Battle Of Hudson

It was another tough night for the Islanders. In a game they led 3-1 and scored four power play goals, the Islanders lost to the Hurricanes 6-4 at Nassau Coliseum. It was their fifth consecutive loss.

Losing is frustrating for everyone. No better example being star center John Tavares, who did his part again scoring his team-leading seventh and assisting on another. At 22, the former ’09 number one overall pick is the face of the franchise. One of the most exciting players in the game who plays in obscurity on Long Island. In 12 games, he’s scored seven times and tallied eight assists for 15 points.

Tavares has improved each year, increasing his production from 24 goals, 30 assists and 54 points in ’09-10 to 29 markers, 38 helpers and 67 points in ’10-11. His third season was even better notching 31 goals, 50 assists and 81 points in ’11-12. Including his two points tonight, the Mississauga Ontario native has totaled 91 goals and 126 assists for 217 points in 255 career games. The most from a 2009 rookie class that includes Matt Duchene (68-92-160 in 229 GP), Evander Kane (66-68-134 in 224 GP) and current Avs’ holdout Ryan O’Reilly (39-68-107 in 236 GP).

The great debate that Draft was who should go first. Tavares, Duchene or Victor Hedman (14-61-75 in 225 GP). After playing a game of poker, Isles’ GM Garth Snow finally revealed his choice leading to a celebration at the club’s Draft Party. Many including myself wondered if Duchene might’ve been a better fit. The thought was maybe they could trade down with Colorado, who stole O’Reilly in the second round. Instead, they selected Tavares while Tampa Bay took Hedman and the Avalanche picked Duchene.

All three franchises are pleased with their former No.1 picks. Tavares is the franchise leader for the Islanders, who move to Brooklyn in two years. Hopefully, he and ’11 No.1 pick Ryan Strome will form a potent duo. Hedman has become the Lightning’s top defenseman and Duchene is Colorado’s No.1 center.

The only player of the three to not make the playoffs is Tavares, whose team plays in arguably the toughest division. The Islanders next opponent is bitter rival the Rangers who beat them in the first meeting. They won their first Atlantic since ’95-96 last year and made the Conference Finals before losing to another close rival, the Devils who lost to the Kings in the Cup Final. The Penguins remain a powerhouse featuring league MVP Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, who won a Cup. The Flyers recently lost to the Blackhawks for the hardware.

“We’re the type of team that needs all 20 guys, and I don’t think we got that tonight,” coach Jack Capuano told the AP after his team allowed Carolina to score four goals in the third period. “We’ve got to find a way 5-on-5 to generate some offence. Our power play was good, but it’s not going to be there every day.”

“The harder you work, the luckier you get. “You can’t get frustrated. You can’t get down on one another. We’ve got a good bunch of guys. Adversity is something that you go through in life, and right now we’re going through it.”

The Islanders are a work in progress. It isn’t easy to rebuild in an ultra competitive division. Even in a shortened season, one slump can put you in a hole. They got off to a promising start going 4-2-1 with wins over the Devils and Pens. During the losing skid, it hasn’t gone their way. Even on home ice where traditionally they’ve been good. The Isles have lost five straight at home since a Martin Luther King Day win over Tampa Bay.

This was supposed to be a chance for them to build on their start. Instead, they’ve dropped five straight with four coming at the Coliseum. Thursday, they visit MSG looking to avenge a 4-1 defeat. Then host the red hot Devils Saturday. It doesn’t get any easier. The Islanders need to stop the bleeding.

Tavares is only one player who carries so much weight on his shoulders. He and sidekick Matt Moulson are consistent forces. They’ve gotten support from free agent pickup Brad Boyes, Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen, Keith Aucoin and captain Mark Streit. Evgeni Nabokov has played too much already due to Rick DiPietro, who’s a shell of himself due to all the injuries. Of course, he got blame for the Canes’ onslaught. But the reality is the Isles are poor defensively. Even Lubomir Visnovsky’s goal and helper wasn’t enough.

The Islanders need more from former No.1 pick Kyle Okposo. One goal and three assists isn’t enough from a player capable of scoring 25-30 goals and 50+ points. He hasn’t been consistent. Last year, he used a strong finish to set a career high in goals (24) while netting his second highest point total (45). With the departure of P.A. Parenteau to Colorado, bigger things were expected. Instead, it’s been more of the same for Okposo, who’s now 24.

