3/10- 3-2, Devils

the Devils beat buffalo 3-2 in regulation, leaving them 1 point behind the eastern-confrence leading sabres.

3:23 into the 1st, sabres scored. the Devils had some pretty awesome scoring chanses, but they didnt manage to get anything into the net. then i realized i was wearing my lucky hoodie for home games about 5 minutes in, so i put my lucky away hoodie on and, at 5:40 in, Travis Zajac scored his 14th of the season with assists from Jamie Langenbrunner and Zach Parise.

:33 into the second, Mike Rupp scored a short handed goal (5thg of season, assists from Patrik Elias and PAul Martin), with Sergei Brylin in the "sin bin" for 4 minutes for hi-sticking. at 16:12, buffalo tied it again, only to have the lead taken by Brian Rafalski (8th of season), another short handed goal, with Jimmy Dowd picking up the only assist.

no scoring in the second, but both the Devils and buffalo both had 2 power plays. Brylin's penalty was the only in the second, and there was a 4-on-4 in the first, when Cam Janssen, who was finally back from the unnecessary suspention, and something peters both got fighting majors.

Marty Brodeur made 31 saves out of 33 shots, while ryan miller saves 23/26 (told you Bordeur's better).

the 3rd period was crazy, and Brodeur deserves some madd props for the 2382193487325 billion saves he made. i was kinda ticked to see he wasn't one of the 3 stars (Elias, zuburus and Rafalski were).


Notes:
Brian Gionta (groin) and Colin White (hand) both missed tonights game. Rad Brad Lukowich did play, despite the fact that he stayed over night in a hospital thursday. he was fine, thankfully. Erik Rasmussen took a puck to the mouth in the first and missed the rest of the game. he needed stitches, but that's all i know.

Brodeur got his 41st win of the season (finally).

Zach Parise is still awesomer then you, as is the rest of the team, just in case you doubted that.


Devils next game is @ home against the pitts (wed. 3/14, 7:3-).

Well, we're screwed.

White hurt his hand, Brooks won't be back for another couple weeks cuz of his foot, Lukowich has a concussion (scroll down), Matvichuk's MIA, so where does that leave the Devils?

screwed, with like no defense men and pretty much no room under the cap to bring someone up.

being a defensive team doesn't always work out, does it?

and let's not forget Gio's groin is "tweaked" again.


yeah, we're screwed tomorrow. unless our offense finally decides to start doing something (you can't rely on Marty/Clemmy and the defense all the time, guys). it's not that i think they're bad, but they really dont' score as often as they could.

on the bright side, Cam Janssen's back tomorrow.




back to Lukowich...after the UNPENALIZED, ILLEGAL elbow yesterday, he has a concussion and will be out for who knows how long. which brings me to another point. Janssen's hit was barely 1.5 seconds after what's his name released the puck, and completely legal, aside from the fact that it was a little late (honestly, you can't blame him for what's his name falling, he lost his balance, and dont' say i think that because i'm unhealthily obsessed with the Devils), and he gets a freakin 3 game suspention, while Armstrong elbows Lukowich (which is very illegal) and he doesn't even get a penalty. i swear, you tell one ref to go have another doughnut and suddenly everyone hates New Jersey. at least simon's getting what he deserves for his hit on hollweg. as much as i hate him (again, not just cuz i'm a biased Devils fan), that was totally uncalled for.

Finally, another win.

End of the first, we're losing, 1-0. second period, Andy Greene ties it with his first NHL goal (congrats, Andy!!). then Sergei Brylin scores what i would call a pretty damn amazing goal to give us the lead. in the third we lost the lead, when the pitts tied it. about 4 minutes later, Travis Zajac scored, giving us the lead yet again, only to have it tied about 6 minutes, thanks to a wonderful play from the outrageously horribly, overpaid scott gomez (yeah, i don't like him too much).

we went to OT, with no scoring then, which, of course, lead to the SO. Parise and Langenbrunner were both denied (i say naner pads was cheating), as were all 3 shooters from the pitts. amazingly, Patrik Elias finally pulled through and scored (because he loves me so much and heard me screaming all th way in the melon), giving us a much needed win, that gave Brodeur win #40 this season, and put us back within 3 points of buffalo (thanks, Patrik!!).

Assists:
Patrik Elias, Brian Rafalski (Greene)
Johnny Oduya and scott gomez (Brylin)
Jamie Langenbrunner and Zach Parise (Zajac)


Notes:
Brian Gionta, who's groin has been "tweaked" didn't play tonight, after being taken out in the second period tuesday, and not returning.

