GDT: NJ Devils Vs. Ottawa Senators @ 7:00pm EST - 11/8

[I thought I'd take a page from Unthinkable ;) ]

Source: h**p://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1068273085157240.xml

Coach Pat Burns

said captain Scott Stevens, who was scratched from the lineup last night after he flew to Toronto following a death in his family, would rejoin the team tonight.

Right wing Grant Marshall

(back spasms) did not dress last night. He is optimistic about returning to the lineup soon. Center Igor Larionov (bruised ribs) was also scratched from the lineup. He will not play tonight, either.

Colin White apparently stayed in NJ to get x-rays for a nasal contusion and will be out tonight.

Stevens is back in the lineup tonight.

Tonights Lineup

C. Berglund
S. Brown
S. Brylin
P. Elias
J. Friesen
B. Gionta
S. Gomez
D. Hale
J. Langenbrunner
J. Madden
P. Martin
S. Niedermayer
J. Pandolfo
B. Rafalski
E. Rasmussen
M. Rupp
S. Stevens
T. Stevenson

M. Brodeur

I don't think I'd be too thrilled wearing a pink ribbon on the back of my blue Leafs helmet.... :lol: Thats the kinda thing that gets your ass whooped.

Two post shots from Gomez and Rasmussen in the first twelve minutes of play. Rafalski played a 2 on 1 perfectly. So far so good.

Some thoughts thus far:

-OK, the Devils and the Senators are getting a lot of chances due to defensive gaffes.

-Martin Brodeur has been SHARP thus far.

-Erik Rasmussen had this chance to pull ahead and go 1-on-1 with Lalime, but he pivoted, passed to a speeding Berglund (or was it Brylin?) who shot a ROCKET...to the post. Best offensive chance all night. Just an inch to the left too wide.

-This game rules so far, but the Devils need to tighten up their defensive work.

Nice work by Berglund to draw a penalty on Spezza. Gotta get the PP going again and beat the Sens at their own game on special teams like they did in the postseason.

Wow, no wonder we're seeing so much of the Madden line...very good work on that last play. Langenbrunner going through a Sen for the puck, nice dish to Pandolfo for a quick shot on Lalime.

http://www.nhlpa.com/Player_Pics/6146.jpg
Erik Rasmussen

&

http://www.ci.houston.tx.us/departme/person/savvypages/savvygraphics/frankenstein.jpg
Frankenstein

:dunno:

Wow, no wonder we're seeing so much of the Madden line...very good work on that last play. Langenbrunner going through a Sen for the puck, nice dish to Pandolfo for a quick shot on Lalime.

Madden did a good job of getting to Hossa a few shifts back with some physical play. Nice long pass from him to Jamie Langenbrunner streaking down the right wing lane which Lalime somehow saved.

That was a great stop. Defensively, things are much more sharper; but I keep seeing the same usual thing from the Devils: Scoring chances, yes; scoring on them, no. UGH.

Shots on Goal
NJ 7 8 - 15
OTT 13 5 -18

Power Plays
NJ 0 for 3
OTT 0 for 1

Faceoffs
NJ Won 17 Lost 17
OTT Won 17 Lost 17

Gomez leading the team with 4 shots on goal. CBC guys are following Hossa's every move in this one.

Off the faceoff, kicked to Stevens...HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!

1-0 NJ!

Gomez wins the faceoff for Berglund who gets it back to Stevens and he scores from the point. CBC missed showing the goal live.

Incredible how the loss of Larionov affects this teams power play to the degree it does. Bad call on Turner Stevenson, but Madden did a good job on the PK.

That PP looks more and more like last season's PP with every game.

This crowd has been JACKED since Chris Phillips fell and Kerry Fraser signaled no penalty.

Varada hits Rafalski pretty good and gets the worst of it. Hnidy should have gotten a penalty for all the rough stuff he was throwing at John Madden there. 2 good hits on Hossa by Stevens and one decent hit by Hossa on #4.

Varada hitting Rafalski and then promptly falling down was HILARIOUS. It was as if Varada was saying to himself "Hey, I can hit him!" BAM! "Ow, I fell...what'd I do wrong?"

OK, go for the EN, Devils!

Good win by the Devils. Langenbrunners check on Bonk and then Brodeur stopping Smoke was icing on the shutout cake.

