Pucks and Pitchforks - A New Jersey Devils Blog

Zack Parise crashing into the goaltender in Winnipeg (AP).

Going into the Winnipeg game, the Devils had fared well on the road trip, winning two out of three games. On Saturday night, they were able to keep their good “mojo” going in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, we would have to wait until the third period for the Devils to score.

As has been the Devils pattern on this trip, they got off to another slow start, and the Jets got on the board first. Andrew Ladd scored on a scorching shot just over Martin Brodeur’s glove hand to give Winnipeg a 1-0 lead. The Devils had been buzzing in the offensive zone, but were unable to connect.

With 10 minutes remaining in the game, Kurtis Foster finally connected off a Devil’s faceoff that was won in the Jet’s zone. Foster buried a snapshot to tie the game at 1-1. About 3 minutes later, Adam Larsson faked a shot from the point and connected with Patrik Elias in front of the net, giving the Devils a 2-1 lead. The Devils were able to hold onto this lead, giving them the victory. The Devils now have 25 wins and are 8 points behind the Rangers.

Zach Parise at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game. Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images North America

With the release of the 2012 NHL All-Star Game Roster, it came as a shock that there was an absence of Devils representation.  Although Adam Henrique and Adam Larsson have been named All-Star Rookies.  There were no Devils players selected to participate in the All-Star game.  This is something that has brought much distress to the fans of the New Jersey Devils, and rightfully so.  It is absolutely absurd that the NHL chose to overlook the Devils players when determining the All-Star Game roster.

The Devils have multiple players worthy of a spot on the All-Star Roster.  Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise, and Patrik Elias, all have been playing at a level that warrants All-Star consideration.  However, the league did not give them consideration when selecting the team.  It is interesting to notice how the league granted Alexander Ovechkin a spot on the roster.  Ovechkin has always held a reputation as a premiere player in the league.  However, he currently is in the middle of one of his most disappointing seasons of his career.  With 17 goals and 16 assists Ovechkin’s 33 points is less that all three Devils players listed above.  It is quite clear that Ovechkin was selected primarily on his previous success not his play this season. Continue reading this post »

Johan Hedberg allowed just 1 goal in 23 shots in Devils overtime win in Edmonton. Photo: Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

Just 24 hours after being routed by the Calgary Flames, the Devils would continue their road trip facing another Canadian team, the Edmonton Oilers.  Johan Hedberg would get the start for New Jersey, after finishing the game in Calgary as the Flames chased Martin Brodeur from the crease in the first period.  The Devils as a team allowed 6 goals in just 14 shots in Calgary a statistic that both the goaltenders and the defensemen would prefer to forget.

The game in Edmonton was very different as the Devils played an extremely solid defensive game, supplemented by excellent goal tending from Johan Hedberg.  After a scoreless first period, Ilya Kovalchuk was the first to strike with a shorthanded breakaway goal in the second period.  The Devils would hold their 1-0 lead until the third period when Ales Hemsky would tie the game on the power play.  With the game tied at the halfway point in the third period neither team was able to post the game winning tally.  Resulting in a low scoring contest that would remain 1-1 through regulation.  Further supporting the Devils trend of not finishing games in regulation.

With Overtime underway it was the captain Zach Parise who would seal the deal just over a minute into overtime, with a tap in on a set up from Patrik Elias.  The Devils would win the game and perhaps gain back some confidence after the crushing loss to Calgary. Continue reading this post »

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)

Last night versus the Calgary Flames pitted old versus new.  The Devils old coach, Brent Sutter, who now coaches the Calgary Flames versus the Devils new coach Pete Deboer.  It was Brent Sutter who brought a more offensive style to the Devils when he was hired in 2007.  After a two year stint of Jacques Lemaire and John MacLean, Deboer was hired to once again bring a more offensive style to New Jersey.

Unfortunately for the Devils, the Flames designated last night’s game as the one to celebrate Jarome Iginla’s 500^th goal, and both players and fans were fired up for the event.  The game got away from the Devils almost immediately.  Before many of the fans had even settled into their seats at the Saddledome in Calgary, the score was 2-0, and Martin Brodeur was being pulled.  At the end of one period, the Devils had been manhandled by a score of 4-0.

In the second period, the Devils started to chip away at the lead finishing the period with a 5-2 deficit.  As the third period began, the Devils were eventually able to get the score back to 5-3, but it was just not meant to be.  Jarome Iginla scored a goal extending the Flame’s lead to 6-3, giving him the “Gordie Howe hat trick”. Iginla had a goal, 2 assists and a fight with Adam Henrique.

In a last ditch effort, Deboer pulled his goaltender with more than 5 minutes to go as the Devils went on the power play.  But that was short lived when Dainus Zubrus was penalized ending the Devil’s advantage.  A player to watch for the Devils is Adam Henrique, who scored a goal and an assist in the game, giving him 32 points and placing him only 3 points behind Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for the rookie scoring lead.

Mark Fayne collides with Evgeny Malkin in last night's game (AP).

The Devils opened last night’s game with an uninspiring first period.  They fell behind 1-0 after one period.  But in the second, we saw the swarming offensive and defensive play that has been their trademark this year.  Once again, the Devils connected on a short-handed goal by Adam Henrique, which tied the game at one.  Kovalchuk added a goal with a blistering slap shot from the point to make the score 2-1.