Johnny Oduya got his 213481902456536549023 billionth delay of game pentaly.

Zach Parise still leads the team with 27 goals, and Patrik Elias leads with 64 points.

Colin White also missed the game, but i missed why, since i was getting beat up by my cat (sorry bout that).

Cam "The Beast" Janssen will be back from his unfair (i'm a Devils fan, what else do you expect me to say?) 3 game suspention on saturday, to face the first place buffalo sabres.

3/6, 4-5 Flyers OT

Yet another loss for the Devils.

Parise got us a 1-0 lead in the 1st with assists from Gomez and Gio. Flyers tied it in the second, only to have Elias scored with an assist from Gomez. A little more then i minute later, Flyers tied it yet again. Bryin then scored with assists from Elias and Oduya, only to have the Flyers end the period with a 4-3 lead. Lukowich tied it up in the 3rd with assists from Gomez and Elias. Sadly, we couldn't score in over time, so now we lost 3 games in a row.



Notes:
Zach Parise leads the team with now 27 goals (and 23 assists for 50 points).
Captain Patrik Elias leads them in points with 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points.
Brian Gionta tweaked his groin during the second and sat out the rest of the game.


The Devils next game will be at Pittsburgh on Thursday. Game starts 7:30.



Clemmy, anyone? I hate to say it, but Marty lost his...Martyness. Actually, it wasn't just Marty. It was the whole team. After the Janssen hit, they all lost their energy or something. They've been dead lately. I think something happened in the lockerrom that day, because after the 2nd that day, they've just been...not as amazing. Let's hope they can pick it up Thursday.

Way to lose, guys.

Great game. Broduer gives up 2 goals in the 1st then another in the 3rd plus an empty netter, making it 4-1 Bruins.


Mike Rupp scored the only goal for the Devils at 6:40 into the 3rd with assists from Brian Gionta and Paul Martin. Sadly, no one else could do the same and we lost it. Someone needs to tell Claud Julien to STOP PULLING THE GOALIE! that works like .2% of the time. And half of that .2% is the other team scoring. We probably would have been better off had he not pulled Marty and just kept the score 3-1. Did he honestly think we could score twice in less then 2 minutes?


Honestly, the Devils seemed to have no energy at all. They could have easily kept boston with 2 goals and had atleast 3 or 4. It seems without Cammy, they're like dead. Plus Marty...I really woudl like to know what happened to him lately. Right around that loss to the Caps, he just kind of...I don't know...lost some of his...awesomeness. I really hope they put Clemmy in tuesday. Argue if you want, but Broduer's been slipping lately. I don't know if he needs a break or what, but he needs to do something about it. We dont need a losing streak, and we sure as hell dont need to lose to the Flyers. So please, either step it up Marty, or have Scotty play Tuesday.

Guess who's back...

Back, back...back again...GIO'S BACK!!! Back...back again.
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Anyway...


It's true!!! The Newark Star Leger has reported that Brian Gionta is in fact back, and will be playing tonight. However, Jimmy Dowd has the flu, so expect to see another call up from Lowell (I'm guessing Pelley).


Welcome back, Gio, and get well soon, Jimmy.


And while I'm doing this, I guess I should do the whole preview thing now.

So tonight we play the Boston Bruins at home.

Devils are have won 2 of their last 4, with points in all but 1, while the Bruins are 1-3 in the last 4. Last night, they had a 3-1 win over Montreal, while the Devils lost their last one 4-3 (SO).

Devils are 1-1 over the Bruins this season (first- 5-1 Devils, second 5-3 Boston). Brodeur had the start in the first, but Clemmensen started the second one (in his defense, Boston had wayy more shots then the Devils and the last goal was an empty-netter).


Patrik Elias leads the Devils against the Bruins, with 2g and 2a. Jamie Langenbrunner also has 2g against Boston, one of which was the game winner on Dec. 9.


My take: The Devils have been hotter then the Bruins lately (but looks aren't everything) and the Bruins just played last night, so we have a good chance. Plus was have our second-leading scorer back (and I as much as I love Zach Parise, I'll admit Gio would have had quite a few more then him, had he not pulled his groin), but still, keep your fingers crossed.


Also, Cam Janssen will miss the next 3 games (tonight, 3/6 @ Philly, 3/8 @ Pittsburgh).