Good evening from the Prudential Center. It’s the final Pre-season game of the year, and the roster has been chopped to 29. Some of the remaining questions of training camp will be answered tonight, like which of the younger players will step-in to replace the free agents lost over the summer, will the return of Jacques Lemaire come with the return of the Cup, and and just exactly what will Rob Niedermayer’s role be in the clubhouse with dynamo leaders like Langenbrunner and Shanahan?

A couple of things are already set in stone: Martin Brodeur is back with more record to set, the ZZ Pop line has the potential to be just as explosive as last season, and the defense will be increasingly solid as the season moves foreward.

The Islanders are playing John Tavares tonight, and the first pick in this year’s entry draft has a lot of pressure to turn around a franchise that has so many years and so much money invested in a goaltender that may not see a third of a season’s action for what feels like the seventh year in a row (Rick “DNP” DiPietro).

Here are some thoughts on the upcoming season based on what I’ve seen so far:

1. Zajac might eclipse Parise in scoring this season. The improvement Zajac made last season has been built upon, and he could have a breakout season, which is completely opposite of my second thought…

2. Scoring is going to be way down this season. We’ve been sold that Lemaire isnot going to be the defensive megalomaniac that he was last go round, but you  can already tell that the offensive firepower will not be the priority of this club this year, which may be because…

3. Brodeur could see a drop off this season. The man has only a few more records to break, and though we know he still has a desire to play and play at a high level, does he still have the desire to be Martin Brodeur? The signing of Yann Danis, who blanked the Devils last season for the Isles, was no mistake, and not necessarily a response to Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen leaving… remember, Weekes was still on the roster when Danis signed.

4. Big moves will be made this season. Whether before the trade deadline, or a surprise move early, I believe the Devils are shopping their players and for players. Brent Sutter had just enough time to mold the team in his liking before he jumped ship. With a different regime, and a possible salary cap reduction pending, there may be some serious money moved before we say goodnight.

5. Cory Murphy will make an impact this season. The Devils have been missing a true power play point man to compliment Paul Martin for a while. Clarkson said after the first pre-season game that he was very impressed with Murphy’s power play acumen. Murphy has been in the system for a while, and this may be the year when he joins the big leagues and makes his name known.

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It’s a good thing that Martin Brodeur is in net tonight. The Devils aren’t necessarily doing the best job of keeping the shots away from Brodeur, or staying out of the penalty box.

The Flyers struck first tonight on their second power play. The penalty came on boarding by Peters, and after a less-than-terrific fight between Matt Fraser and Dan Carcillo (DOWN goes Fraser!), Matt Carle was in the slot to fire a one-timer off a Danny Briere pass from the left faceoff circle that went top shelf on Brodeur.

Tonight’s lines for the Devils: Zajac-Parise-Langenbrunner, Pelley-Rolston-Clarkson, Bergfors-Sesitito-Halischuk, Pandolfo-Zharkov-Peters.

Kevin Harvick of NASCAR fame is here, a few days before the Chase Race in Dover. This has sparked conversation in the pressbox about the Flemington dirt race track (that is now a Wal-Mart) and other local New Jersey race tracks either operational or defunct. I really enjoy listening to my fellow writers talk about what New Jersey life was liek before I got here.

Ray Emery has done a good job in net for the Flyers. He just stopped a great chance by Langenbrunner as the Devils take over the shots-on-goal lead with a minute left in the first.

End of 1: Flyers 1, Devils 0. Shots on goal: Flyers 8, Devils 7

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Posted under Game Threads

A 1-0 thriller tonight, the best of playoff hockey. Two guys who didn’t even think they would see power-play time tonight put together the game-winning goal for the Devils. Andy Greene fired a confident blast at the net, and David Clarkson did what he does best: he got in someone’s way, and tipped the puck in.
Martin Brodeur made 44 saves to tie Patrick Roy for most playoff shutouts with 23, and earned playoff win number 98.
What’s the most impressive stat of the game?
22 Blocked Shots. 22. Twenty-two.
That’s team-work, playoff style. Four by Paul Martin alone.
Which reminds me, that was one of my keys to victory for the Devils…
Tomorrow morning we’ll recap the game, look at some quotes from pre-and post-game.
If necessary, I’ll be back in Newark for game seven. With a 3-2 lead, the Devils hold on to the home ice advantage, which makes this an even more interesting weekend to watch hockey.
Good night from Newark.

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The Good, The Bad and the Jussi:

So, here’s the good news: The Devils are 9-1 this season in the first game home from a road trip of two or more games.

The bad news: That one loss came against Carolina.

The good news is Andy Greene and Bobby Holik are in the lineup this evening.

The bad news is Bryce Salvydor and Jamie Langenbrunner are not (again).

The good news is Martin Brodeur is ticked off about the last-second goal in game four.

The bad news is no one else seems to be (maybe becuase it was the right call, but that’s just a thought).