-Brodeur continues to be The Man with a shutout on the Senators.
-Stevens now has, what? 3 points in his last 2 games?
-Devils, in general, had some good hustle.
-The PP is now last season's PP-UGH.
-This game RULED. Very exciting, even with those "boring" Devils.

Yeah.

Notice how nobody is talking about Hale or Martin...That is a good thing! Martin more than Hale, but these two have gotten better with every single game...Whats up with Elias, in the last 4 games he has flubbed at least 2 passes in each game.

-This game RULED. Very exciting, even with those "boring" Devils.


Definetly a very entertaining game. The games between these two teams are always good.

Notice how nobody is talking about Hale or Martin...That is a good thing! Martin more than Hale, but these two have gotten better with every single game...Whats up with Elias, in the last 4 games he has flubbed at least 2 passes in each game.

Burns rewarded Berglund and Rasmussen with some ice time on the Gomez line for a while after Bergs contributed to the Stevens goal.

Brodeur. How does he do it? :bow: (66th Career Shutout)

Note: I don't remember who said Stevens looked old after about the 3rd game or something, but he never quits. Always hard work from that guy. In the post game interview with Martine Gaillard ( :blush: ) he looked like he could've played another 20 mins. He also spoke a little about Hale and Martin. Both are hard workers and want to get better. If Stevens does decide to leave this year (I think he has 2 more years in him), Lou better step up right away and sign him as an assistant coach to work with Hale, Martin, DeMarchi, etc.

Brodeur. How does he do it? :bow: (66th Career Shutout)

Note: I don't remember who said Stevens looked old after about the 3rd game or something, but he never quits. Always hard work from that guy. In the post game interview with Martine Gaillard ( :blush: ) he looked like he could've played another 20 mins. He also spoke a little about Hale and Martin. Both are hard workers and want to get better. If Stevens does decide to leave this year (I think he has 2 more years in him), Lou better step up right away and sign him as an assistant coach to work with Hale, Martin, DeMarchi, etc.

Pretty sure that was me saying it looked like Stevens was finally showing some signs of his age after the team lost a bunch of games on Stevens, Rafalski, Madden uncharteristic miscues. He does find ways to make amends for his mistakes rather well when his team needs that goal desperately. Stevens and Roberts both keep themselves in such unbelievable physical shape extending and preserving their hockey careers to a point where they can make up for the eventual slowing down with just better positioning like Ray Bourque did. I heard the CBC guys commenting on how Scott Stevens takes everything in on the bench and is always looking to learn from other players habits/tendencies in addition to talking with Hale and Martin between shifts to go over where they need to be and what they are doing wrong and right. Seems Stevens thinks the world of both Hale and White from what was said. Great teacher to have on the bench by all means. If we had lost both Daneyko and Stevens this year to retirement, I can only imagine how damaging a blow that would be to the Devils as a whole.

Notice how nobody is talking about Hale or Martin...That is a good thing! Martin more than Hale, but these two have gotten better with every single game...Whats up with Elias, in the last 4 games he has flubbed at least 2 passes in each game.

Actually, Martin was mentioned a lot on the radio tonight, all of it positive. He broke up quite a few offensive passes and had several steals. Sounds like he covered up for Stevens' early turnovers in the D zone as well. Rafalski played well being paired with Hale. Brown got to shake off some rust with Nieds, with Albelin missing the mini road trip and White taking care of his nose. Good to see Burns adjust the D pairings with success tonight. Good to see Berglund rewarded with some time with Gomez. On to Rochester. Hope Gionta has a strong game in his hometown.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031109/capt.ottj11111090303.devils_senators_ottj111.jpg

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur makes a save in the final minute of the third period against the Ottawa Senators at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The Devils went on to win, 1-0.
(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031109/capt.ottx11011090259.magic_senators_ottx110.jpg

New Jersey Devils celebrate teammate Scott Stevens' (4) third-period goal against the Ottawa Senators at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The Devils went on to win, 1-0.
(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031109/capt.ottx10611090249.devils_senators_ottx106.jpg

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur makes a save as Ottawa Senators' Radek Bonk slides into the net as Devils' Jamie Langenbrunner looks on during third period NHL action at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The Devils won, 1-0.
(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031109/capt.ottx10811090248.devils_senators_ottx108.jpg

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur makes a save in the final minute of the third period against the Ottawa Senators at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The Devils won, 1-0.
(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031109/capt.ottx10711090246.devils_senators_ottx107.jpg

Ottawa Senators' Bryan Smolinski, center, fights for control of the puck with New Jersey Devils' Scott Niedermayer (27) as Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur looks on during third-period NHL action at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The Devils went on to win, 1-0.
(AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)

I had the CBC feed on Center Ice......and they were showing a promo for the CFL when Stevens scored the goal. Kinda made me mad, I'd expect that sort of miscue from a local station. Reminded me of the 1-0 Russia/Czech Republic Olympic game. Game comes back from commercial and the Russian team is celebrating because they scored during the last break.