In order for them to compete, they need contributions from everyone. Until that changes, it looks like Tavares will endure more long nights.

A little over two years ago on February 8th 2011, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula burst onto the Western New York scene similar to how former Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly did in 1986, he took the sports scene by storm, created a new excitement, a new beginning.

This was going to be a special time to be a Buffalo Sabres fan.

Pegula said all the right things that struck the positive sports nerves of Buffalo Sabres fans everywhere. ‘Money Is No Object’ ‘The only objective is to win Stanley Cups’ and ‘I don’t care if I lose money, if I need more money, Ill drill for more oil’ are some of the loosely used catchphrases that resonated throughout Western New York.

Even beyond that, he shed tears at his press conference. Mr. Pegula showed the emotion and passion that embodied the very fan base of the team he now owns.

Most, including myself thought that finally, the Buffalo Sabres have been saved from the doldrums. Former Sabres owners Tom Golisano and John Rigas will just be afterthoughts. Welcome to Pegulaville: the population growing by the second.

Wild thoughts abound from the Sabres fan-base: From the thought of seeing the Sabres hoist that elusive Stanley Cup., to even becoming the new Hockey Town of the USA. The sky is the limit.

It seemed that everything Pegula was doing to better the franchise was a hit. Remodeling the arena, upgrading the facilities, being aggressive in both the trade, FA and draft markets. Pegula can do no wrong.

And now here we are two years later, and the Sabres are still selling tickets like wildfire despite the lockout. Life is grand for Pegula.

But is it? Is there more to the story in Buffalo then meets the eye? Buffalo News writer Bucky Gleason sure seems to think so and brought out some very interesting comments from ‘sources regarding Pegula and his handling of General Manager Darcy Regier and Head Coach Lindy Ruff.

Gleason mentioned that another Eastern Conference GM is happy Regier and Ruff are still here because that means they can ‘scratch off a team from their list’ of contenders. Of course these sources cannot be named, and I understand Gleason’s reasoning for that. Gleason has gone now where no Buffalo sports reporter has dared to venture: Take on Saint Pegula.

And Gleason might of nailed it, and the denial from some Sabres fans is evident.

Let’s rewind back to what Pegula said in 2011 about the ‘only reason we are in existence is to win Stanley Cups’. Hundreds of Head Coaches and dozens and dozens of GM’s have come and gone, and yet Lindy Ruff and Darcy Regier have persevered.  Heck, Regier ever got a contract extension from Pegula. For what exactly- mastering the technique of finishing 9th in the conference?

Is this to say everything Regier has done has been a failure? No. The Danny Briere trade was a stroke of genius and revitalized the franchise on their way to two straight Eastern Conference Finals. The Cody Hodgson for Zach Kassian trade was one that just about any NHL person will say benefited both teams.

But is it fair to say almost any GM that has reigned over a team for this long will hit pay-dirt every so often? Has Regier lived off of 3-4 stellar seasons, causing management and ownership to overlook 6-7 years of falling short of expectations? Yes.

Can the same even be said for Lindy Ruff? Absolutely.

Ruff has had some great moments as a coach: Four Eastern Conference Finals and a Stanley Cup appearance in 1999. But his teams of late have disappointed more then overachieved and the patterns are annual now: Slow starts to the season, and trying to win like gangbusters at the end of the season, fall short, give false hopes, rinse, and repeat.

Lindy Ruff is the Andy Reid of the National Hockey League: Very good coach with some excellent moments. But like in Philadelphia with the Eagles, it was time for Reid and the Eagles to part ways. The same has to be said for Ruff and Buffalo. Lindy will surely land somewhere else and be a very good coach. I like Lindy. But it is apparent the mix just isn’t right now.

A new voice is needed, and the time is now.

So now the onus is squarely on Terry Pegula. Is he meddling too much? Is his passion a detriment to the franchise? Is his loyalty working against him?

Time will tell on that front. But one thing is for certain:  The lovely Honeymoon period for Pegulaville is over, now it is marriage time. Let the nagging commence.

The Rangers are finally over .500. They did it by lighting up the Bolts 5-1 in the night cap of a double dip at MSG. Their second consecutive win was impressive. Similar to the win over the Islanders, they scored at least four goals. True to form, Henrik Lundqvist (19 saves) was outstanding. And Dan Girardi looked sharp in his return.

