There have been a few times over the years where I could only shake my head at fellow fans’ behavior during a particular game.  Cheering Kevin Weekes when he got hurt a few years back was at the top of that list.  The treatment of Johan Hedberg tonight, and to a lesser extent the team itself wasn’t too far off though.  What annoys me even more is I knew this was coming, when Pete DeBoer announced that Moose was again starting despite a GAA that’s higher than Miguel Cabrera’s batting average, I figured we’d fall behind two or three nothing early and the atmosphere would get ugly.  Just like I knew we would get whipped in Toronto last night.

At times, stubborness is good, but Pete’s stubborness in regards to Hedberg may just cost this team a playoff spot.  With Brodeur still out probably forever with mysterious back issues, the opportunity was there to give Keith Kinkaid a start.  Especially when you consider a 39-year old goaltender is not normally expected to play both ends of a back-to-back in different cities anyway.  I understand Pete’s reluctance to scapegoat Hedberg and this hideous 2-8-2 ‘slump’ against the dregs of the East is not all his fault but facts are facts.  He’s not stopping the puck and the team’s not winning.  As much as I’ll forever sneer at Brent Sutter for the way he walked out on us, I’ll acknowledge my respect for the way he saved our season when he didn’t stubbornly stick with the vet Weekes and gave unknown Scott Clemmensen a chance to run with the starting job.  It was Clemmensen who wound up leading us to an improbable Atlantic Division title in 2009 with twenty-five wins.

Now that said, I admit I was screaming at Hedberg in no uncertain terms to stay in his crease and not play the puck after the first goal when I erroneously thought he turned it over (he did complete the pass to Bryce Salvador, who himself turned it over).  And I was screaming at DeBoer to pull him in no uncertain terms after the third goal against.  That said, I wasn’t celebrating when he did finally pull him like the majority of the crowd was, it’s basically piling on.  I know Moose was doing his best.  Booing him after every goal allowed and when he leaves the ice is a bit much.  Chanting ‘Kinkaid’ after the second goal allowed – which was NOT Moose’s fault is a bit much.  Our crowd tonight gave me flashbacks, and not in a good way to Jets’ fans treatment of Mark Sanchez toward the end.  Especially with the clowns behind me, who were a black hole of negativity throughout the game.  At one point when one of them said I’ve never felt so depressed to be a Devil fan, it was all I could do to avoid turning around when I said ‘this is worse than two years ago?’.

I complain and moan about my team –  many times through this outlet – but some people just take it way too far.  My former seatmate last year (who’s now a few seats down since I moved to the aisle) couldn’t take it anymore after the second period and moved to the emptier 215.  It got to the point where I was almost hoping Tampa would score in the third period so I could high-tail it away from the section too.  Which they did, getting one goal on Kinkaid to make it 4-0.  Honestly it should have been 4-0 earlier but the rookie did make some brilliant saves earlier in the period including one on a Steven Stamkos breakaway.  I stood by the Diablos section for a while, then just started walking aimlessly around the arena.  I didn’t really want to leave early, since my general rule is you only leave early when it’s 5-0 or worse after two periods.

Somewhat encouragingly, the Devils showed some fight in the final few minutes getting a shorthanded goal from Adam Henrique and a power play goal from Patrik Elias, pulling to within 4-2 with five minutes to go and causing Guy Boucher to use his timeout.  After the timeout, the Devils kept the pressure on and came within a hair of making it 4-3 with just over two minutes left before the Lightning finally sealed it with an empty-netter.  Kinkaid’s play, and the team’s renewed bite late had me feeling good despite a bad result against a bad team that had lost twelve of its previous fifteen games.

Until that is, DeBoer announced that Hedberg would be starting AGAIN Thursday, again at home.  I love Pete but he’s just flat out wrong on this one.  There’s no couching that sentiment.  I don’t know whether he’s afraid there’ll be a mutiny in the room if he does bench Hedberg but there’s really no other reason not to at this point.  Especially given the crowd’s treatment of Moose tonight.  The absolute worst thing you could do is send the guy out when he’s got no confidence, into a hostile ‘home’ environment.