Battle Of Hudson

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New Jersey (34-16-6, 74 PTS, 1st Atlantic, 2nd East) vs. Montreal (29-23-6, 64 PTS, 3rd Northeast, 8th East)
7:30 PM
The Swamp
FSNY/inHD
WFAN 660 AM

Canadiens Last Game: An even more lackluster performance against Florida. Jay Bouwmeester tallies in a 1-0 blanc-ing. (Watch: http://www.nhl.com/video/app?component=%24GameVideoViewer_2.%24NHLDirectLink_0&page=DailyHighlights&service=direct&sp=S%2F20062007%2F02%2F0851%2FIH_NHL_2006_2007_851_2_700K_continuous.wmv&sp=20062007&sp=851&sp=2)

Leading Scorers
New Jersey
#26 Patrik Elias 18-33-51
#9 Zach Parise 21-22-43
#23 Scott Gomez 10-33-43
#14 Brian Gionta 24-18-42
#15 Jamie Langenbrunner 19-23-42

Montreal
#44 Sheldon Souray 18-28-46
#11 Saku Koivu 16-28-44
#27 Alexei Kovalev 13-25-38
#73 Michael Ryder 16-20-36
#79 Andrei Markov 4-30-34

Goaltenders
New Jersey
#30 Martin Brodeur 34-15-5, 2.07, .926%
#40 Scott Clemmensen 0-1-1, 3.60, .878%

Montreal
#30 Cristobal Huet 19-14-3, 2.70, .919%
#1 David Abeischer 10-9-3, 2.90, .909%

Prediction: The Devils go nuts after their awful performance on Sunday with a 5-1 win in front of myself and the brand new “334 Club”.

It’s not often you get an inspiring performance in a losing effort. But that’s precisely what happened in St. Louis last night where Blues’ power forward Bill Guerin recorded his seventh career hat trick and assisted on another in a 6-5 loss to San Jose. The former Devil who helped the team win its first Stanley Cup back in 1995 is having a revival season after struggling mightily last year with Dallas. His three tallies gave him a team-leading 25 for the season to go with a team best 44 points.

With the 36 year-old American veteran playing well, there’s little doubt that his trade value is increasing with the February 27th deadline less than two weeks away. He certainly can add some grit to a lineup along with his usual size in front of the net. Along with teammate Keith Tkachuk, Guerin should be packing his bags soon. It will be interesting to see where they wind up and what new Blues Team President John Davidson can get back in return.

Until then, I’m giving Guerin some kudos for silencing some of his skeptics this season.

Thanks in large part to Rick DiPietro (stopped 39 of 41), the Islanders pulled out a 3-2 shootout win in Toronto. The victory tied them with the Maple Leafs for ninth in the East with 62 points apiece. But more importantly, thanks to DiPietro’s third period heroics in which he stopped all 16 shots sent his way when his team was dominated, the club is only two points behind the struggling eighth seeded Canadiens. Montreal was shutout 1-0 by Florida and dropped to eighth thanks to wins by Tampa Bay and Carolina.

After Viktor Kozlov went to the backhand to beat Andrew Raycroft in the shootout, DiPietro easily stopped a weak Nik Antropov try to give his team a huge two points.

Here is how the playoff race now stacks up:

Pts GR
6.Lightning 66 24
7.Hurricanes 65 23
8.Canadiens 64 24
__________________
9.Leafs 62 25
10.Islanders 62 25
11.Rangers 59 26

Isles are in Toronto on FSNY.

Anaheim visits Colorado on VERSUS (HD). Joe Beninati, Brian Engblom with the call.

As promised earlier, I am very pleased to announce a special feature with 2manadvantage’s Patricia Greuter. Pat is a very passionate Devils fan who has teamed up with Joe Bechtel to provide an extensive Devils blog off the NY Sports Day site. Not only are they very knowledgable but also extremely entertaining and creative. She took time out of her busy schedule to give us a few on her team as well as other league wide issues:

Derek Felix Interviews 2man’s Patricia Greuter:

DF: Can you tell us a little bit about 2manadvantage?

PG: After I parted ways with NJDevs.com, Joe McDonald approached me with the idea of covering the Devils in a blog for his site. I’ve worked with Joe Mac before, so I knew it was definitely a great opportunity. I kind of left NJDevs on a sour note (I had been an administrator for well over three years and was forced out over difference of opinions), so I really wasn’t into the idea of working a website again, but I just couldn’t pass up Joe’s offer. I accepted on the condition that a good friend of mine and fellow hardcore Devils fan, Joe Bechtel, could write alongside with me. We dish the dirt about our favorite team, no holds barred. We experience the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows with this team. I guess you could say we definitely suffer from some sort of hockey-related mood disorder, that’s for sure.

DF: You have to be pleased with where the Devils currently are compared to last year at this point. What do you feel the keys are to this team making a deep postseason run?

