Battle Of Hudson

In spite of my fellow blogger’s premature celebration of Thursday’s festive holiday, perhaps the luck of the Irish was with the Devils a couple of days early tonight. No doubt Thrashers coach Craig Ramsey had different thoughts about Evander Kane‘s game-tying goal with just over half a minute remaining in a 3-2 game getting waved off, costing Atlanta at least one precious point and dealing their playoff chances a body blow. Heck, the Thrashers could have blown us out of the building in the first period if not for some spectacular saves by Martin Brodeur.

Yet when it was all said and done, the Devils did come from two goals back and hung on for dear life late, finally sealing the game on an Ilya Kovalchuk empty-netter that made the end result 4-2. With Buffalo’s loss in regulation against Carolina, the Devils again pulled to within six points of a playoff spot with a game in hand against the Sabres. Not to mention for the first time all season the Devils surged above NHL .500, with their record now 33-32-4 and having just thirteen games left to keep up their historic push.

Make no mistake, this game was yet another fifteen-round war, perhaps even more stressful than most that have come before it. For one thing, this game didn’t follow the script of a scoreless first period. Atlanta got two goals, breaking our fifteen-game streak of not allowing a goal in the first – and it could have even been more if not for some key saves from Brodeur early. It seemed like every chance the Thrashers were getting was a breakaway or right on the doorstep. Finally they broke the lock on our goal when Kane found a wide-open Tim Stapleton with a beautiful cross-ice pass for an easy tap-in goal at 15:24. Just sixty-five seconds later Chris Thorburn scored, roofing a wrister through traffic that Brodeur couldn’t find.

Being down two has certainly been an unfamiliar position during this run, the only time I can remember the Devils having to come back from more than one goal was in Tampa Bay, and we couldn’t finish the job then in a 2-1 loss. With what could have been our playoff lives on the line though, the Devils started fighting back late in the period when Travis Zajac scored off a double deflection for his 13th goal of the season at 18:52. After getting a piece of Mark Fayne‘s shot from the blueline, it also deflected off Thrasher defenseman Ron Hainsey‘s skate before going in. Fayne and defense partner Henrik Tallinder got the assists on Zajac’s goal, which made the score a respectable 2-1 after the first, considering how badly we were dominated for most of it.

For the next thirty minutes, it was all Devils as the lax nature of the first period gave way to what’s become our customary ‘down a goal with five minutes left’-type desperation. Outshooting the Thrashers 9-2 in the second, the Devils got the tying goal at 5:10 when Brian Rolston‘s cross-ice pass found Patrik Elias just below the faceoff circle and he quickly wristed his sixteenth goal of the year past Ondrej Pavelec to tie the game. About the only downer in the middle period was our power play of doom, which failed miserably on two nearly simaltenous chances in the final several minutes, only registering one shot on net combined in the four minutes of the man advantage.

Still, the Devils came out charged for the third just as they had the second, dominating early and eventually getting a goal from the new kid line. As one poster on NJDevs wryly observed, we should call this line Clarky’s kids, after David Clarkson‘s charity. That moniker certainly fits considering he has virtual kids on his line in Mattais Tedenby and Jacob Josefson. And it was those two rookies who combined for the goal, with Tedenby showing nice hustle to win a loose puck in the corner, and finding an open Josefson in front for a one-timer that gave the young Swede his second goal of the season (and second in two games) at 4:14. Also getting an assist on the lead goal was Colin White, a rare offensive contribution for the big defenseman.

Now up 3-2, the Devils did continue on the attack for the next few minutes but around the halfway mark of the third period came all fans’ biggest fear…the PREVENT OFFENSE. We went pretty much the last ten-twelve minutes without a shot on net and as we sat back, the Thrashers eventually started to get more and more good chances. On the game went to the final minute and eventually with Pavelec pulled and after a faceoff win in our end, Kane deflected home a shot from the point, which sent me into a fit – until I realized to my utter shock the goal was being waved off due to a high stick. Admittedly I’m still not sure it was a high stick or not, at the arena when I saw the replay I thought it was cause he got the stick to head-level but when I saw the TV afterwards and with even Doc Emrick and Chico Resch not being sure, I thought we might have gotten away with one.

Maybe we did but goshdarnit after all the bad breaks we’ve gotten this season we’ve been owed a couple for a while. Even with that disallowed goal, the Thrashers nearly scored on their next shift on a scrambly play in front where Brodeur had to dive on the puck in the crease to force another faceoff. Finally, the Devils managed to get the puck out of the zone and set the stage for Kovalchuk to sew up the game and score in his fourth straight game against the Thrashers, with Danius Zubrus springing him loose for his 26th goal of the season. After the game came a nice touch when former Devil and current MSG employee Ken Daneyko interviewed Zajac on the ice for the accomplishment of tying Dano’s team record of 388 consecutive games played.

At the arena I knew the Rangers were kicking the tar out of the Isles, something I half expected after we’d annoyed them Saturday by calling their coach ‘names’ and knocked them out of the playoffs to boot. I didn’t expect any help from them and wasn’t sure I really wanted it from Carolina either (against Buffalo). Erroneously, some Ranger fan said that Buffalo had won the game against the Canes so all through the train and car ride home I was thinking, still eight points back but at least we got into tenth place and within two points of ninth. Much to my surprise I found out Carolina held on to that 1-0 lead when I got home, so I guess I should be happy the deficit’s only six – but Carolina’s late schedule does concern me a little. I didn’t really want them involved in this race down the stretch either.

Still, being within six – and having a game in hand – is a tremendous accomplishment, but there’s far more work to be done if this team’s going to make history. Only thirteen games are left and our next one-game season is in Ottawa Thursday. We’d better win that revenge game against a bad team, at least that would get us 5-1 through this six-game stretch of non-playoff teams, a bare-minimum requirement beforehand imo. Then comes Retro Night against the Caps (now without ex-Devil Jason Arnott for the next week plus) Friday, our final home game for a week and a half before the NCAA Tournament comes to town and we go on the road for four straight.

There’s green all around on a nice day here in the metro area. The luck of the Irish is what our hockey clubs will be hoping for tonight. A Happy St. Patty’s Day to all who celebrate. I maybe Jewish but enjoy corned beef and cabbage along with a pint of Guinness. Come to think of it, that wouldn’t be a bad option at the Ranger game late versus Al Montoya and the Islanders. I definitely could go for one if it changes our luck.

It seems like every St. Patrick’s Day, there’s big games going on and of course fun happenings as well. It feels somewhat appropriate that we get to combine a festive Irish holiday with the coolest game on Earth, to borrow a favorite old NHL commercial. Our game is the best even if we have a cyclops who runs the asylum and a senile deputy who should be on Benny Hill. Why not brighten the mood at M$G tossing in a few jokes at James Dolan playing the role of Scrooge. If he got run over by a reigndeer, we’d throw a party that would make all the fake celebs on Page Six jealous.