Another positive was our team coming out fast. They scored on the opening shift just 31 seconds in when Carl Hagelin tallied the first of two. It was Hags’ third career two-goal game. He also set up another to record his second three-point game. After a cold January, the sixth round gem has five points (3-2-5) in four games this month. Playing with Derek Stepan and Rick Nash has been a good fit. Nash recovered a Girardi dump in and made a power move to the slot. His shot was deflected in by Hagelin.

Tampa Bay had plenty of chances to tie it. Sloppy play allowed the Lightning to have six odd-man rushes in the first period. It had to drive John Tortorella nuts. That included a couple of close calls from Steven Stamkos, Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. Our team played more aggressively and took chances. On numerous occasions, the dangerous Bolts caught three guys deep counter attacking. Thankfully, Lundqvist was at his absolute best. He got across to make a sliding save on one and Ryan McDonagh got his stick on a Stamkos bid. Lecavalier had the puck slip off his stick on a breakaway and St. Louis hit the post.

Lundqvist’s big saves allowed the Blueshirts to continue to pepper Mathieu Garon. Garon played well before being chased after permitting three goals on 19 shots. Ryan Callahan converted a breakaway for a 2-0 lead. Captain Cally stole the puck and patiently outwaited Garon, deking before tucking a forehand into the net for his third. What a difference he makes. Two games back and his presence has allowed Tortorella to play rookies J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider with him. The unquestioned leader does whatever it takes to win.

In Tortorella’s show #BehindtheBench with host Bill Pidto, he illustrated how important the neutral zone wall play is to our team’s success. Callahan executed it on the second goal and Marc Staal was instrumental in the third. He played another strong game. Staal forced a turnover in the neutral zone and passed to a streaking Hagelin, whose shot snuck through Garon for a 3-0 lead. At that point, Guy Boucher pulled Garon for Anders Lindback.

The Lightning responded by scoring the next goal to get back in it. They took advantage of another poor change. It’s becoming an alarming trend. Three Rangers jumped back on the bench to avoid another too many men minor. Our D never recovered. Lundqvist stood on his head before Lecavalier got to a Victor Hedman rebound and squeaked in his fifth. Alexander Killorn picked up an assist for his first NHL point. They came close to making it 3-2 but Lundqvist was there along with the D, which picked it up. Particularly Staal, who broke up a lot of plays.

Arron Asham salted the game away by scoring his first as a Blueshirt. He took a Ryan McDonagh feed and beat Lindback far side. Speaking of which, the fourth line had their best effort. They fore-checked effectively and Tortorella rewarded them with regular shifts. Jeff Halpern had a nice takeout and Darroll Powe was solid.

In the closing moments, Nash put the cherry on top by scoring his third from Hagelin and Girardi at 19:51. Hopefully, that’ll be the start of something for our new power forward who played arguably his best game.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (19 saves-money early)
2nd Star-Dan Girardi, NYR (2 assists, +4-Danny G was ready to play)
1st Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (2-1-3, 6 SOG, +2-all over the ice)

Notes: He didn’t register a point again. Stepan had another strong game. He was plus-three not by accident, centering our best line and also won 14 of 25 draws. The only thing I want to see different from him is shoot the puck. He passes up on too many opportunities. Be a little selfish. You’re our No.2 center. D-Step has to pop in a few for this team to have success.

… Anton Stralman (20:36/5 hits) saw more shifts than Michael Del Zotto (17:41/+1). Stralman has been a steady influence. … St. Louis and Stamkos went a combined minus-five with only two shots. … Lindback turned aside 11 of 13 in relief. … Rangers (6-5-0) visit Bruins (8-1-1) Tuesday at 7:30 PM. It’s the final meeting. Another bizarre twist in a crazy schedule.

New Jersey’s twin 3-1 victories over the Penguins (who’d been on a five-game winning streak outscoring its opposition 23-8) were so impressive, the Devils definitely sent a message to a lot of people both inside and outside of Pittsburgh.  It’s become almost cliche, the familiar theme of losing players and having others step right in, still finding a way to get the job done while defying the critics and doubters again and again.  I had my doubts too, about whether a team that lost three top nine forwards in the offseason – with another on the shelf in Danius Zubrus – would have the scoring to be able to play Pete DeBoer‘s attacking system.  I’m not going to claim everything’s perfect now despite the Devils’ nearly perfect record, but you certainly have to like what you’re seeing right now on a lot of different fronts, if you’re a Devils fan.

