Battle Of Hudson

Florida-Rangers

Toronto-Ottawa

Colorado-Nashville

San Jose-Edmonton

St. Louis-Phoenix

Chicago-Minnesota

Philadelphia-Calgary

The Devils will sit out Richard Matvichuk tonight. In replacement, Mike Mottau will play in his first NHL game.

Low Tech Preview for Tonight.

NJD Line Combos:

Defense

Vitaly Vishnevski – Paul Martin

Andy Greene – Karel Rachunek

Richard Matvichuk – Johnny Oduya

Forward Lines

LW Zach Parise C Travis Zajac RW Brian Gionta

LW Patrik Elias C Dainius Zubrus RW Nicklas Bergfors

LW John Madden C Rod Pelley RW Arron Asham

LW Jay Pandolfo C Sergei Brylin RW David Clarkson

According to Rich Chere.

Also, Kevin Weekes will backup Martin Broudeur tonight.

Keys to the Game:

1. Shut Down Both Offensive Lines. Keeping Richards, St. Louis and Lecavalier is likely the reason that the Madden-Pandolfo line has been split up. If they can neutralize both of their units, the Devils will have a shot at winning.

2. Forecheck. Put pressure on an already unstable defense, now without the injured Dan Boyle.

3. Put the Puck in the Net. Simple as that.

Prediction: Devils 3, Lightning 2.

Anaheim 2
Detroit 3 (SO)
ANA: Bertuzzi, Getzlaf
DET: Zetterburg, Holmstrom
SHOOTOUT WINNER: Hudler

Montreal 3 (OT)
Carolina 2
MTL: Streit, Koivu (2)
CAR: Cole, Hedican
OT Winner: Koivu (1:05)

Ottawa 4 (OT)
Toronto 3
OTT: Vermette, Alfredsson, Heatley (2)
TOR: Antropov (2), Stajan
OT Winner: Heatley (2:57)

Dallas 3
Colorado 4
DAL: Halpern, Jokinen, Hagman
COL: Stastny (3), Wolski

NOTES:

-Good work turned in from VERSUS. They’re very close to “finely tuned machine” status. The new game recap graphics are ESPN-quality, and Mike Emrick, Bill Patrick, Keith Jones and Daryl Reaugh were stellar in particular.

-This Stastny kid will get 35-40 if he stays healthy this season. He’s a “Flash” type of player, he pops in and out of your TV screen.

-Where did the Hnlika come from?

-Anaheim looked a little lagged tonight.

-Rafalski looked like a completely different player in a Detroit uniform.

Devils tomorrow…cannot wait.

Our Islander’s blogger Rob has already mentioned it, but I feel it is necessary as a Ranger fan to bring it up as well. Gary Bettman recently singled out Ryan Hollweg, Jordin Tootoo of Nashville and Derek Boogaard of Minnesota, saying that they are pretty much under a microscope by the league because of their “hit to hurt” approach to hockey. I feel this is an unfair shot to not only Hollweg, but to Tootoo and Boogaard as well. Here’s why:

Sure they play a different type of hockey that some people may say is not hockey at all, but if a message is to be sent, send it to everyone. Just because these three players have had some kind of reputation put on them doesn’t mean they have to be the only ones watched. How about Donald Brashear of Washington? Darien Hatcher of Philidelphia? Chris Neil of Ottawa? I feel that a better approach would have been a league wide announcement. Put everyone on notice, so there’s no feeling of a disadvantage, which leads to my next point.

Essentially, these three teams start the season on a bit of disadvantage. If a Hollweg hit, clean or not, starts some extra-curricular activity, Hollweg is instantly going to be looked at as the bad guy in the situation. Referees now look at Hollweg as if he is leaving his skates Downie style every time he throws one of his board shaking hits. Same with Tootoo and Boogaard. It could get to the point where everytime one of these players throws a hit, it results in a two minute penalty, or worse. Then as a coach, when do you stop dressing that player? A lineup without Boogaard in Minnesota is a huge loss of physicality. Tootoo is one of the few players on Nashville willing to step in and drop the gloves.

