Devils overcome slow start in Pittsburgh to win seventh straight

November 12, 2009   ·   Hasan   ·   Jump to comments

I have to admit I can’t really get into playing for first place this early in the season, especially with so many key players out for both the Devils and Penguins.  Certainly the Devils’ laundry list of injuries is well-known by now but admittedly I didn’t realize just how extensive the Pens’ own injury list was until before the game – Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are a lot of firepower to be missing, along with Tyler Kennedy and Brooks Orpik. 

Still, beating them in impressive fashion at the Igloo for the second straight time in this young season is always nice, especially considering Sid Crosby‘s still playing – and whining to refs everywhere.  New Jersey’s second 4-1 win over the Penguins in a month’s time gave the Devils their seventh straight win overall, ninth in a row on the road (now just one shy of the Sabres’ record) and thirteen wins in their last fifteen games.  Also, the Devils’ win tied them with the Caps for first in the East and ironically enough we’re playing the Caps Saturday at the Rock – a game Alexander Ovechkin may or may not play in.

Perhaps after his workload the last two nights, neither will Martin Brodeur, but given his performances both last night and tonight (especially early) one would argue few deserve a rest more.  True, Brodeur didn’t have to make as many saves tonight as he did against the Ducks but Pittsburgh got higher-quality chances, especially early.  During the first thirty minutes or so it looked as if this game would finally be the off night the Devils have largely avoided during this streak but Brodeur’s saves held the team in it.

Somewhat predictably, there was contreversy on the Penguins’ lone goal in the first period, when Ruslan Fedotenko jammed at a loose puck in the crease and finally put it in, much to the consternation of Brodeur who apparently felt that Fedotenko interfered with him by kicking his pad with a skate.  Honestly I couldn’t tell on a replay whether there was interference and I didn’t think Fedotenko kicked the puck itself.  Even Chico Resch didn’t really cry foul but Brodeur was almost as mad as he was during Game 4 of the Carolina series last year so take from it what you will.  In any case, Fedotenko’s goal at 11:32 was the Penguins’ first in more than 160 minutes and Crosby’s assist on the goal was his first point in six games, amazingly enough.  Pittsburgh threatened time and again to extend their lead but Brodeur – looking as angry and hungry as he did after the contreversial Game 4 loss in the playoffs last year – was up to the task.

Finally the tide started to turn midway through the second and sustained pressure by the top line of Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Nicklas Bergfors led to the tying goal, with Bergfors getting his fifth at 13:50 off of assists from his fellow forwards.  Just five minutes later, the Devils caught a break to take the lead when Andy Greene fired a shot on the power play that looked destined to go wide – but deflected off a Penguin skate and back toward the net going past Fleury for his third goal of the year, with Zajac and Bergfors getting the assists on the lead goal.

Despite having to kill a penalty to start the third period thanks to more Crosby whining that led to a phantom call on Zajac, the Devils started to get more and more control of the game and with 4:43 gone in the third, Zajac and Parise worked a nice two-on-one with Parise scoring his ninth goal of the year off a one-timer.  Bergfors also had an assist on Parise’s goal, giving him his first career three-point night and the Devils a 3-1 lead.  For the remainder of the game it seemed like the Devils vs. Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury, who also made some decent saves when the Devils started to get two-on-ones with regularity (and even dodging a bullet on a three-on-one that Matt Halischuk flubbed by attempting a drop pass to Illka Pikkaranen that got blocked).

For his part, Crosby was everywhere in the third period more or less playing every second shift.  In one remarkable sequence midway through the period, Crosby hit both posts seconds apart during a power play – then took a penalty of his own to end the Penguins’ 25th straight man advantage without a goal.  Not-so-coincidentally, the Penguins’ sudden power play troubles date back to the injuries to Malkin and Gonchar.  With all suspense gone from the game in the final seconds, David Clarkson added an empty-netter at 19:58 for his sixth goal of the season and not wanting to show anyone up, didn’t celebrate the goal at all.  Bryce Salvador got an assist on Clarkson’s goal, a fitting reward for the rugged defender who played almost twenty solid minutes despite another injury scare in the first period when a slapshot stung him on the right arm.  Fortunately Salvador came back soon after and it doesn’t look like he’ll be part of our walking wounded at this point.

As usual, Jacques Lemaire‘s postgame was interesting.  Earlier the coach had said that first place meant nothing at this point in the season, but when a reporter (I think it was Rich Chere) asked him if he thought it said anything about the team Lemaire matter-of-factly said, ‘What?  That we’re winning’.  Also, Lemaire continued to stress Bergfors needing to be better defensively proving two things, one that results don’t get in the way of the larger picture and two that Jacques is above all else, a teacher.  And with the number of young players on the team, that aspect of his coaching should be his most beneficial.

Notes: Brian Rolston did return to the lineup tonight, with no word as to why he missed last night’s game.  Patrik Elias played in a back-to-back situation for the first time this year but still has no points in three games and Lemaire admitted he’s got a ways to go (with timing and conditioning) to be the player he can.

BoNY Three Stars:

1. Martin Brodeur (25/26 saves)
2. Travis Zajac (three assists, +3, 19:57 TOI)
3. Nicklas Bergfors (goal, two assists, 6 SOG)