Tonight should be fun no matter who you root for with all four Battle clubs in action. Playoff positioning is at stake. The best part is two of the three games start at 7 while the other drops at 7:30, making for chaotic scoreboard watching. So, between your brew and banter, there’ll be plenty to keep us drawn or withdrawn depending if the Rangers remember how to win at home. I sure hope they wear the white road jersey again. That sounds wrong. Isn’t it about time the NHL goes back to tradition? Oh wait. That’d be asking for too much from a league that sees nothing wrong with not holding Zdeno Chara accountable after breaking Max Pacioretty’s neck. Even if unintentional, come on. This league never ceases to amaze me.

With the Lightning doing everyone a favor by blasting the Leafs 6-2 to keep them at 70 points, it’s quite simple for the Devils and Thrashers. The winner passes Toronto. Atlanta would have two more points and New Jersey more wins in less games played. The Thrashers try to cool off the miraculous Devs who bring a 22-3-2 mark that has them eight out after being declared dead. When Brian Rolston and Anssi Salmela are scoring big goals, it speaks to how miraculous a run they’re on. But meal tickets Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur and Travis Zajac are doing their part. The Thrashers fell victim with Kovalchuk burning them late and Zajac winning it in overtime. Will it be deja vu all over again in Newark?

While Atlanta and New Jersey skate across the Hudson, the Rangers and Islanders will be doing battle at The World’s Most $hameless Arena. If you didn’t catch Larry Brooks’ take on the preposterous ticket hike, go read it. As for the puck, it’s Islanders-Rangers on St. Pat’s. What more do you need? Of course, there’ll be plenty of Islander fans mixed in due to tickets being easier and easier to pry. Are you listening Jazzy Jim? Oh wait. He’s got a date with his third rate jazz band.
It doesn’t get much better than Manhattan versus Long Island. Everytime these bitter rivals meet, the unusual happens. The norm lately has favored the road team, which suits a more talented Islander club, boasting Matt Moulson, Michael Grabner, John Tavares and Ranger killer Blake Comeau. The Islanders have four 20-goal scorers with three on the verge of 30. Our team has three 20-goal scorers in Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and leading scorer Brandon Dubinsky. He leads them with a measly 45 points. It really hinges on an improved D led by Marc Staal and Danny G with rookie tandem Mike Sauer and Ryan McDonagh logging big minutes. Henrik Lundqvist has to be at his best because goals are at a premium.

Not satisfied despite squeaking past the Sharks, John Tortorella has made two changes. Sean Avery’s back in with shootout ace Wojtek Wolski sitting out for the first time. And Steve Eminger replaces Matt Gilroy, who sits for the first night since Jan.2. This feels like a tactic to keep his guys mentally sharp.

The final game pits the fading Canes visiting the Sabres. Buffalo bounced back from a disappointing defeat to the Leafs with a 6-4 win over the Sens. Rookie Tyler Ennis tallied twice and deadline pickup Brad Boyes already notched his fourth goal. The ex-Blue has been brilliant, tallying seven points (4-3-7) in eight contests since Darcy Regier traded away a second round pick. Exactly the kind of return the Sabres needed, relieving pressure from Thomas Vanek, who also scored a highlight reel goal in the win. Vanek quietly has 60 points, pacing the Sabres while his 25 markers rank just behind emerging right wing Drew Stafford (26 G). They’ve gotten solid contributions from vet Jochen Hecht, who could be missed due to a lower body injury. The goalie match up is a primary one with Ryan Miller taking on Cam Ward. The last meeting went to the former Conn Smythe winner 3-2 in overtime with the Canes rallying back to win it on March 2. Carolina hasn’t won since, bringing a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) into tonight’s big match. The Canes still rank ninth with 72 points but really need the game. A big difference between potentially being down six and only two if it gets decided in regulation.

All eyes will be on the six teams battling. Hopefully, the luck of the Irish will spring eternal.

By show of hands, how many felt confident that the Rangers would go into the Shark Tank and come away with two points the other night? Alright. We’re guessing five to 10 percent. Considering how dreadful they looked against Anaheim and with how well San Jose’s been going since the break, it looked like doom and gloom. Instead, thanks to a clutch performance by Henrik Lundqvist, the Blueshirts escaped with a 3-2 shootout win, putting them at 76 points with a dozen left.

When his team needed him most in a must win, Lundqvist delivered his best work- making 31 saves including many in a lopsided third when his team hung on. Even better, the King of the shootout sans Martin Brodeur was at his best, turning aside five of six San Jose shooters including the last four. None were bigger than his denial of Ryane Clowe who could’ve clinched it in Round Three following Dan Boyle’s awesome super backhand deke. It allowed Wojtek Wolski a chance to level it and he was money with a quick wrister beating Antti Niemi for sudden death. After Lundqvist stoned Dany Heatley, it was Brandon Dubinsky who channeled Mark Messier with a sneaky wrister five-hole that gave the Blueshirts the all important win.

However, it wouldn’t have been possible without the stellar play of the league shutout leader who knows the pressure’s on with teams from behind making pushes. Had he allowed one goal late, the Devils would’ve been six out with the Leafs and Thrashers- miraculous winners in Philly thanks to a dreadful Kris Versteeg error- four behind and slumping Carolina two out.

“We battled the whole night. It was so important for us to get two points tonight, and at least split the road trip,” King Henrik said after getting plenty of help from shot blocking domino Dan Girardi, who delivered a season high nine blocks. The Rangers as a team had 27 altogether, sacrificing like they have all season. That’s why the stinker in Anaheim was so disappointing because they didn’t compete. In particular, Marc Staal and Danny G who both had forgettable nights along with two-way center Brian Boyle. All bounced back with vigor that has defined this meat and potatoes team.

On a night the Draft Line (Anisimov-Dubinsky-Callahan) weren’t a factor, John Tortorella guessed right, reinserting Erik Christensen for Sean Avery on the Marian Gaborik line with Vinny Prospal. When they needed a goal already down one thanks to Clowe, some superb work down low by the trio led to Prospal extending to a six-game point streak with a quick dish in front for Christensen, who did the rest for his 10th.

Overlooked rookie D Mike Sauer continued his splendid play with his second goal set up by Brandon Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko. He also continued to deliver big minutes along with fellow freshman Ryan McDonagh with the second pair duo going plus-four Saturday with five blocks. Big time stuff from two players who didn’t even start the year on Broadway. It speaks to how well the organization has developed each while remaining patient with Sauer, who’s the last link from the unpopular Brian Leetch deal to Toronto pre-lockout. If only Slats would’ve held onto Lauri Korpikoski (17 goals) instead of shipping him to Rangers West for Enver Lisin. A deal we’ll never fully grasp. At least Sauer’s still around, proving to be a reliable two-way blueliner who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Exactly the kind of defenseman this club’s lacked forever.