I know the last time a Hollweg situation came up it caused some controversy and some headbutting. I really welcome any comments, agreeing or disagreeing with me. I would like to hear the other side as well. I look at is a disadvantage to these teams, and a softening up of the sport in a way. I in no way condone any actions that hurt or attempt to hurt players, no matter what color sweater they’re wearing. I do feel that this was not handled appropriately though. Thoughts?

There is an interesting video story by Darren Dreger on TSN discussing players that were identified by fellow players as being the most dangerous in terms of hitting with no regard for the safety of the opponent. (Link above)

Dreger: “According to their peers, Nashville forward Jordin Tootoo and New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg are among the most dangerous, prompting the NHL recently to call Predators general manager David Poile and Rangers GM Glen Sather to alert these players they will be heavily watched.” “What is making an impact on NHLers is a breed of hit to hurt players who have their peers questioning why they’re in the league at all.”

I applaud Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell for their efforts to stop a likely catastrophic event before it happens. I also feel that the NHL needs to revisit the instigator rule and return the game to a game of respect and justice that can be implemented by the players themselves by simply dropping the gloves and taking care of business.

Isles News – It appears that Berard will be signed shortly, that Meyer is trade bait, and that Campoli may make the club with Gervais and Johnson being sent down. I don’t know how Campoli can make the team over Gervais, but apparently Gervais has a 2 way contract vs. Campoli’s 1 way deal, so Gervais can be sent down without being exposed to waivers.

Jeff Tambellini has also been sent down causing an uproar in Islanders’ country as many fans would rather see Tambs get his long awaited shot as opposed to Andy Hilbert. According to Nolan, quoted in Newsday, Hilbert brings a better 2 way game. For a team that needs scoring badly, I have to disagree with Nolan’s decision. Hopefully, after a few weeks of Hilbert’s invisible play, we will get to see Tambs on a long term basis.

Finally.

Here’s VERSUS’ schedule for tonight:

5:30 Lord Stanley’s Summer – Trivails and Trips over the Ducks’ Cup Winning Summer..
6:30 Hockey Central – Pre-Game Show, New Studio, New Host, In HD.
7:00 Anaheim vs. Detroit – Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Chris Simpson
9:30 Dallas vs. Colorado – Joe Beninati, Daryl Reaugh, Bob Harwood
12:00 Hockey Central

Predictions later today.

NJDevs member Skeeter gave us this info from a Lou Q & A on The Rock, and some other issues:

There will be a season NJ Transit train pass available to both full season and partial plan holders. You will be able to purchace it for a fixed price and use it to and from any train station to the Prudential Center. It will be sent out shortly. It is sold by NJ Transit, the Devils are just the middle man and passing it along to us.

They will be running express buses from the Broad St. Station to and from the arena.

They will HOLD trains after games to accomodate everyone, and add trains as needed. No need to worry about not having a train ride home after overtime playoff games.

There will be a big name restaurant at street level that will be open to the public, as well as be open on non-game days. They will also have retail stores and a pro shop at street level that will be open at all times.

There will be approx. 3,000 tickets for each game available to the general public when they go on sale.

The box office or if need be, a makeshift box office will be open for single game tickets the day they go on sale.

There will probably be no area for tailgating.

The arena will open 90 minutes before game time, and restaurants and bars may be open earlier.

Season ticket holders will be able to buy additional tickets for opening night and additional games prior to them going on sale to the public.

Season tickets will be sent out next week.

This will be an overwhelming venue. He is astounded on how well it’s come together, and it’s beyond even his expectations. The sightlines from the balcony and the mezzanine are amazing, and he wishes he had put aside some seats in the balcony for his family because he had no idea how great the view is.

He hinted at knowing when it’s time to let some players go when it becomes more about money than winning and the team. He said “how much money do you really need?”

He says this is the best coaching staff he’s ever had since he’s come to the Devils.