While younger players have played a key role in this terrific first quarter of the season, you have to start by talking about the two oldest players on the team – Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg.  This weekend was a perfect illustration of how good the Devils currently have it in net, especially in a short season with back-to-backs where you need your backup to give you quality games.  Age is truly still a number for the 40-year old Brodeur and 39-year old Hedberg.  Brodeur calmed the waters yesterday, in spite of a choppy start and puncuated yesterday’s win with a stunning glove save on Evgeni Malkin in the final minute.  Hedberg played just as well today as Brodeur did yesterday, in particular during the first period when he held the fort despite a dominant opening twenty minutes by the Penguins.

Both goalies do get a fair amount of help from their friends on defense, a veteran unit which continually defies the belief that you need a superstar on defense to win.  There’s no Chris Pronger or Zdeno Chara in this bunch, nobody that’s going to log thirty minutes or scare you with a booming slapshot.  What the Devils do have is a smart, professional group that goes eight deep.  Perhaps the best illustration of the depth on the Devils’ defense is to look at who’s not playing – a solid pro in Henrik Tallinder, and Peter Harrold who was a revelation during last Spring have both been sitting out the last few games (and Harrold’s only game this season has been as a quasi-forward).  

It’s hard to even pinpoint who the best defenseman on the Devils is on a yearly basis, though right now it’s clearly Andy Greene.  Last year I would argue Mark Fayne or Bryce Salvador – and the current captain embodies the defense, the ultimate pro who isn’t flashy but finds a way to get the job done.  Fayne and Adam Larsson are the only players on the unit that are under thirty years old, but the second-year Larsson has played arguably his best hockey since returning to the lineup several games back, with the new pairing of Larsson and Greene playing off each other very well.  It doesn’t hurt to have teachers like Larry Robinson last year and Scott Stevens this year, but the twenty-year old former #4 overall is coming into his own now, with another 22:48 of solid hockey tonight. 

Up front, the Devils have more younger players contributing.  Everyone already knew about the twenty-three year old Adam Henrique after he was a Calder finalist last year and burst onto the scene nationally with two playoff series-deciding goals last Spring, but he’s seemingly taken it to another level in just his second full season with four goals, two assists and a +3 in seven games this year since returning from injury.  Centerman Jacob Josefson has had a bit of a rocky start this year, but is still playing quality minutes as a twenty-one year old.  It probably isn’t too early to admit I was wrong about Stefan Matteau, I figured he’d be better off with more development in juniors but over the last couple of games since he’s returned to the lineup, his game looks far more developed than an eighteen-year old’s should be…clearly pops did a good job imparting his NHL knowledge into his son. 

After the younger Matteau’s hello to the NHL record book with his first goal yesterday, he followed that up with a solid game today playing nearly fourteen minutes, registering five hits and getting a crucial assist on Ilya Kovalchuk‘s second-period goal with good work along the boards to spring a puck loose.  Kovy did the rest on the ensuing two-on-one firing a wrister past Tomas Vokoun to double the Devils’ lead at 11:27, in the middle of two more goals by our newest sniper extraordinare David Clarkson.  Clarkson’s first came in the first period at 13:06, when he toe-dragged defenseman Deryk Engelland, then fired home a wrister from the slot.  His second came at 13:20 in the second – less than two minutes after Kovy’s goal – scoring off a rebound of a Patrik Elias shot on the power play.

Clarkson is perhaps the best story for the Devils in this young season.  It’s impossible to believe that the same player who scored thirty goals last year, and looks like he’s taking his offensive game up still another notch this year (with nine goals and six assists in just twelve games) was a guy who most Devil fans thought was overpaid two years ago if you can believe that.  To realize that Clarkson had just eighteen points in a full eighty-two game season with a -20 two years ago is to know just how far he’s come.  Then again, Clarkson has proved the doubters wrong before – former Ranger agitator Sean Avery most vocally among them, working his way up from an undrafted free agent to NHL regular, and now to legitimate NHL top-line forward.