For the Rangers, who’ve won three of four, they’ll need to keep it going tomorrow night when the archrival Islanders pay a visit to 33rd and Seventh. The Islanders have been playing good hockey, giving the Devils all they could handle twice with each contest going extras before the Devs prevailed. It won’t be easy with Calder candidate Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson, John Tavares and Blake Comeau leading a better offense. There’s also the subplot of former No.1 pick Al Montoya likely going opposite Lundqvist, who blocked his path. You know Montoya would love nothing better than to outperform our franchise netminder, damaging Ranger playoff hopes. He wasn’t that good in the loss to the Devs, giving up a pair of softies including David Clarkson’s rebound that allowed New Jersey to keep their dream alive. Montoya’s performed well for the Isles. So, it should be interesting.

Tomorrow’s a big day with the Devils facing the Thrashers in a rematch at The Rock while the Sabres- 6-4 winners over Ottawa on an emotional day that saw popular French Connection member Rick Martin pass away in a car accident- take on the Canes at the bottom of the hour. There are huge implications for all four clubs, who also will keep a close eye on tonight’s Tampa Bay-Toronto match. A Leaf win would move them into a tie with Carolina for ninth with 72 points. Four off the pace. The Devils and Thrashers basically are fighting to stay in tomorrow. If one wins in regulation, it could be a crusher for the loser. Atlanta sits tied for 10th with the Leafs at 70 while the Devils are 12th with 68 and one fewer game played.

So much is riding on the line for everybody. Do the Devils have more magic in their sticks after unclaimed waiver defender Anssi Salmela beat Montoya in overtime? Or can the Thrashers build on an unlikely comeback win against the top seed after a nifty Evander Kane dish for equally unlikely hero Ron Hainsey? Can Tyler Ennis keep it going against the desperate Canes who suffered a bitter defeat 3-2 to Columbus? Or is this the day Eric Staal and Cam Ward deliver? Can Montoya upstage Lundqvist or will the King reign supreme at a place he and teammates haven’t performed well in? Stay tuned.

Crack open a Killians and enjoy the puck on St. Pat’s.

Maybe some of you were wondering where I’d gone this weekend, since I hadn’t yet recapped another big Devils win against the rival Isles. Turns out I missed most of the game unfortunately, due to a previous commitment (being uptown with friends during the local St. Patrick’s day weekend). As is with the case of most Devil games though, you almost only need to tune into the last five minutes and OT to see what happens. It sounds like I’m talking about an NBA game too but really all of these games in the last month have been like fifteen-round Rocky vs. Drago wars.

Sure enough, I got home just in time to see most of the OT, including Anssi Salmela‘s goal with 1:51 remaining in the extra session (and Ken Daneyko‘s priceless taped reaction on Hockey Night Live afterwards). Like Dano, I was shocked that it was Salmela who ended up being the hero that night but it is nice to see a good kid get rewarded, especially since his own story mirrors that of the team. Put on waivers in early January, he – like teammate Brian Rolston – went unclaimed and only got a second chance in the lineup when injuries hit soon after and has made the most of it with solid two-way play. Even coach Jacques Lemaire‘s been surprised:

“That is crazy,” Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said of Salmela’s season. “He was not among the regulars. He was not even dressing. Then we had injuries. He got back in and has played well. He’s capable of playing like this. At a certain time, he was losing it, making it more complicated, and he got in trouble. When he keeps it simple, he’s got great mobility, good puck control, a good shot and he can play well defensively.”

Even when he first came up, it was obvious Salmela had talent and for a brief stint after he came back last year as the throw-in to the Ilya Kovalchuk deal he looked like he was ready to harness it…before Jeff Carter rudely said hello after Salmela’s third NHL goal, and Salmela wasn’t the same player after that concussion. Coming back from two major injuries this offseason didn’t help and he looked really bad at first, but since the end of January he’s suddenly become another guy you can at least look at as a reliable #6 or #7 next year.

Not that Salmela was the only unexpected goal-scorer of the night. With just seven goals in an eleven-game stretch prior to Friday’s win over the Thrashers, I thought it was time for Lemaire to do a little line-switching, something he did way too much last year but when the offense struggles that much for that long you need to shuffle the deck a bit. And he responded by putting David Clarkson on a line with rookies Jacob Josefson and Matthis Tedenby. Surprisingly, that line turned out to be our best line of the night, with Josefson and Clarkson each scoring goals and Tedenby getting increased icetime for a second straight game, showing he’s finally earning the coach’s trust.

Josefson’s goal came just 1:57 into the hockey game and was his first in the NHL. It was a nice little play too, as he was being tightly checked behind the net but somehow managed to flip the puck towards the side of Al Montoya , and it bounced off the unsuspecting goaltender’s skate into the net. Clarkson (who retrieved the puck for his teammate) and Anton Volchenkov got assists on the goal, which got the Devils off to a flying start. And they would maintain that focus throughout the first period.

However as Lemaire wryly observed afterward, he said he made a mistake by telling the team they were playing well in the opening twenty minutes. During the middle twenty, it looked more like the early-season version of the Devils, as they gave up a shorthanded goal after a Kovy shot got blocked and Blake Comeau made a nice play at 1:13 – making a good deke and slipping the puck under a diving Martin Brodeur. Just minutes later, the Devils suddenly found themselves behind when John Tavares deflected a Matt Moulson point shot past Brodeur to give the Isles the lead.

Going into the third, the Devils needed another Houdini escape, and Clarkson provided that at 5:42 with his tenth goal of the season after swatting home a rebound in front to tie the game. Linemates Josefson and Tedenby added to their strong games with an assist each on that goal. Despite what were supposedly a few contreversial penalty calls against the Isles (more on that in a second), they nearly took advantage of our uneven power play later in the period when Michael Grabner got a shorthanded breakaway but was stopped cold by Brodeur. In his seventh straight start since returning to the net, the future Hall of Famer was again Johnny on the Spot, despite only having to make fifteen saves overall.

Admittedly I didn’t see all the calls for or against us since I didn’t watch the entire tape but I’m sorry, Jack Capuano really needs to stop whining about how we have veteran players and apparently get the calls over his rookie players and rookie staff. It’s one thing to be jobbed but when you’re in the process of getting outshot 35-15 in the game, that usually means you are going to get a lot of penalties against and not a lot for, since the shot advantage told the story of puck possession and offensive-zone time for the most part.

And for the NHL to say they’re now investigating this game when most complaints about the officiating are met with a swift and immediate fine tells me one of two things…either we’re not allowed to have multiple power play chances in a game, or more likely they’re taking every precaution because the contreversial Stephane Auger (he of the Alex Burrows incident last year) was one of the linesmen. Whatever the case I really don’t want to hear anyone else whining about how we get all the calls considering for 95% of the season we seem to only get one or two power play chances a night, even in games we dominate.

Be that as it may, the game reached a familiar conclusion – overtime, and Salmela’s goal gave the Devils their seventh overtime win of the season…ten if you count shootouts. Incidentally, Salmela’s goal was his first since Carter nearly took his head off last year, and young Tedenby got another assist on the OT winner. Amazingly, the result of Saturday’s game not only put us back at NHL .500 (32-32-4) but cut our playoff deficit to a mere six points. True, it’s back to eight now after the Rangers’ win in San Jose later that night and Buffalo’s win against Ottawa yesterday but we do have a game or two in hand with both teams and still get a game against each down the stretch.