From: h**p://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1068358344214930.xml


If the Devils needed any motivation last night against the Senators, they got it while listening to a pregame interview by an Ottawa player coach Pat Burns would not name.

"We heard one of the Senators say in a pregame interview that both teams are struggling," Burns said. "I don't think we're struggling that bad. That sort of gave us a little incentive."

I listened to the game on the radio, and during the first intermission, Josh Hennessy and Randy Vellichek were talking to an Ottawa beat writer. At one point they asked him what was wrong the the Sens, and why they weren't playing up to expectations since everyone expects them to win the cup this year. The beat writer, said something like 'well, I don't mean to offend any NJ fans out there, but I think that Ottawa fans care a lot more, so the focus is more on the team in Ottawa.'

Yeah, no offense taken. Deuchebag.

I think it pissed of Vellichek and Hennessy too, during the second period they started ripping Ottawa's play, calling them lazy, and saying that they weren't doing what it takes to win. Especially during an Ottawa powerplay, one of them said, 'quite simply The Devils are just outworking Ottawa right now. They just want to win more, Ottawa's being lazy on the powerplay, and you can't do that.

I listened to the game on the radio, and during the first intermission, Josh Hennessy and Randy Vellichek were talking to an Ottawa beat writer. At one point they asked him what was wrong the the Sens, and why they weren't playing up to expectations since everyone expects them to win the cup this year. The beat writer, said something like 'well, I don't mean to offend any NJ fans out there, but I think that Ottawa fans care a lot more, so the focus is more on the team in Ottawa.'

Yeah, no offense taken. Deuchebag.

I think it pissed of Vellichek and Hennessy too, during the second period they started ripping Ottawa's play, calling them lazy, and saying that they weren't doing what it takes to win. Especially during an Ottawa powerplay, one of them said, 'quite simply The Devils are just outworking Ottawa right now. They just want to win more, Ottawa's being lazy on the powerplay, and you can't do that.

CBC had a doozy of a dig as well to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks club when it was stated "with all due respect to the Mighty Ducks, this is the goal that brought the cup to NJ" prior to showing Friesen's miraculous play in game 7 against Redden and Havlat. It was as if the final round was NJ against nobody and it was ended in 4 games.

Gomez wins the faceoff for Berglund who gets it back to Stevens and he scores from the point. CBC missed showing the goal live.
I used the commercial break to answer the call of nature and Stevens scored right off the draw while I was answering said call.
But I taped it (the game) and was able to watch it later. It was a nice goal, but FSNY almost missed it by showing replays of a sweet Brodeur save. Luckily, I did not have to rely on ESPN's dismal hockey coverage...it being "College Football Day".
If anyone needs a VHS copy of the game...send me a PM.
}:-)>

I listened to the game on the radio, and during the first intermission, Josh Hennessy and Randy Vellichek were talking to an Ottawa beat writer. At one point they asked him what was wrong the the Sens, and why they weren't playing up to expectations since everyone expects them to win the cup this year. The beat writer, said something like 'well, I don't mean to offend any NJ fans out there, but I think that Ottawa fans care a lot more, so the focus is more on the team in Ottawa.'

Yeah, no offense taken. Deuchebag.

I think it pissed of Vellichek and Hennessy too, during the second period they started ripping Ottawa's play, calling them lazy, and saying that they weren't doing what it takes to win. Especially during an Ottawa powerplay, one of them said, 'quite simply The Devils are just outworking Ottawa right now. They just want to win more, Ottawa's being lazy on the powerplay, and you can't do that.

The beat writer was Bruce Garrioch(sp), and if he worked in the Metro area he would probably write for the NYPost, along side Larry Brooks and Mark Everson. LOL.:joker: