Here we go again, back on the couches, with Andy watching as well, the live blog has returned. Enjoy!
Game on!
20:00 - Peters is announced as a scratch, and already we have a "good" in unison.
19:26 - Andy notes the empty seats, I attribute the vacancies to the potentially pennant clinching game tonight for the Yankees.
17:35 - My old roommate texts me a picture of his seats behind the Devils bench. I swear under my breath.
17:25 - Devils nearly gift wrap a goal for the Rangers following a shot from Gaborik. Martin fanned on the rebound-clearing attempt, luckily, Salvador was there to play the puck in the corner.
16:13 - Andy suggests the new Zajac-Clarkson-Bergfors line is like a parent trying to help two kids find their way.
15:22 - Parise narrowly misses a centering attempt from Neidermayer. If it connects, the game's 1-0 Devils, but it floats harmlessly into the corner.
14:34 - FIGHT - Wow, Avery actually dropped the gloves... Mottau vs. Avery. The fight lasts 1 minute 7 seconds, great punches by both players, both players got their right arms free from their jerseys. Crowd chants numerous times for Avery.
13:49 - GOAL - 1-0 Devils - Devils capture momentum from the fight. Martin from behind his net, feeds Neidermayer, who hits Langenbrunner at the center ice boards by the Boxes, who hits Parise at the blueline with a one-touch pass wide open on a breakway and beats Lundy for the 1-0 lead.
13:35 - Andy just realizes that this game is being played in MSG, I kid you not. "That explains why there were so many people chanting Avery, now I'm not as mad." I ask: "The ads on the glass behind the net didn't give it away, nor the GIANT Ranger logo at center ice?" He replies with something that I cannot type. Gotta love roommates.
13:29 - Rangers narrowly escape a 2-0 hole as Lundqvist stone Clarkson right in front after some nice passing and he finds himself wide open.
12:16 - PENALTY - Kotalik for hooking Rod Pelly
10:16 - Devils do not get a single shot off on the PP. Is anyone truely shocked?
8:25 - Oduya starting to get his season going. Two great blocks on Vinny Prospal to prevent a solid scoring chance for the Rangers.
7:54 - Doc announces that the Devils hold a 12-1 advantage in the face off circle.
6:00 - Pandolfo and Rolston break in on a 2 on 1, Pandolfo feeds Rolston wide open who shoots it right into the pads of Lundqvist.
4:50 - GOAL - 2-0 Devils. Bergfors! With a tip in from Clarkson. Just a beautiful goal over the shoulder of Lundqvist.
End of First - Devils hold a 2-0 lead at the break
Start of the 2nd
18:20 - PENALTY - Mottau called for a high stick
18:10 - GOAL - 2-1 Devils - Gaborik on the pp. Brodeur gets part of it, but not all of it. If this is reviewed for the scorer, Callahan might get it.
17:31 - Rolston is shooting more, and they're being registered as shots on goal, but they're right into the keeper.
17:30 - Cheeko says that 2 goals is a high total for the Devils... So much for that new offensive system Lemaire was bringing in, huh?
16:24 - Clarkson gets an open look from the glove side, but the puck rolls to the heel of his stick and moves harmlessly aside.
14:00 - Salvador bails Brodeur out of a horrendous pass, and struggles to get the bench. Looks to be a right leg injury, hopefully only a contusion, or at worst a charlie horse.
12:50-12:34 - Nice end to end action, 2 on 1 for the Devils fails after a good defensive play and a horrendous passing decision, leads to a 3 on 2 the other way when Brodeur makes a amazing skate save to preserve the lead, and on the other way Devils get another 2 on 1 which Lundqvist stops.
On the replay of the first Devils 2 on 1, we find out that it was Matt Hallischuk who had the puck and elected to try and force a centering pass to Rod Pelley. We [Andy and I] attribute it to inexperience and a lack of confidence. Hopefully that will come over time.
10:00 - There are too many odd-man rushes being allowed by both teams right now, moreso on the Devils part. There have been at least a half dozen by my count in this period alone.
9:56 - Neidermayer and Roszival go into the boards on a delayed icing against the Devils, they collide and somehow Neids emerges with a penalty. Hopefully the PK unit can survive more than the 7 seconds on the first of the period.
9:22 - Devils get a clear, they've survived 34 seconds already, but it hasn't been easy.
8:20 - Devils get their 3rd clear of the kill, this is looking more and more like they may actually kill this one.
7:56 - They prove me right but narrowly avoid surrendering the equalizer moments after the penalty ends.