Tonight’s game five against the Carolina Hurricanes seems to be ripe with cliche’s. I did five interviews this morning, and nothing really stood out except for Scott Clemmensen dripping sweat on me. These guys are in media-damage-control, hoping they pull out of the ”we play 25 minutes of good hockey and hope for the best” trend that’s been going on for the past few weeks before their season is over.

Carolina is a good team, a physical team, and a younger team. Patrik Elias is quietly getting shoved around out there. Cam Ward is playing very well, and more importantly, playing very well when the team needs him to. Martin Brodeur may be showing that he has lost a step in the months he was out of the game. It is very possible. He’s still capable of winning multiple playoff series, but just not by himself anymore.

So where does this leave the Devils for tonight? It leaves them with a lot of questions about who is going to step up, who is going to sacrifice themselves to keep the puck away from Marty and who wants to win more.

Here’s some keys to tonight’s game for the Devils:

1. Shot blocking- Standing out and swinging your stick at pucks isn’t going to get the job done at this time of the year. Lay down and keep the puck from reaching Brodeur. There’s some thought that a Devil tipped in the final goal on Tuesday… that should not happen.

2. Production from the 2nd line- Patrik Elias had a killer season very quietly, and now he’s having a very quiet post season. Not what keeps the Devils in the hunt. The Zubrus-Elias-Gionta line needs to provide some scoring for the team. Asking the first line to do it all isn’t helping anyone. Zubrus needs to pick it up big-time; he may be the (biggest) weakest link in that chain.

3. Channeling Marty’s Anger- Brodeur is STILL hot about that call on Tuesday, one of my peers in the pressbox saying he called it the “worst call in hockey history.” Instead of complaining to the refs, take it out on the Canes! The Devils need to use Marty’s anger to fuel the team, find some inner energy. The thing about a core of veterans is that they’ve been here before. They’re not phased by the playoffs, no matter what they say. unlike younger guys who are jazzed to be in the post-season. There are a lot of well-paid veterans, many of whom have their Stanley Cup rings, who might be fine with another extended golf season. But that’s not fair to the fans and the players on the team who still have yet to sip champagne from el grande punch bowl.

Game five might as well be game one in a best of three series. Tonight we shall see if the Devils are ready to fight for the next round.

Posted under Notes and Musings

With one day remaining before the playoffs begin, we’ll take a brief look back at the regular season that was for the New Jersey Devils:

• GM Lou Lamoriello brought back Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston during the off season.
• Devils television voice Mike “Doc” Emrick given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster.
• On  November 1, Martin Brodeur was lost for 50 games and four months with a torn bicep muscle. Scott Clemmensen assumes number one duties, and Kevin Weekes also fills in.
• On the same night, Zach Parise tied the club record for consecutive games with a goal scored (six).
• November 23, Dainius Zubrus scored four goals in Tampa Bay against the Lightning.
• Zach Parise was selected to take part in the annual All-Star Game in Montreal, and scored a goal during the event.
• In Los Angeles, Brian Rolston plays in his 1,000th career game on January 10.
• Brendan Shanahan returned to the Devils on January 19 in Nashville, signing a one-year deal. Shanahan last played for New Jersey March 31, 1991.
• The last week of January, captain Jamie Langenbrunner scored six goals, including three game-winners, in three games. He was named the NHL First Star of the Week and First Star of the Month for January.
• Scott Clemmensen earned back-to-back shut outs over the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins, February 9th and 13th. Clemmensen finished with 25 wins in relief of Brodeur.
• Martin Broduer returned to the line-up on February 26 against the Colorado Avalanche. He stopped 24 shots in a 4-0 shutout, his 547th win and 100th career shutout.
• March 17, a 3-2 win over Chicago gives Brodeur the all-time wins record for a goaltender, 552. He finished the season with 557.
• Also on St. Patrick’s Day, Patrik Elias broke the club record for points, set by assistant coach John MacLean at 701. He assisted on a Brian Gionta, game-winning goal, and donned a green bowler when announced as the second star of the game.
• The Devils won 11 consecutive home games between Feburary 9th and March 20th, longest in franchise history and tied with Boston for the longest stretch of the season for the entire league.
• New Jersey won the Atlantic Division for the seventh time in 12 years, stretched its consecutive playoff appearances run to 12 years, and achieved a record of .500 or better for the 17th straight year. The team won a franchise-record 51 games, and earned 106 points.

From beginning to end, it was a magical season, with plenty of memories for fans to take away for years. Now begins the second season, when beards are thick and men are men. The Devils face a tricky opponent in the Carolina Hurricanes, a team built around goalie Cam Ward and an excellent power play squad.

You can check out all of my playoff coverage here, at ‘The Devils Made Me Do It’, at http://www.nysportscene.com, AND at http://www.mycentraljersey.com.  Pre-season, regular season, post-season, The Devils Made Me Do It is your source for independent Devils insider coverage.