His maturation couldn’t have come at a better time for the Devils, who had to have been wondering in quiet moments how they were going to replace the offense that walked out the door last Summer.  To be fair, the forward group does have pretty much everything – star power with Kovy, a vet leader in Elias, a solid two-way player in Travis Zajac (slow start or not), Clarkson’s grit and improving scoring touch, the aformentioned younger players, and role players like our third/fourth/whatever line of Carter-Gionta-Bernier.  Even our so-called enforcer role has been upgraded this year with Krys Barch engaging in a well-timed fight with Engelland yesterday during the first period, and today playing nearly ten minutes.  As much as I loved Cam Janssen, he’d never sniff ten minutes in any NHL lineup.

Yes, I still think another forward is going to become neccesary sooner or later, especially if the injury to Zubrus is as serious as has been whispered.  That’s tomorrow’s worry though, right now I’m just enjoying the good start of a team that’s showing improvement every week and been fun to watch in the process.  Even the power play’s become more consistent lately.

It feels like forever since the Rangers played. That’s the hectic schedule effect. If your team goes more than 48 hours without a game, it’s an eternity. Finally, that changes when the Bolts visit MSG tonight.

The Blueshirts squared their record at 5-5-0 with a 4-1 win over the Islanders Thursday. Rookie J.T. Miller scored his first two NHL goals. Ryan McDonagh posted a goal and assist for his first two points in 2012 and Marc Staal had two helpers. Henrik Lundqvist had 27 saves.

Tonight, they try to at least make it a split for Garden teams. The Knicks lost to the Clippers. The Lightning and Rangers don’t faceoff until 7:30 due to all the dedicated workers who must prepare ice for the change. They don’t get enough credit. Especially with hockey back.

The Rangers should get a boost with the return of D anchor Dan Girardi. Danny G missed the past two games because he was “banged up.” I guess that’s the new expression for the classic term “lower body injury.” We’re already a quarter into the shortened season and injuries are a factor. You wonder how many are due to rust.

Getting Girardi back allows John Tortorella probably to reteam him with McDonagh. Something fellow tweep Kevin DeLury speculated on The NYR Blog. Assuming McDonagh and Danny G are the top pair, then Tort can have Staal play with Mike Del Zotto. Although I prefer the underrated righty Anton Stralman. Both Steve Eminger and Stu Bickel are the odd men out with Matt Gilroy getting the nod as our sixth defenseman. Tortorella will lean heavily on the top four and should reward Stralman for his steadiness.

Brian Boyle remains a healthy scratch. It looks he’s fallen out of favor. A bad start hasn’t helped. He’s looked lost without Brandon Prust. Don’t forget Ruslan Fedotenko either. If Slats had retained them, that would’ve been a much better fourth line than what they have. Jeff Halpern has supplanted Boyle in the checking/PK role. He will center Darroll Powe and Arron Asham a second consecutive game.

I like Tortorella’s decision to spread it out and have Miller play with Chris Kreider and Ryan Callahan. With Marian Gaborik back with Brad Richards and Rick Nash on the second line with Derek Stepan, it gives them a new look. It’s up to Nash and Stepan to find chemistry. Once they do, our team becomes less predictable. Having Captain Cally as the stabilizing force for Kreider and Miller is a plus. Finally, a third line capable of contributing.

Their opponent has cooled off. Since their 6-1-0 start, the Lightning have dropped three straight. The Rangers started it by taking the first meeting 3-2 in St. Pete on 2/2. They then lost to the Flyers and Devils. During that span, they’ve given up nine goals and scored only five. A sharp contrast for a high flying team featuring Rocket Richard winner Steven Stamkos, Vinny Lecavalier and former league MVP Marty St. Louis.

There’s also leading rookie Cory Conacher. A great story out of Canisius. He went undrafted and caught on with Tampa Bay last year, just missing the cut. Thus far, the 23-year old from Ontario has 12 points (5-7-12) in his first 10 NHL games. He’s one of two undersized rookies making a splash. The other being Detroit’s Damien Brunner, who notched his sixth in the Red Wings’ 3-2 win over the struggling Kings.

Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone also are factors up front. Their revamped blueline features Victor Hedman, Sami Salo and Matt Carle. Staying out of the penalty box is the key to tonight. The Rangers must shoot on Anders Lindback, who gave up a couple of softies in the loss to the Devils. Take shots and get to the rebounds. If they do both, they’ll prevail.