PG: There are three keys to this team’s success in the playoffs:

a) Johnny Oduya not throwing the puck in the stands for delay of game penalties

b) Colin White not taking dumb, you-really-should-be-arrested-for-that penalties

c) Martin Brodeur not spontaneously combusting before the season’s end

…in all seriousness, I think the Devils need to rely on the likes of John Madden, Jay Pandolfo (Sergei Brylin), and Jamie Langenbrunner for a deep postseason run. Madden and Pandolfo (and Sarge) can do wonders shutting the opposition down, and Langenbrunner can easily shine in the playoffs once again. For real, these three guys have been amazing this year. The team really excels when these guys come to bat, and they’ve hit more homeruns than strikeouts.

I’d also like to give a quick shout out to Brad Lukowich. He has come on so strong with the Devils these past few months that I genuinely hope he is re-signed. In a new Devils era where Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, and Ken Daneyko no longer exist, it’s really hard to find defensemen to really trust. I’m starting to find that trust in Lukowich.

DF: Martin Brodeur is having perhaps his finest season. He leads the league in wins, shutouts and almost every other category. Is this the best he’s ever played?

PG: Without a doubt. I’ve been hard on Marty for what feels like forever, but he’s really shined this year. The guy is unreal. He’s got to be eating Super Wheaties or something, you know? No one should be able to carry the load he carries and not falter. It really amazes me.

DF: As usual Brodeur has played a ton of games under Claude Julien. I believe it was 27 or 28 straight starts after yesterday’s loss to Tampa. Are you concerned that the 2-time Vezina and 3-time Cup winner could wear down?

PG: I’m always concerned about wear down for Marty, but don’t always think it’ll be a physical one. Playing as much as he plays, it has to take a toll on his mind. To be in the zone, that focused all the time really takes a lot of energy. Ultimately, I don’t see him breaking down, but I definitely worry. I’ll worry until I see him able to hoist the Cup again…and not pass out from overexertion.

DF: With the deadline a couple of weeks away, is there anything you feel the team should address? Given their cap issues, can they make a move if needed?

PG: To the dismay of many Devils fans, I unfortunately don’t see a move being made by the Devils this deadline. I know, I know, I’ve felt the pain before ladies and gents, it definitely stings not seeing your team make a (needless) move on the deadline. Hey, I’ve been there before. In all fairness, I just don’t see anything this team needs to address right now. Sure, I’d love to see a bit more scoring, who wouldn’t? Bottom line though, they’re scoring enough and Marty is doing his job well enough to get more wins than losses. If there’s a move to be made, though, I could potentially see a David Hale deal. He’s fallen out of favor in the Meadowlands, and I just don’t see him progressing like he should be at this point. He’ll be a good defenseman someday, but I’m starting to really doubt it’ll be here. Sorry, David.

…oh, yeah. The cap. Almost forgot about that little beast. Do the Devils have cap issues? Hey, who cares? If Lou needs to do something, he’ll find a way to do it. Ask Vlad Malakhov. If he’s not too busy on a skiing trip, I’m sure he’ll concur.

DF: One of the big keys to this year’s team has been the play of the North Dakota connection Travis Zajac and Zach Parise. They have meshed well with Jamie Langenbrunner to form your most effective line. Can you talk about how important they have been thus far?

PG: Patrik Elias didn’t really have the great start fans were hoping he’d have, and while Gomez and Gionta have had respectable years, I think fans were expecting a bit more. Zajac really came on strong early this season in his rookie campaign, and Parise has all but shut down the nay-sayers at this point. I do remember just one year ago when Devils fans were asking each other if they though Parise had been a bust, but look at Number Nine go now! Trust me, he’s only going to get better. As for Langenbrunner? Like I said earlier, he’s been one of the most important keys to this team’s success thus far. He knows when to chip in that important play or goal at the most important moment. We like those kinds of players, especially in the postseason.

DF: Given the whole debate over the unbalanced schedule, would you make any changes to it in future seasons?

PG: I must say, I do miss seeing the West, and playing the Islanders nine million times in one season is a bit much. If this were last season, I’d say let’s just eliminate Devils-Islanders games altogether, but I think I can deal this time around. Oh I love being jaded.

DF: Many games have gone to shootouts this season. Would you make a change to the points system?

PG: I’d make it mandatory that Patrik Elias not be allowed anywhere near the arena when it comes time for a shootout.

DF: There’s been some discussion about the lack of goalscoring. Even some speculation that they might increase the size of nets. Does that go too far? Is there anything you would suggest instead to improve scoring without infuriating traditionalists?

PG: You’re never going to satisfy everyone. I just think that good hockey is good hockey. For some, low scoring affairs are where it’s at. For others, it’s all about lots of goals and lots of flashy plays. Leave the nets alone. They’re fine the way they are. I know this somewhat goes against everything I should believe as a Devils fan, but I really think the best way to try to fix the problem is to just drive at it even harder. Need more goals? Take more shots. Clone Ovechkin and Jagr, maybe. I don’t know. I still think some goalies’ equipment could be a little smaller.

DF: How excited are you for the Devils to finally get out of CAA and move into their new arena in Newark next season?