7:25 - Salvador saves a great breakaway chance by diving and poke checking the puck away. Doc then chimes in with this gem, "Oh boy, that could prove to be vital, if we knew what the end result of the next 90 minutes has in store." I cannot help but burst out laughing at the randomness of Dr. Emerick.
5:35 - GOAL - 2-2 - Kotalik off to the races after Zubrus takes a nice shot from the point, and Redden takes the rebound and catches White and Mottau admiring the play, hitting Kotalik just ahead of the blue line, who beats Marty glove side. Nice job, Colin, continue to earn that undeserving $3 million a season.
I'm sorry, but White needs to at least sit a game. He has just been too much of a liability all season. We cut Cory Murphy for doing less. I'll take the blunder from a guy making under a million, but not the $3 million Stay Puft Marshmellow Man.
2:15 - Devils blow a chance for a 3 on 1 by having a man well offsides. The season long 2nd period woes continue.
1:25 - Rolston get's a nice look and fires at Lundqvist. Problem is, just as it has been all game and for the most part all season, he aims 5-hole and is, of course, denied. Hey Brian, ever think goalies are starting to figure out that all you do is look between the legs? How about you adjust, buddy?
0:40 - Devils take too long to develop a play behind the Rangers net, the Rangers backcheck and get over it.
Andy wonders why we don't go back to having 1 player who's speedy and 1 who's a stay at home for each defensive pair. I say we perfer to put all of our eggs into one basket.
Luckilly for us and the Devils, the 2nd period mercifully comes to an end.
If this team does not figure out that they need to stop going onto their heels during the 2nd, it will cost them, as it has already in the past.
Even Parise says in his intermission interview, "We need to be more aggressive like we were in the first. We didnt get pucks in deep and it hurt us." Does anyone on the coaching staff think to say anything during the period? Probably not.
2-2, end of 2.
Even Stan Fischler, master of the obvious, is calling out the power play unit. The players are not buying into the system and it's showing, Jacques needs to change it up.
Start of the 3rd
A must win period here, if they blow this game, you know the team is in severe trouble.
19:45-18:30 - Rangers are the more aggressive time out of the gate in the 3rd. The Devils have turned aside, with major help from Marty, the attack thus far, including a nice between the legs no-look clear by Mottau.
16:30 - The desperation by Brian Rolston to hit the net is becoming bothersome. He's forcing off-balanced shots with no shooting lanes now, one of these times it will cost the Devils with an odd-man rush. Andy: "I'm surprised they haven't moved him onto the Zajac line." I agree, he's becoming the catalyst to getting players going.
13:45 - Marty gets trapped behind the net, caughs the puck up to the front where the Rangers almost capitalize, if it weren't for the nice diving block by Mottau. This, almog with the fight, are two reason why I can accept his role in the blown coverage leading tot he Kotalik goal.
12:09 - GOAL - 3-2 Devils -ZUUUUBS!!! ZUUUUBS!!!! Zubrus finally snaps his drought! Zubrus goes as fast as he can to keep the puck in deep and chips the puck around the boards to Parise, who throws it on net but slow enough for Zubrus to get his stick on it and deflect it between Lundqvist's legs.
9:02 - Zajac gets denied on a great breakaway by an even better split save by Lundqvist.
8:22 - Marty makes a swift glove save on Gaborik which he bobbles but contains. The Devils need to go for the throat and get another goal to put this almost out of reach. It is a must.
5:53 - Rolston and Parise break out on a 2 on 1, Rolston to Parise, who tries to force a pass back to Rolston but gets blocked so he shoots on net, Rolston goes for the tip and a quick whistle saves Lundqvist.
4:42 - Rangers get one heck of a chance as Oduya goes to break up the pass and Colin White, instead of backing up his defensive parter, dogs it back on the back-check and nearly costs the equalizer.
2:00 - Callahan breaks in but another great diving pokecheck on the back-checkby the defense. Stay Puft manages to get a stick on it while Oduya cuts off the angle with a dive. One tiny slice of humble pie for this guy.
1:29 - Rangers pull Lundy. Oh boy...
Parise seals it with an empty net goal. Andy: "He's getting way too many empty netters." Me: "Its a goal either way, who cares." Laughs are shared by both.
Oduya takes a holding penalty. Rangers pull Lundy again.
Gaborik with a few chances, Kotalik with two as well, but Marty stops them all.
End of Game
Devils 4 - Rangers 2
4-0 on the road.
Great first period, awful awful 2nd period, better 3rd.
5-3-0, 10 points
Next up: @ Pittsburgh on Saturday, 7:30.
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