In all the years I’ve seen him, Martin Brodeur has never looked better than today. As a rival fan who loves to hate on Marty as much as anyone, let’s be honest. Few goalies are playing better than him since hockey returned.

At age 40, the all-time winningest goalie and shutout record holder continues to defy logic. The goaltending Devil fans got from him in the Devils’ impressive 3-1 win over the Pens was some of the best you’ll ever see. It’s not always about the number of saves he makes. But the clutch stops that spark his team. He finished with 23. Two fewer than Marc-Andre Fleury. Anyone who watched knows better.

How about that wild sequence where Brodeur was caught out of his net and Evgeni Malkin fired from 75 feet trying to catch him red handed? Incredible. He scrambled back and the puck clanged off both posts. Even if the whistle blew the play dead for an offside, it’s one of the most insane plays I’ve ever seen. And there you had the ageless wonder having a chuckle.

This man defies logic. He also saved his best for last by flat out robbing Malkin in the last minute. Paul Martin made a great pass to last year’s Hart winner. He looked to have a gimme. Instead, the lightning like glove of Brodeur snatched it back harmlessly. It’s one of the best saves a goalie can make. Even impressing Jersey pal Rob Davis, who now believes the Devils have what it takes to win a fourth Cup.

Based on how they’ve played after winning a fifth consecutive game to move to the top of the East, who could argue? They lost Zach Parise and it doesn’t matter. The team just moves on like they always do. Ilya Kovalchuk has three goals, opting to be a team player and find teammates. He can score at any moment. Adam Henrique already has four goals, including a put back with a flustered Malkin in the box. This guy was properly developed. The Devils were patient and now are reaping the benefits from the third round gem.

Travis Zajac is already fulfilling his new contract by playing smart two-way hockey. Patrik Elias is like Brodeur. He gets better with age. His 13 points and great leadership are on display. David Clarkson suddenly is one of the game’s top power forwards.

You can now add rookie Stefan Matteau to the mix after he scored his first NHL goal. It’s amazing to me that he fell to the Devils. It makes you wonder what these scouts were looking at. He was the beneficiary after helping his team win a faceoff. He finished off a great Andy Greene pass for the tying goal. The kid is not going anywhere. New Jersey decided to keep him. You can see why. Dad must be proud.

Even Bobby Butler looks like a steal. He has a great shot and Pete DeBoer isn’t shy about using him on the power play. And what happens? His first shot goes off the post right to Henrique for the game-winner cause what other kind of goal would he score. Then, Butler gets a pass from Kovalchuk and blisters one past Fleury with Steve Bernier in front. It seems that Lou Lamoriello is always a step ahead. He is miles ahead of Glen Sather, who rests on his reputation.

The Devils have also quietly worked Adam Larsson back into their D. The ’11 first round pick’s confidence is growing. He assisted on Matteau’s goal for his first point in 2013. Patience pays off. So does hiring Scott Stevens. Greene is New Jersey’s best. He’ll never receive the accolades of other blueliners but is a smart puck moving D who usually is in the right spot. His pass for Matteau was a thing of beauty. They have tough warrior Bryce Salvador as captain. The right fit to lead this team. Mark Fayne also is solid and Marek Zidlicky is turning that trade with Minnesota into a steal. The Rangers could’ve used a power play QB who can jump into the play too. But Sather sat on his hands and knees and watched our nemesis add a quality player. He was too busy zeroing in on John Scott.

If you go top to bottom, the Devils boast four lines including the fourth unit that did the Blueshirts in last Spring. Bernier, Ryan Carter and Stephen Gionta are a classic energy line. Even little used enforcer Krys Barch had a good game, getting into an early scrap with Deryk Engelland and nearly scoring.

The Devils are a cult that can’t be ridden of. They’re too resilient. Every time they’re overlooked, we look like fools. It was this team that was the Stanley Cup runner-up. Similar to ’95, they were forgotten about. This time, due to Parise leaving and Alexei Ponikarovsky departing. When assessing the East, the two best teams are New Jersey and Boston. They play strong games overall and can frustrate opponents into undisciplined penalties like we saw from Malkin today.

It’s a credit to DeBoer’s coaching, Lamoriello’s genius and Brodeur’s remarkable play. The Devils will be a handful for anyone this Spring.