PG: Believe it or not, it’s a bittersweet moment for me. I actually *gasp* LIKED the good ole Continental Airlines Arena. Sure, it’s a massive beast of a place with eight-thousand safety hazards, but I did grow up in that arena. I’ll be sad to see it go. Newark is definitely going to be cool, just as long as I don’t get mugged. I really would rather not get mugged. I’m told it won’t happen, but we’ll see. It’s not exactly the best advertising to tell prospective fans that they may or may not be mugged when going to a hockey game, you know?

DF: If the playoffs were to start today, the Devils would face the Canadiens or Lightning. Is there a team fighting for playoff position that you’re not crazy about seeing in the first round?

PG: Philly. I’d rather not see the Flyers in the playoffs. …oh wait.

DF: Final question: Out of these three prominent rookies, which do you like the best and why?

Evgeni Malkin, Anze Kopitar or Jordan Staal

PG: Joe would kill me if I didn’t say Kopitar. Lucky for him, I’d have to agree. This kid is a beast. I know Joe has been foaming at the mouth for an opportunity for Anze to play on the Devils, and I wouldn’t exactly mind it either. Malkin and Staal are both incredible players though, and I really see all three men potentially dominating the league in years to come.

As usual, some very entertaining and inciteful answers from Patricia. I would like to thank her for getting back to us so quickly. Keep up the good work with 2man and enjoy the rest of the season.

If you missed the link earlier, don’t forget to visit her site:

2manadvantage

We’ll be having a special surprise feature in store in the coming days. Hope ya’ll check it out.

Red Wings vs. Flyers tonight on VERSUS. The game is also available in HD. Doc Emrick and Daryl Reaugh will have the call. Trust me, it will be the only thing worth watching/listening to, Doc and Razor’s wordplay that is.

THE TRADE DESK
— Dallas acquires LW Ladislav Nagy from Phoenix for LW Mathias Tjarnqvist and a 2008 first-round pick.

Gotta run. We’ll give our thoughts later.

Don’t forget to tune into my show tonight.

This is a bit of a cheap plug promo. But I am entering my second blogtalk radio show Monday night. Hard Hits is a hard hitting show about all sports. I’ll cover a wide range of topics and give my take on things.

Tomorrow night’s show airs live from 7 to 8. You can tune in live here:

Among topics covered will be the NFL, some puck stuff along with some NBA and HS hoops. I hope you’ll check it out.

In case you missed it, Tampa’s Vinny Lecavalier took the goalscoring lead with his 35th goal of the season in the Bolts’ 4-1 triumph at CAA in a game televised on NBC this afternoon.

With only about 25 games left, there is lingering doubt as to whether the league will indeed have a 50-goal scorer this season. One year removed from five players reaching that mark including Rocket Richard recipient Jonathan Cheechoo’s league best 56 for San Jose, it’s unclear whether anyone will get to 50 in the NHL’s second season since the lockout. So much for all those rule changes fixing scoring, huh? Translation: Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

In a league where they’re always looking for more ways to improve scoring, the question is how far will they go to get the desired result? If nobody reaches 50 this season, it certainly won’t help. There’s even been wild speculation that they are toying with the artificial idea of making nets bigger. Though I’d like to see more goals, I’m not a proponent of this. What’s next? Soccer nets? You can only go so far before your diehard fanbase finally says, ‘Enough is enough.’

If they actually do that, they’re continuing to push the game towards newer fans who haven’t been around as long as the established hardcore hockey fan. If they do indeed take that step, it would also continue to appease the new corporate sponsors who want more offense no matter at what consequence. And does anyone actually think they want to see two guys drop the gloves and throwdown? Do we even have to provide an answer here?

And that’s where the legit concerns are as far as the product. I’ve said it many times. I’ll say it once more like a broken record. The real core puck fans love physicality. Anytime two enforcers drop’em, the crowd is energized at games. Anytime there’s a huge hit like the one Brad Lukowich got on Petr Prucha who I still haven’t figured out how he bounced up from it, the fans jump out of their seats.

You can’t take that out of our game. So, how can they get more offense without sacrificing anything else which would disgust legions of supporters?

1.Make goalie equipment smaller- this has been covered before. And it looks like it needs some reemphasis. These netminders are just too good today and can take up even more net with the big pads they have.

2.Make players’ equipment smaller- this is something I have harped on before. Anytime you see an old highlight reel from even 15 years ago, you’ll notice how much more room there was on the ice. Players were smaller for one but also, the equipment they wore looked normal. Now every player looks like a warrior from The Gladiator. And that’s a big problem. When Anaheim can’t even find a shooting lane on a 6-on-4 against San Jose, there’s a dilemma. The form fitting uniforms are a start even if it’s a ripoff for fans.

3.If they don’t minimize equipment, then the only other option is to finally bite the bullet and go to Olympic size style rinks. This would give players more operating space to work with and make it even tougher to defend. The problem is this. They’re not going to spend the kind of big bucks to make every arena conform to a wider surface because it will mean less seats and the owners will be opposed to it.

I hope that the league evaluates everything after the season and makes a solid decision which will make everyone happy.