory with an empty netter as Scott Clemmensen would notch his first shutout victory since 2003-2004, and his 23rd win on the season.
Wednesday night brought with it the plummeting New York Islanders to the Prudential Center. This time last season, Devils fans would cringe at the sight of either New York metro area team on the schedule because regardless of how bad of hockey they were playing, the Devils just could not seem to find a way to beat them.
This season, however, the Devils had not dropped a contest to the Islanders in 4 tries.
The Islanders struck very early in the first period after some nice passing, and horrendous reaction timing by goaltender Kevin Weekes, Radek Martinek scored on pretty much an open net.
Great positioning helped lead the Devils to the equalizer as time was running out in the first. After a blue line pass from Johnny Oduya, Paul Martin’s shot was deflected in front of the net, and the rebound kicked right to, surprise surprise, Parise who hit the back of the net for the 3rd time in 2 games.
After a Kyle Okposo power play goal, Jamie Langenbrunner would pull the Devils even again on a power play with a blistering slap shot through a great screen in front of the net. The shot came off a great feed from Martin who registered his 2nd point of the night, as did Parise who received a secondary assist.
This time, however, the Devils did not surrender the go ahead goal, and instead added their own in the 2nd half of the 3rd period. Again on the power play, swift passing and great positioning helped set up Martin’s shot from the point the goaltender Jamie MacDonald was unable to control. Parise pounced on the loose puck and ripped it into the back of the net fro his 2nd of the game and 3rd point overall.
The Devils would try to get Praise the hat trick when the Islanders pulled their goalie but when it was clear he would not be able to get a clean shot off, he elected to pass it off to Langenbrunner who netted his 2nd of the game, giving Parise a 4 point night.
Weekes stopped 23 shots to notch his 5th win of the season, while MacDonald stopped 45 shots.
NOTES: The win was their 11th in their past 13 games… With the win, the Devils tied Washington for 2nd in the Eastern Conference with 73 points… With 50 shots in the game, the Devils passed 40 shots in a game for the 4th time this season… Parise moved into a tie with Philadelphia’s Jeff Carter for 2nd in the league in goals scored with 34… Langenbrunner scored 2 goals in a game for the 4th time in 8 games, and he now has goals in 5 of the last 8… New Jersey will now have a tough weekend as they take on the leaders of both conferences. First Boston on Friday and then San Jose on Sunday on NBC. Both games will be at the Prudential Center in Newark.
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