With a tough four-game road trip looming next week, the Devils really need to keep the roll going through this week with games against Atlanta and at Ottawa on Tuesday and Thursday, along with Retro Night against the Caps and old buddy Jason Arnott on Friday.

On this eventful Saturday with the weather more Spring-esque with balmy 60+ degree temps reminding us of playoff aspirations, a bevy of action is taking place, including Habs-Pens as we punch away in Huguenot Library. At the end of two, Les Habitants are ahead 3-zip with goals coming off the sticks of Tomas Plekanec, Travis Moen and Mike Cammalleri.  The Canadiens chased emerging MVP candidate Marc-Andre Fleury (3 GA on 12 shots). Vezina hopeful Carey Price has stopped all 17 shots.

Both clubs are comfortably ahead in the playoff chase with the banged up Pens fourth with 86 points- four behind Eastern leader Philadelphia- and the Habs sixth with 81. Seven ahead of seventh Buffalo and eighth New York, who both play later on. Unless Pittsburgh has a furious rally, it looks like the Canadiens will steer within one of fifth Tampa Bay, who have been overtaken by resurgent Washiongton for the Southeast lead. The Caps have quietly been winning regularly with Alex Ovechkin turning it on. His goal in last night’s damaging 2-1 comeback win over ninth Carolina was highlight variety. The Caps would win in regulation but not without controversy due to an apparent Canes’ goal being wiped out due to a quick whistle. One of those rules you live with when it comes to officials, who are human. So, it kept Carolina at 72 with 14 games left, including a big clash with Columbus in Raleigh.

With 10 games involving 20 teams on Spring Puck Saturday, every team in the chase for seventh and eighth are taking part. Fresh off a point in a tough 3-2 overtime defeat to the Devils, the Thrashers visit the Flyers tonight. Atlanta still sits 11th with 68 points with Game 69 a biggie. The same can be said of the Devils who host the Islanders at The Rock at the same time. With more late heroics coming from Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac, the Devs are 12th with 66, still eight behind the Rangers but with two more games left. Still, on a day they need two more points to close to six and put the pressure on our team, who faces the Sharks, it’s essential they get it done against an Islander team that doesn’t lose much these days. Last weekend, they needed a shootout to prevail on Long Island. It should be interesting with the Isles only two back of their state rival.

The teams playing early tonight will have a close eye on Buffalo-Toronto with the Sabres looking to stay hot. Drew Stafford is red hot and Jason Pominville is heating up at the right time. Rookie Tyler Ennis has also stepped up for Lindy Ruff’s club that looks to put more distance between them and the pack against 10th Toronto, who tries to bounce back from a tough 3-2 loss to Philly. Big difference between the Leafs climbing to 70 with a regulation win, just four back and a Sabre victory in 60, which would put them eight clear of their archrival. Should be fun to watch.

For John Tortorella’s club, they’ll already know the results with at least a couple of clubs likely gaining ground. After today, they have only a dozen left. Considering how flat the Rangers were in one of their worst performances Wednesday in Anaheim, expect them to be ready against one of the hottest clubs. The Sharks have gone from outside playoff position pre All-Star Break to sitting third in the crowded West, leading the best division in hockey, the Pacific. The second half performances of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and recently re-signed netminder Antti Niemi have sparked the Sharks to 85 points- three ahead of fourth Dallas and four in front of sixth LA and seventh Phoenix. Oh. And the ninth Ducks sit six out, meaning that’s all that separates last from first.

Against a team that boasts Calder hopeful Logan Couture (25 goals), Dany Heatley, gritty Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Dan Boyle and revived Devin Setoguchi, the Blueshirts have their work cut out. It’s imperative that they get out quickly with headliners Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi all on top of their game. Simply put, the Rangers cannot afford a repeat of the other night. Not with fewer games left than anyone else.

It should be interesting to see how they respond to adversity. A lot’s on the line today for every playoff chaser. Fasten your seatbelts.

For weeks and months I’ve been rolling my eyes at the Devils’ powerless play, which has been for the most part hopelessly bad since the middle of last season – particularly after Tuesday night when a nearly two-minute five-on-three that went dry proved to be the difference in a 2-1 loss to the lowly Senators at home. Eventually there was going to come a time when the Devils needed the power play to be the difference if they were going to keep this wild, unexpected ride going.

That time was tonight, as the Devils scored not one, not two but three – yes THREE power play goals, coming from behind twice and winning a wild 3-2 game in OT at Atlanta. New Jersey’s win put them at 66 points with fifteen games left, eight points back of the Rangers for the final playoff spot with two games in hand. More help arrived on the out-of-town scoreboard during the game as the Capitals beat the Hurricanes in overtime, leaving us six back of the ninth-place team, with a game in hand. Most likely those are the two teams we’ll ultimately have to pass if we’re going to complete a miracle run, as the Sabres are threatening to run away, going 5-1-1 in what was supposed to be a killer eight-game stretch (a home game against Detroit followed by a monster seven-game road trip).

However for most of the night it looked as if the out-of-town scoreboard and the standings would hold little relevance as the Devils again maddeningly played down to the level of their opposition and tried to win 1-0. Really, since our game in Dallas three weeks ago the Devils have operated in almost a bunker mode, scoring just seven goals in their previous eleven games. Sometimes it feels as if we’re hanging on for dear life like a team that’s going to lose a big playoff lead instead of having the atitude of a loosey-goosey one trying to complete a historic comeback. Yeah, it’s nice that the Devils have smashed a modern NHL record by throwing up a goose egg in the first period for fifteen straight games but eventually you have to score to win.

Our prevent offense cost us against Ottawa and looked like it was going to cost us again when the Thrashers took a second-period lead after Thrasher captain Andrew Ladd found a wide-open Blake Wheeler towards the left of goal and he snapped a terrific wrist shot past Martin Brodeur at 10:14. With the game teetering on the balance, the Devils’ power play got a chance at redemption when two quick penalties on Atlanta gave the Devils a minute and fifty-one seconds on a five-on-three. For the longest time, the man advantage continued its usual struggles and looked like it was going to chunk this one away too until finally Travis Zajac caught a break and flubbed a shot near an open net but the puck bounced close enough to his stick for the centerman to get another whack at it and put it in for his eleventh goal of the season at 12:27 (with just sixteen seconds left on the 5-on-3).

You would think the game-tying goal – assisted on by Patrik Elias and Brian Rolston – would inspire the Devils but instead it was the Thrashers who dominated the rest of the period, even getting a shorthanded breakaway in the dying seconds of the period and were fortunate that Brodeur stoned the now-ancient Radek Dvorak (amazing that I remember him as a teenager during the Panthers’ Cinderella run in ’96). Although the Devils started the third period better, they were nearly done in by a contreversial sequence which started with a ticky-tack foul called on David Clarkson to go along with a clear slashing penalty by one of the Thrashers on Anton Volchenkov that wasn’t called – giving the Thrashers a power play instead of what should have been a four-on-four. Moments later Dustin Byfuglien ‘s rocket from the point beat Brodeur, with a contreversial assist from Nik Antropov as the big Russian clearly leaned on top of Brodeur while the shot was coming in but no goaltender interference was called.

