Zajac shines in shootout - Devils top Flyers 3-2
Posted on 21 Dec 2008
    After the Devils 5-1 dominating win over the Ottawa Senators Friday night, the Devils hosted the Philadelphia Flyers for a Sunday afternoon game at the Rock. Not a high-scoring game by any means but the Devils still got the job done and beat the Flyers 3-2 in a shootout.
    There was no scoring in the first period but it there was a good scrap between Mike Rupp and Josh Gratton. Whenever the Flyers and Devils play, you can pretty much bet on Rupp and Brookbank to get into some fights to spark the team. Also, what is a Devils-Flyers game without the physical essence? However in the first period, the Devils had three solid power-play opportunities and couldn't cash in. Finally on the fourth consecutive Flyers penalty, the Devils got on the board from Patrik Elias who now has a 10 game point streak. Keep it up Patty. It seems like I'm never happy by reading my opinions about the power-play. I just feel like the Devils need to score on every power-play chance even though that's extremely hard.
    Don't call it a comeback, Brian Rolston scores just a little over a minute after Elias's goal. It's been awhile since the Devils had a decent fourth line. Clarkson is growing as he's playing with some experienced veterans. Bobby "the Bulldozer" Holik is playing so well and definitely surpassing my expectations for him. I love when the Devils prove me wrong. If the other lines keep doing what their doing, the fourth line could be seeing more time under Brent Sutter.
    After a pair of Flyer goals, the game went into overtime and into a shootout. It had appeared Flyer's captain Mike Richards had the game won with his goal but Jamie Langenbrunner shot high glove in order to save the game. The next shooter for the Devils, making his 1st appearance in a shootout was Travis Zajac. Just like Langenbrunner, Zajac went high glove and won the game for the Devils. Zajac is coming along real well. The confidence level he has right now is high and keeps going. The Devils will have a huge test Tuesday Night when former Devils coach Claude Julien and the high-flying Boston Bruins come to the Rock for a 7pm start. I'll be in attendance and should be a good one. Let's go Devils!

Devils crush Ottawa 5-1
Posted on 20 Dec 2008
    It's hard to believe sometimes how successful the Devils have been without their franchise player goaltender Martin Brodeur, but the Devils have been hot and keep getting hotter. On Friday night, they beat the Ottawa Senators 5-1 and are playing at such a high level right with everyone stepping their game up every night.
    One thing I love is that the Devils are scoring goals right from the start of the game. That's huge because it instantly takes some confidence out of the opposing team. Early on tonight was Patrik Elias with the feed to Paul Martin with the shot that was tipped in by Brian Gionta. Great work all around, looking for the lanes and traffic in front. Speaking of the defense generating some offense, how about that sweet pass from Parise to a rushing Johnny Oduya for a nice backdoor play. Outstanding reading of the play by Oduya to just come in full-force and put it in the net.
    One low point of the game and I can't even say it's a low point because the Devils power-play is hot is the short-handed goal scored by Jarkko Ruutu but that cancels out because the Devils were able to score two power-play goals both by the red-hot Patrik Elias. I love the chemistry right now between Elias and Parise. (Another 4-pt night for Parise!) When they are at the top of their game, I feel like they're up there with the best in the league. Both goals by that power-play unit. The power-play is cooking right now for the Devils and I love it. There's always room for improvement and with the way things are going for the Devils, their power-play could become very lethal and it should.
    There's a few things different about this Devils club than there were last season. The biggest thing in my mind is goal-scoring. The Devils got shutout last season a total of 11 or 12 times I think? That's horrible. This year, it's the same guys but there's chemistry. There's depth too. The Devils are scoring two goals and sitting back on it. Of course defense is the trademark of the Devils but guys are scoring goals and they aren't trying to win hockey games 2-1 anymore. The results are 8-5, 5-1, 4-1..etc. It's about time too. Games are a lot more exciting for the fans and the players instead of the same old low goal scoring games. Keep it up. Devils have Philly at the Rock Sunday afternoon at 1pm. Lets go Devils!

Devs beat Buffalo 5-3
Posted on 18 Dec 2008
    Coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Devils came into Buffalo and were able to avenge their 4-2 loss to the Sabres from Saturday night. Travis Zajac got the club ahead early on just like the Vanek did for the Sabres on Saturday night. It was a nice snapshot off a rebound right in the slot that beat Miller for 1-0 lead. Drew Stafford would tie the game but in the second period the Devils goal scoring leader Zach Parise beat Miller on the side of the night Excellent work on the power play by Jamie Langenbrunner as he controlled the passing and the setups real well.
    Here's a rarity, Bryce Salvador scores on a snapshot that really had no power at all. It seemed like Miller just allowed it to go through. Bryce Salvador would later get injured and leave the game with what the Devils call "upper body injury" and his status for Friday's game against the Ottawa Senators is unknown. I actually hope he doesn't play as horrible as that is to say because I really want to see Andy Greene come back into the lineup. Salvador is an average stay-at-home defenseman and I'm not saying guys like Greene, Salmela and Leach are that much better, but I really like what I'm seeing from those three. The Devils might as well say goodbye or at least send Sheldon Brookbank down to Lowell because let's face it, he's a career minor league player.
    I also want to talk about another Devil player that I despise and he goes by the name of Bobby Holik. As much as I dislike him, Holik is giving the Devils that extra punch. He's a huge bull out there just plowing guys down. Bobby's obviously been around the league for quite sometime since the early 90s so he's hitting but hitting smart. I love how his huge hit lead to a nice David Clarkson goal. Holik is creating so much space for Clarkson and Rolston.
    How about that Brian Rolston, coming off a "meeting" with coach Sutter about his play he comes out and plays probably his best game of the season. It was about time he got a goal just to get his game to higher level in every shift he plays. He's getting there, it's just taking some time. Baby-steps and we'll see him in his form soon. Now onto some quick news from around the league...
    Unrestricted free-agent Mats Sundin has signed a one year deal with the Vancouver Canucks which has ended his six-month saga of uncertainty. Finally! I was so sick of the hockey media speculating his options everyday. Enough is enough. I honestly think there should be a deadline. It was the same story with Scott Niedermayer last year. I don't blame the players because at that point in my career, I'd love to wait and see my options and who has the best chance of winning the cup but it's the league's fault for allowing it to go on and on.
    Speaking of the Canucks, the retired Trevor Linden's #16 to the rafters of the General Motors Place. My initial reaction was that this was so quick but it's appropriate. In 19 years, Linden collected 375 goals and 492 assists in 1,382 career games. Not bad by any means.
    Another story that I've been constantly forgetting to talk about is the comeback tale of former-Devil Claude Lemieux. At 43 years old, "Pepe" wants to make a return. He's currently got 2 goals, 3 assists in 10 games for the Worcester Sharks which is the San Jose Shark's AHL affiliate. I say bring Claude Lemieux back one more time. All the best of luck to him.

