Eight is enough

February 3, 2009   ·   Hasan   ·   Jump to comments

All good things must come to an end, and the Devils’ eight game winning streak was no exception.  A good Washington team came into the Rock and snowed in the Devils by a 5-2 count, extending their lead on the Devils to three points for the East’s second seed.

To say special teams was a factor tonight would be an understatement.  While the Devils got one goal each with their power play and penalty kill, the Capitals scored three times with the man advantage including both first-period goals.  Mike Green whistled one of his blistering slapshots past Scott Clemmensen at 5:58, then barely more than two minutes later Brooks Laich was the recepient of some nice passing by Green and Alexander Ovechkin, scoring a tap-in goal in front.

Yet it wasn’t those two goals or anything else on the ice tonight that annoyed me.  What nearly had me beside myself was the announced crowd of just over 14,000 (with some no-shows because of snow flurries and storms all day) actually booing the Devils off the ice at the end of the first period.  Granted, the Devils might not have had their best period of the season but come on already.  This team’s won eight in a row with some dramatic games thrown in for good measure, we’re not allowed to let the boys have an off period anymore?  There’s a difference between demanding excellence – which Devil fans and certainly Devils management does – and demanding perfection.  The latter just isn’t possible, especially when you’re facing another talented team that’s also playing very well.

<end rant>

On with the rest of the recap – and just 2:16 into the second period the Caps made it 3-0 when Michael Nylander scored off a weak rebound left by Clemmensen.  Amazingly one more time,  the Devils showed some life and made a game of it just when it looked like the rout was on.  Back-to-back penalties by Green and Dave Steckel gave the Devils 79 seconds of a 5-on-3.  Brian Rolston only needed the first five seconds to score his ninth goal of the season on a slapshot at 8:50, making the score 3-1 where it would stay at the end of two.

On a crucial penalty kill just 41 seconds into the third period, Jamie Langenbrunner would take advantage of a Caps breakdown and score on a partial breakaway for his fifteenth of the year and seventh in the last four games for the NHL’s player of the month in January.  After the captain got his Feburary off to a similar start, the Devils swarmed Jose Theodore and outshot the Caps 17-5, narrowly missing the tying goal at least a handful of times in the first part of the period.

Then Clemmensen allowed his second bad goal of the night at 10:59, again by Nylander on an unscreened wrist shot from beyond the faceoff dot and for all intents and purposes a bad break that even this Devils team didn’t have enough magic to rebound from.  Eric Fehr finished off the scoring at 18:50 with an empty-net goal, making the final score 5-2.  New Jersey’s next game will be Friday in Atlanta, followed by a quick trip home Saturday to play the Kings.

Notes: Much to my surprise upon signing on I found out the Devils made a trade immediately after the game.  Spare part defenseman/forward Sheldon Brookbank was dealt to Anaheim for the rights to 22-year old center David McIntyre.  McIntyre is 6 feet tall and 185 pounds.  In 26 games for Colgate this season McIntyre has compiled 14 goals and 30 points.

Analysis: Well, Brookbank had basically become the eighth defensemen and fourteenth forward, and he couldn’t be sent down without clearing waivers so getting any hint of a prospect isn’t a bad deal at all, especially with the added roster flexibility.  Jay Leach has been gathering dust as the seventh defenseman after a series of solid games earlier this year and suddenly idle Jay Pandolfo is obviously around as the thirteenth forward so immediate depth shouldn’t be an issue.

BoNY Three Stars:

1. Michael Nylander (2 goals, +1)
2. Mike Green (goal, assist, -1)
3. Jamie Langenbrunner (goal)