At this point I was mad at everyone, mad at the team for not being agressive and mad at the officials for trying to screw us again. Fortunately the team themselves kept their cool, with the young Swede Mattais Tedenby drawing a penalty and once-favorite son Ilya Kovalchuk made the boos on himself even louder when he scored his 25th goal on the power play at 7:51 off a rebound. Rookies Nick Palmeri and Mark Fayne assisted on Kovy’s goal, which he puncuated by slamming his fists on the boards. It was Kovy who termed this game a ‘must-win’ yesterday and he again contributed a dramatic third-period goal, this time to tie the game against his former team. At about this time the news came down that the Canes had lost in regulation to the Caps, thus making both teams happy since the Thrashers are still ahead of us, after all.

With the final seconds ticking down in regulation the Devils did their best to deny the Thrashers any points but their suddenly agressive approach nearly backfired when Chris Thorburn got a breakaway as the clock ticked down but got his shot off way after the buzzer (and was stopped by Brodeur anyway). After a tripping penalty on Fayne in the OT the Devils dodged another bullet by killing off a two-minute four-on-three that seemed like it took two hours, especially with the big guns of Byfuglien and the recently returned Tobias Enstrom looming on the man advantage. Yet after killing that off there was still enough time for Evander Kane to take a penalty in the final sixty-six seconds of overtime, giving us our sixth power play chance of the night.

Proving perhaps that repetition is the best medicine for what had been an ailing power play, the Devils would score their third of the night with Zajac getting his second on an eerily similar play than his first goal. This time however, Zajac flubbed his initial shot after a crisp cross-ice pass from Elias but the puck somehow still found a way in. It was such an odd play I was worried Zajac might have kicked it in, but no it was a perfectly legal goal that not even Toronto could screw around with and the Devils pulled out a critical win with just forty-two seconds remaining in overtime. To add insult to injury for Thrasher fans, Kovy got a secondary assist on the game-winning goal, giving him two goals and an assist in his two games back in Atlanta this year.

Fortunately this one finished a lot different from the first game in late December, a humiliating 7-1 loss where Brodeur got pulled, goon Eric Boulton somehow got a hat trick and it proved to be the penultimate game in the ill-fated tenure of John MacLean as head coach. While the team did managed to beat the Thrashers in New Jersey on New Year’s Eve (with Kovy scoring again and ex-Thrashers Johan Hedberg getting the win that night) there was still a bit of a debt to be paid tonight. Nearly thirty points behind the Thrashers at that point, the Devils are now within two of both Atlanta and Toronto with a game in hand on each team. With a win tomorrow night at home against the Isles, the Devils could potentially pull into a tenth-place tie with the Leafs and Thrashers and pull even closer to a playoff spot based on multiple out-of-town scores tomorrow night.

Of course that all depends on the Devils beating the Isles for the second time in a week, no easy task despite the fact the Isles’ own last-ditch run looks like it’s already come up short. At least this time we’ll have a sellout crowd on our side trying to will the team to win. Hopefully our next one-game season is just as successful as tonight’s was.

Today, Madison Square Garden announced price increases for Knicks and Rangers tickets due to the Renovation. As expected, it’s going to cost fans of both teams a pretty penny just to continue supporting each club.

If you’re a basketball fan, I feel sorry for you because a Knicks ticket will cost nearly double, which comes as no shock with the team competitive again thanks to star trio Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Considering that they have increased only one year in a decade due to some of the most unwatchable basketball in NBA history, you knew billionaire crook Jim Dolan couldn’t wait for this day. So, Knick fans will pay through the roof for the new state of the art Garden, which from the look of things, sounds great if you have financial security.

As for our beloved Blueshirts who’ve seen hikes in four of the past five years due to the postseason run (’06-09), we’re looking at a modest 23 percent increase just to cheer on 85 years of mediocrity. Well, hey. At least our Cup came less than 20 years ago. Knick fans have suffered far longer. Considering the current state of the club which is fragile thanks to a 5-2 drubbing in Anaheim the other night, it’s awfully difficult to be enthused about this development. Sure. We knew Jazzy Jim had to raise the cost due to the nature of what’s going to be an entirely different building from the one we know. If you’ve gone to games lately, take a look downstairs at what’s now a construction site where hardly anything is recognizable. There was a lot of confusion at our last game from others as to where to find restrooms. They even closed the middle concession between the 300’s and 400’s.

It doesn’t promise to get any better as this 85th Year Anniversary season concludes. Hopefully, there will be playoffs. And if you can afford the first round, which figures to be be steep, Dolan has indicated that if your playoff invoice is in by my Dad’s birthday March 24 (how convenient), you’ll get a 10 percent rebate. Well, laughty freaking dah! That’s the least they can do for a decade of mediocrity that’s seen our team make the second round twice. That’s it for the Knicks and Rangers completely! What a great job by our owner. Take a bow for turning a once great arena into a joke. Bravo! Here’s a little slogan that feels somewhat appropriate for today.

Mediocrity be thy name. Drive the customers insane. That’s Jazzy Jim’s game.

We kid. The good news is there won’t be any self-serving PSL’s (personal seat licenses). Apparently, there was enough need and greed already at the World’s Most Shameless Arena to borrow a phrase from Devil fans. Ah. At the end of the day, it is what it is. So, they’ll make the Garden look more modern with seat upgrades, better sight lines, actual concourse room, real bathrooms, improved food services, etc. It all sounds exciting. Give them credit for not doing the PSL’s because that’s just wrong on so many levels. Granted. It’s not like we’re talking about a brand spankin’ new arena like the Devils got or the Giants/Jets, Mets and Yankees. There’s no doubt they needed to get with the times. I get all that. But in a struggling economy with gas prices up the wazoo (can $5/gallon be coming by summer), the cost just for a family of four was already bad. Now, it will be astronomical.

Thanks to favorite Montreal Tweep @vivianmtl, here’s the official press release with a few highlights:

As a result of the Transformation, the seating configuration in the lower bowl of the Arena will completely change beginning next season, the upper bowl is expected to follow in the 2012-13 season. Season ticket holders will be relocated to new seats accordingly.

“The seating configuration and layout of The Garden will change with the Transformation, and we have been planning for several years with our customers in mind,” said O’Neil. “We have the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in the world and it’s our intent and plan to manage a transparent and smooth seat relocation process – maintaining similar sightlines and upgrading experiences. We have a process in place and dedicated staff to work directly with our customers to ensure that everything is seamless and meets their expectations.”