The referees let the players play in this one.  Mattias Tedenby went hard to the net in the second period, and looked to be tripped, dislodging the net.  Nothing was called on that play.  Fortunately, the refs were consistent, leaving neither team with too many special teams chances.

In a rare power play opportunity on this night, the Devils used a nice tic-tac-toe setup from Elias to Zubrus, who guided the puck past the Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to make it 3-1.  The score would stand up, giving the Devils their 23rd win of the year.  The Devils now stand 8 points behind the first place Rangers.

Fireworks above prudential center after New Jersey defeats Pittsburgh on New Years Eve (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

With a victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Devils finished off 2011 with a big win on home ice.  With that win the New Jersey Devils moved to 21-15-1 and sat in 6th place in the Eastern Conference.  However, this changed after the Devils lost on the road in overtime against the Ottawa Senators, followed by an embarrassing defeat on Home ice at the hands of the  Boston Bruins in a 6-1 tilt that displayed the teams poorest hockey of the season. Leaving the Devils 21-16-2 with 44 points, occupying 8th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

With the Devils firmly in the middle of the East they are in the position to control their own destiny.  A win streak can catapult them up the standings while a loosing streak can start their descent into the basement of the Eastern Conference.  With the 5th and 10th place teams being separated by only 3 points the standings at the bottom of the playoff race are ever-changing.  Even a small win streak of 3 or 4 wins can take a team sitting outside the playoff picture and place them in 5th or possibly 4th place in the Conference.

 Even though we are a mere 2 games shy of the half way point of the NHL season the Devils already find themselves in an extremely important situation.  While many people feel the playoff race has yet to begin, any wins the Devils or other teams in their position can put up now will make the playoff race easier come the end of the season.  Based on the standings, there most likely will be a very competitive race for the last play off positions.

I suggest that the bottom four spots in the east will be up for grabs throughout the end of the season, as there will be at least 7 teams contending for them.  In other words, you certainly cannot make the playoffs in the next month or so, but you can certainly miss them if you don’t use the opportunity to pull away or hold your ground.

What do the Devils need to do to be successful in 2012? Continue reading this post »

Petr Sykora Celebrates one of two goals he scored to lead the Devils in their 3-1 victory over Buffalo. Photo: AP Julio Cortez

After suffering a disappointing loss at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes the New Jersey Devils took their home ice looking to bounce back.  Petr Sykora would play a huge role in the Devils victory, netting two goals that gave the Devils a 2-0 lead early in the second period.

Sykora , 35, was invited to training camp on a try out basis.  After earning his place on the Devils’ roster Sykora has become a stand out player for the Devils so far this season.  Scoring his 9th and 10th goals in the game he now stands at 21 points in 36 games. Not bad for a player signed on a tryout basis just a few months ago.

Lets face it, while Petr Sykora’s best days are most certainly behind him he is still a very effective player who can adapt into almost any role.  The role he currently holds in the Devils line up seems to be most favorable to him.  He is consistently putting up points, as well as providing two way support at both ends of the ice.

Of course being paired with Patrik Elias only helps Sykora’s game, as many can vividly recall the days of “The A Line”.  Elias who assisted on both Sykora goals in last nights contest seems to be playing some of his best hockey as well.  Currently leading his team in goals, assists, and total points, Elias has been an offensive force that has carried the Devils while other offensive players have been sidelined due to injuries or lacked production due to slumps.

There is something special when these two take the ice together it seems like they have that one extra step, that extra move, that kinetic bond that allows them to be one step ahead.  Although both players may not have many years left in their careers, they seem to bring out the youth in one another and their productivity certainly reflects it. Continue reading this post »

Ilya Kovalchuk gets beat on a play that would result in a short-handed goal Photo: NJ.com - James Guillory- US PRESSWIRE

After being home for the holidays the New Jersey Devils hit the road to take on the Carolina Hurricanes last night in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The Devils came into the match up 7-3-0 in their last 10 games after posting a shootout win on home ice over the Washington Capitals before the brief holiday break.

The Devils would also see some familiar faces behind the newly rebuilt Carolina bench.  Head Coach Kirk Muller, former Devils Captain and Assistant Coach John MacLean, also a former Devils Captain, Assistant Coach, Head Coach, and until a week ago all time goals leader in the Devils Organization.

Johan Hedberg would get the start for the Devils, however their winning trend with Moose between the pipes was absent.  Trailing the Hurricanes the Devils were unable to score until the later part of the third period.  David Clarkson was the first to strike for the Devils beating Cam Ward with a blast from the point.  5 minutes later Adam Henrique would cut the Canes lead to 1 with a  goal off of a rebound with just 2:20 remaining in the game.

The Devils naturally pulled their goaltender in attempt to tie the game.  With Hedberg on the bench and the extra attacker on the ice the Devils swarmed the Carolina offensive zone.  It was then that Ilya Kovalchuk tried to reach Adam Henrique on the left point.  The pass was errant and escaped a diving Henrique as the puck sailed into the gaping net at the other end.

Watch Video Here: Kovalchuk scores on own net

The goal was originally awarded to Brandon Sutter as the pass appeared to have gone off his stick, deflecting it past Adam Henrique and into the empty net.  It was then determined that Cam Ward, the Hurricanes goaltender, was the last Hurricane player to touch the puck thus crediting him with the goal on the Kovalchuk error. Continue reading this post »