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Top 10 Unusual Things That Happened Tonight:

10. Coach Brent Sutter made a joke during the press conference (this is the third confirmed time this season), responding to a question if he was concerned about putting Brodeur in net with, “Well, I wasn’t going to go in.”

9. David Clarkson got his fight out of the way in the first period, rather than the third.

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First Intermission Report:

-Marty’s gifts: From the NHL, presented by Commissioner Gary Bettman, a plaque commemorating wins #1 and #552 in Brodeur’s career, a crystal etched plaque commemorating #552 (no sign of Doc’s dogs on the plaque), and a plaque to be dedicated in Martin Brodeur Arena in his hometown in Quebec. From the Devils, presented by Jeff Vanderbeek, a painting of Brodeur by local artist, a life-size painting of Brodeur in the crease, a sterling silver full-size goalie stick from Tiffany & Co. engraved with 552. From his teammates, presented by Jamie Langenbrunner, Patrik Elias, John Madden and Colin White, a basket with golf balls, wine and 4 nights and 3 rounds of golf at Pebble Beach, home to the 2010 U.S. Open.

-Game notes. Weekes gave up a soft goal 1:44 into the game when Evgeny Artyukhin took the puck the length of the ice on the right side and put a wrister on goal that bounced past Weekes and into the net. Since that goal, Weekes played much better, including making a terrific save on Steven Stamkos while Tampa was on a power play.

- The Devils gave up 11 shots on goal during the first period, and put 10 of their own on against Karri Ramo. They showed life, battling for pucks in the offensive zone (not nearly as hard in the defensive end, but at this point they will take what they can get). Brian Gionta is leading the way in effort, with David Clarkson adding to the energy with a fight with 2 minutes left in the period.

End of One: Tampa 1, New Jersey 0

***

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Tonight before the Devils game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin Brodeur will be honored for breaking the all time wins record. Brodeur will not be playing tonight, Kevin Weekes is getting the start, but there will be a 10-15 minute ceremony before the game and after warm-ups.

In the media room, it was speculated that Brodeur will receive a painting, a framed jersey and an etched crystal plaque with Doc Emrick’s dogs on it (just kidding). One of the Telemundo people suggested it may be a crystal mask. Hopefully it’s not one with MB30 on it — that mask really hasn’t brought a lot of luck lately.

Speaking of masks, Karri Ramo of the Lightning has a terrific mask, as pointed out by my pal Mike Ashmore, who happens to be taking a break from the Trenton Devils to accompany me to the game tonight (check out the story I did with him about the up and coming players in the organization).

"Brain Damage"

Granted, most NHLers would call it brain damage wanting to play for the Lightning, but it’s cool to see a young guy put effort into representing his club.

In other notes, no Patrik Elias tonight, and apparently Andy Greene also has an ankle injury, so we’ll definitely see Jay Pandolfo in the line up and possibly Jay Leach.

I’ll be back to update during intermission and post game tonight. As always, stay tuned to see if the Devils can pull themselves out of of this losing skid.

***

Video from Marty’s Ceremony. A list of gifts to come at intermission.

Ceremony video

speech-2

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Friday, when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to the Prudential Center, Martin Brodeur will be honored for his achievement of the all-time wins record.

The only problem? He has only one more win since breaking the record. I’m sure we all thought by now he’d be at 560, not 553. The past week and a half have been brutal to the club.

Last night in Pittsburgh, Sutter lost his cool (and possibly his job?), and once again the offense could not put anything together.

The one bright spot?

Gio Tracker!

Brian Gionta was the lone goal against the Pens, but the team is now 16-19 when he scores, diluting the Gio Tracker effect to 84.2%. But last night, that was not Gio’s fault.

I’ve been hinting during this awful stretch that the effort in front of Marty isn’t there. And I’m not the only one. Since when did the Devils stop pushing the puck with clean passes? Since when did New Jersey stop blocking shots? Since when has it been okay to play the entire game in front of your own goalie? Never.

Jay Pandolfo filled in for Patrik Elias last night. I doubt Elias would miss a chance to break this losing streak if it were just to rest - the man is all about winning. I would suspect it might be a few more days before we see Elias on the ice.

I’ll keep on eye on the Devils and if Brent Sutter and Lou Lamiorello show up on ESPNEWS in press conference mode. We’ll try to stay current here at ‘The Devils Made Me Do It.’

Until then, stay strong fans!

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As I missed the last four Devils games due to other commitments, I find myself looking at the calendar and thinking, “Where did the season go?”  Today, March 23rd, New Jersey’s schedule has NINE regular season games remaining. Nine. It is incredibly hard to believe that 73 games have already been played. And what a season it has been.

Despite this most recent slump (if you can even call it that), the boys in red and black are still fighting for second place in the Eastern Conference, and one more win will lock up a playoff berth. Martin Brodeur set the all-time wins record, despite missing four months. Patrik Elias set the club record for career points, with 702, a symbol of the long-lived success and loyalty belonging to the team.

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Posted under News, Notes and Musings