In addition to not having PSLs in the transformed Arena, Knicks and Rangers season ticket options and benefits for next season include:

– Season tickets will be offered at a variety of price points, including 17 price points for Rangers fans starting as low as $39 per game and 20 price points for Knicks fans starting at $10 per game;

– Select premium seats will now have access to several new all-inclusive clubs – the Delta SKY360° Club and 1879 Club presented by J.P. Morgan. Both clubs will offer exclusive dining options and an intimate setting within the arena;

– New wider Madison Concourse (6th Floor) nearly double in size with views of the city featuring several new first-class food and entertainment options;

– Exclusive season ticket holder benefits, including access to special events with current players and alumni, such as meet and greets, storyteller forums, skating with the Rangers and shooting hoops with the Knicks; unique gifts and experiences based on tenure; savings vs. individual game tickets; first consideration to buy playoff tickets and for seat relocation and upgrades; online ticketing services; and a personal relationship manager to provide assistance for all account needs;

– A number of flexible payment plan options are available for all subscribers, new this season is an extended 10 month interest-free payment plan.

There are several special incentives for Knicks and Rangers fans to renew their 2011-12 season tickets early or online. The renewal deadline for both teams is May 13. Season ticket holders that renew by April 8 will receive a free one night stay at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Those that renew their 2011-12 season tickets by April 8 and secure their 2011 playoff tickets by March 24, will receive a 10% rebate on their playoff tickets.

Fans are encouraged to renew their season tickets online by using their personalized website which outlines their exclusive subscriber benefits and features a 3D Virtual Venue tool showcasing their seats. Fans that pay online will be entered to win a number of great prizes, including complimentary roundtrip tickets on Delta Air Lines and getaways courtesy of Delta Vacations.

The 17 price points isn’t bad. It sounds like the 400’s aren’t going up more than a couple of bucks, which is the least they can do. Show a little loyalty to some of your best fans, who help make the place what it is. I know for myself, I won’t be part of it. It’s just too much right now for any of us and the only way I go back is if I’m credentialed next year to finally cover the team. Something that’s long been a dream of mine.

I also like the 10 month interest-free plan as it at least acknowledges that not everyone has money growing off trees. We all have bills to pay monthly. The cost of living isn’t getting any better. If only it were that easy to have loads of cash like the desired celebrities and higher ups they’re catering to, which has always been my biggest issue with how it’s run. It hasn’t been about the true fans for a while. However, these sentiments can easily be echoed for most of the expensive new stadiums/in-game experience and lifestyle where you basically have to be a rockstar, rapper, movie star, actor/actress to take advantage of the commodities. How many real Yankee fans go to the New Stadium? There just aren’t many @krissynyy’s or @mellank’s. Sure. There are a lot more Yankee fans than Rangers even if we boast one of the most loyal fanbases in sports. This is a baseball town. Hence the point.

At the end of the day, I can’t go nuts over today’s news. It was coming. You didn’t have to be a brain surgeon to figure it out. If only they’d find a cure for cancer or be able to prevent Tsunamis like the terrible tragedy that struck Japan. God bless everyone who’s been affected. If you can’t afford tickets, it’s not the end of the world. As much as we love to root for our teams, it’s only sports. We can always support them on TV. I hope the Rangers make it. But if they don’t win at San Jose- a daunting task- they’re doomed. The Sabres keep winning and are now in seventh due to fewer games played. The Hurricanes are right there as are the Leafs and tonight’s Devils-Thrashers tilt looms large. 

Unfortunately, this post isn’t about the excitement of a playoff race. It’s about the harsh reality of where sports have been headed for a while. Phasing more diehards out. A sad business which is never going away.

Yesterday, both the Sabres and Devils lost while the Leafs picked up a point in an overtime defeat to the pesky Islanders in which Blake Comeau tipped in Radek Martinek’s point blast. For idle teams the Rangers and Hurricanes, they loved what they saw. The Rangers in seventh with 74 points and fewer games left, actually rooted for the Pens, who thanks to another splendid outing from emerging MVP candidate Marc-Andre Fleury, silenced the Sabres 3-1.

With a chance to move over the Rangers for seventh, Buffalo got a poor performance from Ryan Miller and zilch from Drew Stafford with Thomas Vanek out. When Rob Niedermayer is your only offense against a team minus its two biggest stars, you should win. Instead, the Sabres remained eighth with 72- one up on Carolina and four ahead of Toronto. The Canes are back in action against 11th Atlanta, who are seven out. One in front of the Devils, who blew a golden opportunity to gain even more ground in what amounted to a costly 2-1 loss to the lowly Senators.

Like most observers, I’d already given the sizzling Devs the two points only to find out after a Mardi Gras gathering that they actually lost with Erik Condra doing them in with just over two minutes remaining. Craig Anderson was equally as responsible, flat out robbing Ilya Kovalchuk en route to 31 saves. Last night was more proof that you can’t let down for one second. The Sens have nothing to play for except pride. Condra escaped Nick Palmeiri due to the Devils paying too much attention to Jason Spezza, who threaded the needle for the crusher. When Spezza feels like playing, he’s dangerous. The Devil goal came off a nifty set up from Brian Rolston, who circled the net and dished for Patrik Elias, who buried his 15th. Martin Brodeur was superb in defeat, making a few sparklers including a sliding stack followed by extra goalie Anton Volchenkov’s own unique stop. Brodeur finished with 19 saves, suffering the hard luck loss.

The good news for Jacques Lemaire’s club who’ve won 20 of 25 (20-3-2) is Buffalo lost. They still have 16 games left and given the way teams have played in front of them, there’s reason for optimism. With every game do or die for a franchise that hasn’t missed the playoffs since Lemaire I during the club’s first Cup defense (’95-96), they must dial it up again Friday in a visit to Atlanta. All too ironic for Kovalchuk that he and teammates must root for his former team to beat the Canes later, which would put them three behind the Thrashers. Then win in regulation.

That’s how crazy this Eastern race is. Hell. If the Islanders had beaten the Devils over the weekend, we’d be talking more about their run. Instead, Jack Capuano’s surging club continues to lurk in the shadows with 62 points. With three candidates for 30-goal seasons (Moulson-28, Grabner-27, Tavares-24), the Islanders are playing well. They’re a team with nothing to lose. Something Leafs’ captain Dion Phaneuf made reference to following a costly lost point.

“They are a very different team than they were before Christmas.”

These Isles are finally getting it. What with former Ranger No.1 pick Al Montoya (6-2-2, 2.02 GAA, .930 Save Pct., SHO) supplying steady netminding along with improved play from Comeau (career best 19 goals and 40 points), P.A. Parenteau (15-27-42), Andrew MacDonald (4-22-26, club best 140 blocked shots), Frans Nielsen (career high 29 assists), reemerging Josh Bailey (1-3-4 in last 4), a healthy Kyle Okposo (4-10-14), there’s plenty for Islander fans to be excited about. Already rookie blueliner Travis Hamonic has become a steady influence with 20 points (3-17-20) while doing all the little things right (86 hits, 94 blocked shots). Jack Hillen has also been solid, chipping in with 15 points and 112 blocked shots.

So, while Garth Snow foolishly defends the undefendable like repeat offender Trevor Gillies, Capuano has kept his team focused. No longer are the Islanders easy to play against. They’re the one team you don’t want to face in this race. Even if they don’t make it, they’ll play spoiler.