Devs come out flat, lose 4-2 to Sabres
Posted on 14 Dec 2008
    I was in attendance at the game last night and was not impressed with how the Devils performed. Of course, any loss is terrible but it's always a little bit worse when you are a dedicated fan at the game because you want them to win so bad. The Devils just didn't bring their game tonight and the Buffalo Sabres beat them 4-2.
    I really didn't think Weekes would get the start but I was proven wrong. The Sabres got the game started in the opening minutes when the NHL's goal-scoring leader Thomas Vanek scored for Buffalo to take a 1-0 lead. Buffalo could've had a bigger lead because they were all over New Jersey for most of the game. It seemed like the Devils were a little tired and came out flat and just never were able to get it going.
    There was a small glimpse of hope in the second period when a blast from Patrik Elias beat Sabres backup Patrick Lalime for his 13th of the year. That was a great shot and most fans didn't think it went in at first. Just moments later the 4th line played a great shift in which Clarkson did his patented toe drag and dished it to Bobby Holik who put it in for his first goal of the season. I thought the Devils finally got the wheels rolling but it was shut down by penalty trouble. As a result, Drew Stafford scores the game-tying power-play goal. Next, rookie defenseman Jay Leach gets into a fight with Adam Mair which surprised me because I didn't think Leach was much of a fighter.
    The Devils would get into more penalty trouble in the third period due to a Bobby Holik roughing call and a very questionable Patrik Elias "tripping" call. Derek Roy would make the Devils pay as he scored the go-ahead power-play goal. Once again, the Devils penalty-kill falters. Later on, Thomas Vanek would score the 4th Sabres goal and the game would end with Buffalo winning it 4-2. Not enough effort from the Devils.
    Devils are on the road for the next few games starting with Toronto on Tuesday. It'll be interesting to see if Brent Sutter will start Kevin Weekes again and give him the nod in his hometown. It wouldn't be a bad idea considering it is Toronto. I would do it just to see if Weekes can finally get a win and then go back to Clemmer. We shall see.

Devils beat Rags in crazy 8-5 win!
Posted on 12 Dec 2008
  If there is one team in the NHL that the Devils must always defeat, it's the New York Rangers. Over the last couple seasons, the Devils have had their struggles against their hated crosstown rivals including the embarassing five game elimination of the Devils earlier this year in the playoffs. The Devils dropped the first two games of the season series between the Rangers 4-1 on Oct.13 and 5-2 on Nov. 12. That losing streak did not continue tonight as the Devils finally beat the Rangers in regulation 8-5 in a crazy thriller at the Rock.
    The Devils came out strong and played with a lot of confidence. I was saying to myself that if the Devils can play physical against the Rangers like they did against the Penguins (in a 4-1 victory) that they can finally beat them and get over their psychological barrier and change the tide and start beating the Rangers more. The Devils penalty kill tonight was amazing. After constantly complaining about it here on this site, Jay Pandolfo and Johnny Oduya just were able take it to the Rangers. The power play was very nice tonight too with Travis Zajac putting the puck in but it didn't stop there for the 3rd year forward, he did it again after that. I'm loving Zajac right now, the kid is playing so much better and it goes along with his new personal philosophy that he discovered before this season. During an earlier Devils Gamenight, he told viewers that he isn't worried about much anymore, he'll do whatever it takes to win and won't look to far into things. It's working for you Travis, keep it up.
    Obviously the only let down in tonight's game is that the Devils blew a 5-1 lead. It goes back mentally to that physical barrier because over the last few meetings between the Rangers and Devils, whenever the Rangers would score just one goal, it would take the Devils right out of the game and it was frustrating. It happened again tonight but finally after allowing that 5th Rangers goal, the Devils fought hard and clutch-time star Patrik Elias scored to make 6-5. It was followed up with a nice Brian Gionta backhand goal and concluded with a Jamie Langenbrunner slap shot.
    With all three lines scoring, what did the fourth line do? I was very happy with the fourth line of Rupp-Holik-Clarkson. They were the spark for the Devils. Brent Sutter said he wanted to see Rupp play with an extra chip on his shoulder and he did just that. Play smart physically, don't take nonsense penalities and wear the other team out. Holik (as much as I dislike him) just keeps steam rolling people. Holik also got his first point with his second-stint of the Devils. Scoring by committee, all four lines involved in scoring - that's how it should be.
    I'm heading to the game Saturday night against the Sabres. Hopefully Clemmer is the starting goalie. Let's face it, Clemmer is the man right now and the starting goalie. He's finally played more than four games this season and he's proven himself so far.

<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next >>