Past Four Game Summary

Sorry, I have not been able to have an article on each game after it ends, so let’s go over the past four Devils games in summary. The last time I posted the Devils had won in thrilling fashion down in Tampa. After that game, they went 3-1 in the next four against talented to very talented teams.

They traveled further south after their win against Tampa to play the Panthers and played a mediocre game overall, however, a David Clarkson goal in the third put them ahead and regardless of how they won, a win is a win at the end of the year. From there they went up to our nation’s capital in a fight against the Capitals and the games best player, Alexander Ovechkin. The Devils fell into a 2-0 hole early on in the game. Down by two after the first intermission, they chipped away at the lead with a goal in the second from Brian Rolston at 8:18. After he surrendered two first period goals, Marty Brodeur kept his men in the game, hoping that they could tie it up. Thankfully, Marty’s hard work did not go unrewarded, as David Clarkson scored yet another third period goal to tie the game up at 13:34. They then went into a shootout where Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner sealed the comeback, while Brodeur held down the net securely. Broduer finished the game with 33 saves on 31 shots and was the true star of this particular game for keeping the Devils in it after this very dangerous Caps team scored two quick goals.

After going 3-0 on the road, the Devils returned home to try and get their first win at The Rock as they faced off against the Atlanta Thrashers. However, this night just was not the the night for that. They came out firing though, out-shooting the Thrashers 15-4 in the first period as well as tallying the first goal of the game off the stick of Travis Zajac at 8:07. After that, they just went flat. I do not know what happened, it was a combination of the Thrashers making adjustments and the Devils just losing their focus. Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec put a stop on any kind of momentum the Devils looked to get back as he saved 30 of the Devils 28 shots; en route to the Thrashers 4-2 win (Zach Parise had a goal in the third at 13:10). All in all, the game against Atlanta was a poor effort from New Jersey in every facet of the game. The defense was weak, no pressure on the power play and Marty let in some softies.

There will be nights like that though, so the Devils just had to move on and get ready for some revenge as the Hurricanes came into town. The Devils were looking to avenge that third period collapse in game 7 of the first round in the playoffs last year. For much of the contest it was a defensive struggle as the two teams entered the third period in a 0-0 deadlock. It was not until Jamie Langenbrunner’s goal just 26 seconds into the third period which lifted the scoreless bout into the Devils favor. From then on out, it was Martin Brodeur’s game as he stopped everything the Canes threw at him. Although they did not have any sustainable offensive onslaughts that we got used to by the Canes in the playoffs, they had a few chances to tie it up, yet Marty turned them away. No, it does not make up for the heartbreak of game 7, but it was a solid defensive effort on part of the Devils and that has to be looked at as a positive, now just to get the offense in gear and we can go on a nice run.

Next up for the Devils is Thursday @ MSG against the cross river rival, New York Rangers.