Stevens stops by practice regularly and offers advice and help to the team, but he’s enjoying his family life.

We will be pleasantly surprised by Rachunek and Zubrus. T

he temp box office, if needed would be at the NJPAC. They are waiting for the certificate of occupancy so that they can open the box office.

Someone also asked about moving the AHL team to NJ. He said that want to own the state. A follow up question was asked about having the AHL team play at CAA, and he said that CAA couldn’t pay him to have a team play there again.

Oh, and as for that AHL possibility, he said they had Trenton already and don’t plan on changing their ECHL affiliation. He said they’d like something maybe in Red Bank, Toms River, or Parsippany for an AHL team somewhere down the line, so I think they extended their term in Lowell to work on something else in the state as well as look like they’re making nice with Lowell.

Also, someone mentioned the rumor of him going over to the Rangers a few years ago and he said “the only way you’d get me over there is if you shot me.”

From what it sounded like to me, they plan on having approx. 3,000 tickets for each home game available to the general public on the 12th. He said they would be holding a certain number for current season ticket holders to purchase additional tickets, and I’m sure they’re holding a bunch for potential season and partial season ticket holders because once they see this place, they may want a plan of some sort. I bet as time goes on they’ll release more….Kind of like in 2005 when our home opener against Crosby “sold out” in minutes but the day of the game there were 900 tickets left.

The Rangers have made their final cuts, trimming their roster down to 23 players. As expected, Artem Anisimov was sent down today along with tough decisions in Nigel Dawes and Al Montoya. Marc Staal, Thomas Pock, Stephen Valiquette and Brandon Dubinski all survived the last round of cuts, and are now playing for a shot at starting on Thursday. Perhaps the toughest decision was the demotion of Nigel Dawes, who certainly made a case to stay up with the big club. Dawes was perhaps one of the top six forwards on the ice this preseason. There are just too many wingers with NHL experience blocking him right now. Look for him to be called up at the first injury or lackluster play of one of the veterans. For now, lets look at how the opening day roster could look one of two ways:

Straka – Drury – Jagr
Shannahan – Gomez – Avery
Callahan – Dubinski – Prucha
Orr – Betts – Hollweg

Roszival – Malik
Tyutin – Girardi
Mara – Staal

Scratches – Hossa, Strudwick, Pock
or
Hossa – Drury – Jagr
Shannahan – Gomez – Straka
Callahan – Avery – Prucha
Orr – Betts – Hollweg

Same defense pairings

Scratches – Dubinski, Pock, Strudwick

It really depends on it the Rangers want the tough puckhandler in Hossa or the playmaking winger in Straka on the first line with Jagr. There are about five other variations of the lineup that could happen as well, but these are the two most likely choices, in my opinion. Thoughts?

Marc Staal made an impact on last night’s Rangers vs. Flyers game, scoring the game winning goal with 1:11 left in the 3rd period to give the Rangers a 3-2 win. The game was fast paced, and a little feisty at times. After Orr squared off against Jason Smith, Mike Richards hit Jaromir Jagr late in the first period after the whistle, leading to Chris Drury dropping the gloves and receiving 17 PIMs. Later on in the game, Smith took a run at Nigel Dawes, leading to Shannahan challenging him, although Smith got the better of him in the fight. Seconds later, Strudwick and Riley Cote fought in the Ranger’s defensive zone.

Other than Staal, Brandon Dubinski recorded a power play goal in the second period and Nigel Dawes recorded his own power play goal in the third. Lundqvist played the entire game, giving up the two goals on 28 shots.

Ryan Hollweg was again the center of attention. While trying to establish a physical game, he took a boarding penalty in the first, and a charging penalty in the third. While the boarding call was borderline, and most likely deserved, there was no reason for a charging penalty in the third. Hollweg has earned a reputation for playing a hard nosed game, and it led to him being scrutinized after every hit he throws.

Chemistry between Gomez and Shannahan was again strong, and Drury and Jagr looked well playing together. Over the next four days there will be three more cuts, all of them tough. I’ll be back when those happen.