A Glance At Tonight: There are two games of interest involving three teams. First, the Thrashers visit Raleigh at 7 to battle the Canes. A regulation win would put Atlanta right back in it, just five out. If Carolina wins, they jump over idle Buffalo into eighth. The way these two clubs play, figure the dreaded three-point game.

Meanwhile, the Rangers are on a vital two-game Pacific swing with stops at Anaheim tonight and San Jose Saturday. Considering how hectic the West is, this is a must for the Ducks, who have slipped to 11th with 75 points. Amazingly, they’re only four away from fifth Dallas, sixth Phoenix and seventh Calgary, typifying how wild the West is. The Kings sit in eighth with 77 while Minnesota and Nashville are sandwiched between the Ducks. Anything’s possible. John Tortorella’s club enters with one less point than their opponent but must contend with the dangerous Ryan-Getzlaf-Perry line not to mention ageless wonder Teemu Selanne (21-39-60), who looks like he could play another five years. There’s also the cool subplot of rookie blueliner Cam Fowler (7-22-29, club worst -23, 4 PPG, 16 PP Pts) who the Blueshirts passed on, instead opting for rugged defenseman Dylan McIlrath. The full impact won’t be known for years.

It’s definitely a compelling match. Can the Ducks bounce back from a 3-0 shutout loss to Vancouver or do the Rangers build on that impressive 7-0 blitz of the Flyers that featured a Ryan Callahan four-goal, five-point game, two Mats Zucarello markers and Henrik Lundqvist’s league-leading ninth shutout? For the East coasters, it don’t start till 10:30. Stay tuned.

RACE FOR SEVEN AND EIGHT
             GP Record    Pts     GR
7.NYR  68 35-29-4   74      14
8.Buf     66 32-26-8   72      16
9.Car    66  31-26-9   71      16
10.Tor   67 29-28-10  68      15
11.Atl    66 27-28-11  65      16
12.NJD  66 30-32-4   64      16
13.Fla    67  27-31-9   63      15
14.NYI  68  26-32-10 62      14

St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. In fact, on a rainy Sunday, Staten Island still celebrated with its traditional parade down Forest Avenue. As much as I like corned beef and cabbage along with a Killians, I went to a cancer benefit show for a three-year old girl in Stapleton at a place called Full Cup. Some really cool metal bands who did a great thing.

As fate would have it, before I got down there for the fun festivities, Irishman Ryan Callahan had himself a game against the hated Flyers. Being that the Rangers hadn’t come close to beating them since that cruel shootout elimination last year, perhaps they were due. The leader of this team made certain there would be no celebrating for any fans wearing orange who made the trip to MSG. Even better, it came on our kryptonite, national TV with the Blueshirts finally paying back Philadelphia for the five consecutive losses they had entering by a lopsided 13-4 tally. This was one John Tortorella’s club had to have following a routine win over Ottawa. If they are to be taken seriously in this now chaotic day-to-day race with Buffalo refusing to lose and the Devils doing the same while Carolina gets points, it’s now or never for our gritty club that can.

Having dropped four straight on home ice (gee what a shock), Tortorella went to his bag of tricks by opting not to wear the cool throwback threads- instead having the team wear the more traditional home white that now are road jerseys. Conversely, they’ve won three in a row on the road. So, it made sense for our tactical coach to treat this all important game like they were away. The move worked wonders as the Rangers came out and gave the Flyers a thrashing, scoring a touchdown and a PAT on the suddenly slumping conference leaders. Yes, this was the worst beatdown our team’s dealt Rocky’s Flyers since ’92. But really, this wasn’t just about how aggressive they were from the outset, winning every battle against one of the Cup favorites even if they were minus flu-ridden Jeff Carter and Sean O’Donnell. How many excuses could Doc Emrick come up with? I know the Devils are chasing us. But geez. Have you seen some of our injuries? I don’t usually find fault with one of the classiest broadcasters but come on. NBC had to get that in there.

In any event, this game was about No.24 representing Broadway Blue. All season, Ryan Callahan has been a constant. If he didn’t go down, this team wouldn’t be nip and tuck for the final two spots but rather fighting for a middle seed. By the same token, you could echo that for Marian Gaborik, who even though he didn’t factor in after returning from a concussion which he missed six games for- helped balance our lines out. Everyone was they needed to be with Gabby playing with Sean Avery and Vinny Prospal while Callahan stayed with cohesive homegrown linemates Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky. It also allowed Brian Boyle to reunite with Ruslan Fedotenko and Brandon Prust while Tortorella kept Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello and Wojtek Wolski intact.

Coincidence that they exploded led by Callahan’s first career hat trick en route to a four-goal, five point game? On a day NBC rubbed it in by mentioning our first round futility, choosing Bobby Sanguinetti over Flyers’ leading scorer Claude Giroux, it was the ’04 fourth round gem that trumped the network and its production team. As hard a working player as there is, the heart and soul of the Rangers got his career day kickstarted when he tapped in a Brandon Dubinsky backhand feed 51 seconds in. He was far from finished, adding his second of the first when he caught Brian Boucher down and snuck a wrister top shelf for a power play goal. Prospal and Bryan McCabe set it up. Leading by two, Henrik Lundqvist robbed Kris Versteeg of a potential momentum turning goal. The ex-Blackhawk was all alone on a two-on-one but a sliding Lundqvist denied his low one-timer, earning the familiar “Hen-rik, Hen-rik” chants.

The best aspect of yesterday was the Rangers never let up. They forechecked vigorously with every defenseman getting involved. In particular, the play of rookies Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer who get better all the time. With a top four of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi along with McD and Sauer, how soon before our D is one of the best? Credit must be given to Glen Sather, Tortorella and the organization for finally keeping their word. It’s been refreshing to see our kids grow up. Hopefully, Mike Del Zotto will come back a better player next Fall. I’d also like to see Matt Gilroy stay but we do have more kids in Connecticut. Ditto Steve Eminger, who’s been a perfect soldier for this group.

The game opened up a bit in the middle stanza with each Patrick Division rival trading chances. On one end, Derek Stepan hit the post while on the other Ville Leino just missed. Finally, McDonagh and Fedotenko sprung Zuccarello on a two-on-one. Having scored in a 4-1 win over the Sens, the MZA didn’t hesitate, firing a laser five-hole from the right circle for the big third goal. If there was any doubt, Callahan erased it thanks to an egregious error from Versteeg who overskated a loose puck in front of his net, allowing the next captain to pick up the loose change deke and fire top shelf for the hat trick that ended Boucher’s day. As he was mobbed by teammates, piles of hats flew down for a little delay.

“When it rains it pours,” Callahan said. “We haven’t changed our style at all. I believed that goals would come. We just didn’t get the bounces. We stuck with it.”

