Wash, rinse, repeat

November 14, 2008   ·   Hasan   ·   Jump to comments

It’s already becoming a familiar script.  A good effort by an undermanned Devils team, but the offense can’t put the puck past a goaltender you wouldn’t expect to play well and despite acceptable goaltending on their own end, it’s all just good enough to lose.  That’s what’s facing the Devils right now after their 3-1 loss in Washington, dropping them to .500 (7-7-2) just two weeks after being four games over.

For the fifth time in six games since Martin Brodeur’s injury the Devils went down to defeat, but as has been the case for all but one or two of the games you really can’t blame the goaltending.  Scott Clemmensen rebounded from a somewhat shaky first few minutes to play solidly making 24 saves, only giving up a deflected goal by Brooks Laich in the first period and what proved to be the game-winning goal late in the second period on a Tomas Fleischmann wrister in the slot. 

If it wasn’t for a bad Capitals line change in the third period that gave Patrik Elias a breakaway goal the Devils might still be shooting into Jose Theodore’s crest.  It was actually the first even-strength goal allowed by the Caps in three games, though the first two were mostly with Brent Johnson in net.

At least Alex Ovechkin provided some entertainment (comic relief even) when both he and Laich celebrated Laich’s goal in the first period as if they scored – and the goal was initially credited to Ovechkin before replays showed that Laich tipped Ovechkin’s blast on the power play.  When Ovechkin tried to score an empty net goal in the third period and iced the puck, he argued with the ref, convinced he was in front of the center line despite being two steps behind it.  After the faceoff however, he made amends by scoring on a second chance towards the empty net.

Too bad watching Jamie Langenbrunner these days is like watching paint dry.  I hate to bag on him, I really do – he’s been a great Devil.  But man, he looks like he’s lost three steps this year.   And he assassinated two more crests tonight on good scoring chances and muffed another one with a bad pass.  Not that he was alone in finding new and creative ways not to score, it just tends to stick out more when you play 20 minutes as opposed to just under 4 (cough Bergfors and Vrana cough).

Oh well, at least there were no further injuries and the Devils even got Paul Martin back, and the Devils’ top defenseman played 22 minutes and looked sharp right away, saving a goal early in the first period.  Ironically the only injury of the night was to the Caps’ leading goalscorer Alexander Semin, I guess the injury bug is getting contagious!  Fortunately Semin only missed the latter part of the third period and was described as day-to-day. 

On the flip side, Brian Rolston stopped skating today, apparently a setback in his recovery although of course GM Lou Lamoriello wouldn’t admit to that.  So it doesn’t look like the offense will be getting any further help soon – certainly not in time for tomorrow’s rematch at the Rock.

UPDATE: Well, well - Clemmensen earned himself a second straight start tomorrow night, as per Sutter in the postgame.  Poor Kevin Weekes, after a year plus of collecting dust behind Marty now he’s collecting dust behind Clemmensen.  But Clemmensen’s been in that position too, and hopefully the kid keeps playing well while he’s in there.  Too bad he can’t help our punchless attack though.   

BoNY Three Stars:

1. Jose Theodore (500 32/33 Saves)
2. Brooks Laich (Goal, Assist)
3. Patrik Elias (Goal)