In between the fun, the Rangers stood up to the Broadstreet Bullies twice with Boyle stepping in for Gilroy to fight Jody Shelley and Dubinsky honoring Flyer captain Mike Richards’ request by getting the takedown. This was the team we fell in love with. That’s the one that must continue to meet every challenge in this dogfight for the postseason. Fourteen games remain with two pivotal ones in California versus Anaheim and San Jose. We’ll see if our True Blue can pass the test.

The final period, it turned into a laugher with Callahan tapping home a Gilroy backdoor feed for No.4, also on the power play- allowing our favorite Ranger to reach 20 goals for the second time in his career. His high is 22 and 40 points- both coming in ’08-09, which is the last time our club saw Spring. This time, Cally has 20 markers and 39 points in only 48 contests, epitomizing how much improvement he’s made. There’s no doubt he’d be chasing his first 30-goal campaign instead of new career bests in goals and points. Both a virtual lock. As good as running mate Dubinsky’s been, he had gone eight straight without a point prior to Sunday. It’s No.24 who is the lone constant that can be counted on every night. A player who reminds of what former disgraced Devil Jamie Langenbrunner once was. Only difference is Callahan plays more ferociously, finishing every check. He’ll also hopefully never be traded.

Anisimov got into the act when he deked Flyer reliever Sergei Bobrovsky for a sweet forehand finish- making it three goals over four plus a helper, hiking his new career bests to 16-19-35. The maturity we’ve seen from the still 22 year-old lanky Russian is why he’s still here instead of in Dallas. Hopefully, this trend will continue.

With the question becoming would Lundqvist record a season high ninth shutout, Zuccarello finished off his third in two games off a blind Wolski feed at the doorstep for the extra point with 73 ticks left. The Flyers made King Henrik make one more stop before the buzzer. He turned aside all 24 for career shutout No.33 and summed up the blowout win over their enemy best.

“This one was a team effort. It felt like a playoff game in the first half. …We need to build, especially from the way we have been playing lately.”

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (24 saves for season best ninth shutout-33rd career)
2nd Star-Mats Zuccarello, NYR (2 goals, 4 SOG, +2 in 13:30)
1st Star-Ryan Callahan, NYR (1st career hat trick: 4 goals incl. 2 PPG, assist, 5 Pts, 5 SOG, 3 hits, +3 in 16:42)

On New Year’s Eve, Brian Rolston was waived and recalled to the Devils’ roster for the second time, after clearing re-entry waivers. It was the belief of some, including yours truly that the Isles (then the worst team in the league other than us) would take a flier on him since they were perilously close to the salary floor. They did not, and perhaps had cause to regret that this afternoon in Long Island as Rolston continued his strong play recently, scoring the first and last goals of the game…the first coming on a power play in the second period and the last coming in the sixth round of the shooout to win yet another nail-biter for the Devils, pulling them to within seven – yes seven! – points of the final playoff spot with seventeen games left. Not to mention the win leaves the Devils just one game short of NHL .500, something that seemed preposterous when they were nineteen under at the halfway point.

Really though, this game was indiciative of an entire organization’s redemption in the second half. For it was against these Isles that coach Jacques Lemaire made his return to the bench against in a dreary 5-1 loss two days before Christmas, after which the stunned coach indicated the Devils looked like they had ‘lost their ability to play the game’. If anyone had suggested back then these Devils were capable of a 20-2-2 run, they would have been viewed very curiously to say the least. Not to mention star sniper Ilya Kovalchuk was mired in a nightmare first half, which included a humiliating shootout miss against the Sabres in November. Today however, Kovy continued his recent clutch scoring with another big third period goal and scored a confident shootout goal as well.

At one point, the Devils were behind the Isles by a whopping ten points – for twenty-ninth place in the NHL. Now these cardiac kids sit just seven points back of Carolina for a playoff berth that is amazingly becoming more plausible by the day. A team once derided for lack of heart after an uninspiring second half last year and a disasterous first half this year is now winning one-goal games left, right and sideways. Since the beginning of February, the Devils have played sixteen games, with no fewer than fourteen of them being decided by one goal or the shootout. Not only have the games been insanely close, but the Devils have continued to win at an astonishing rate, going 14-1-1 during that stretch (with a 12-1-1 record in those one-goal games).

Early on it looked as if this game would go according to the recent script, as the Devils once again held the opposition scoreless in the first period, setting a modern NHL record (post-’44/45 season) with thirteen consecutive games of throwing up a zero in the first period. At 4:09 of the second period, the Devils jumped out in front when Rolston scored his usual way, a slapper that found the net on a power play, giving the Devils power play goals on two straight man advantages…shocking, isn’t it? Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac got the assists on Rolston’s 12th goal of the year, but the Devils would give up the lead on their own penalty kill later on when Josh Bailey pounced on a timely rebound in front for his 10th goal at 17:06.

Even with the Isles tying the game, I remarked to my friend at a Devils viewing party that it’s setting up the way it has for the last several games, tied in the third period with more Kovy heroics to come. Sure enough, it was Kovy who beat Al Montoya at 2:52 with a heavy wristshot, to give the emotional winger his 24th of the year and yet another tie-breaking goal in the third period. Also on Kovy’s goal, rookie Jacob Josefson got his first NHL point with an assist (defenseman Anton Volchenkov got and assist as well). You almost got the feeling too much time was still left though, especially with a gritty Isles team chomping at our heels. Sure enough, Blake Comeau scored his eighteenth goal of the year at 16:18 when Mark Fayne‘s stick broke on a clearing attempt, leaving Comeau with the puck in prime scoring position.

After a share of near-misses in the third period and overtime by both teams came the shootout, the Devils’ first in what seemed like forever (since November 28, to be exact – a win over the Flyers by Johan Hedberg). It was also Montoya’s first shootout in the NHL while Martin Brodeur was in his 53rd, though it was actually Brodeur’s first since last April. When Isles shootout ace Frans Nielsen opened the scoring, Lemaire’s opening choice was interesting, starting with rookie Mattais Tedenby who got denied by Montoya. Brodeur would hold serve though, stopping P.A.Parenteau before Kovy – he of the 25% career record in shootouts – scored a confident goal on a hard wrister up top.

From then on each shot was tense as Montoya stopped Patrik Elias, Josefson and Zajac while Brodeur denied Matt Moulson, John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin. Finally, Lemaire played a hunch and sent out Rolston, who according to the coach ‘sold himself’ by standing on the bench and looking over repeatedly. Rolston (who had a poor record in the shootout himself) responded with one of the best shootout attempts of his career, faking a slapshot then deking in close to beat Montoya with a backhand that sealed yet another wild Devils win.

Although the Devils are getting absolutely no help from the out-of-town scoreboard so far (with Buffalo leading Minnesota 2-0 and the Rangers destroying a flu-ridden and disinterested Flyers team at the Garden earlier this afternoon), getting even closer to the last seed – though it could be eight points back if the Sabres hold on to win – can only increase momentum that’s already going through the roof after this team’s defied death every which way over the last two months. Not to mention at home on Tuesday against a last-place Ottawa team, the Devils have a chance to get back to .500 – with sixteen games left in the season after that. Simply preposterous.