N.J. Devils ~ Dancing Off To Philly

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE  ~  2012 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference Semi Final Round

Devils Lead Series 3-1

I  -  PHI 4; NJD 3

II  -  NJD 4; PHI 1

III  -  NJD 4; PHI 3

IV  -  NJD 4; PHI 2

III overtime

Game Five

NEW JERSEY DEVILS
vs.

Philadelphia Flyers

From

The Land of Bad Cheese Steaks

PHILADELPHIA

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Look What The Devils Did to the Flyers..., Again!   Can Advance to Conference Finals With Win Tonight.

Dancing Near The Fire; Game Four
No Sympathy Needed; Series Tied


That's three wins over the Flyers in a row.  After snatching victory in overtime of Game Three, this time the Devils started out down 2-0 in the first period after taking yet more penalties, and allowing a short-handed goal to Claude Giroux.  But here's all the difference.  After committing their second penalty at 11:43 of the first period, in which Giroux made them pay, the Devils didn't commit a single penalty the rest of the game.

The Devils stayed out of the box, and therefore were able to press on with offensive opportunities.  They consistently kept play in Philly's end, and kept taking shots at Ilya Bryzgalov all night; forty-two to be exact.


If the Devils were busy in Philly's end, that means Martin Brodeur was facing minimal shots on goal in his end.  The Flyers managed twenty-two shots against Marty.  He stopped twenty.  But from the midway point of the first period on, he denied the Flyers on all attempts.


Another game, different heroes.  That's the way this Devils' team has been.  Petr Sykora was the first to step up Sunday.  He scored a minute and a half after Giroux's goal in the first.  Sykora's power play goal definitely reset the game.  With two minutes left before the first intermission, trade deadline pick-up, Marek Zidlicki tied the game at two all with his first of the playoffs.  Zidlicki also assisted on Sykora's previous goal.


The second period stayed scoreless until Dainius Zubrus took assists from Adam Henrique and Petr Sykora, and scored his second goal of the playoffs.  It turned out to be the game winner.  But in the third period, Dainius Zubrus made sure.  With fifteen seconds left in regulation, he scored the Devils' game sealing fourth goal en route to a 4-2 final in Game Four.


Once again, the number FOUR seems to be the magic number working for the Devils.  And so, they will be skating for their fourth victory of the series tonight.  They'll try to wrap things up on enemy ice; in Philadelphia.  The Devils have three chances to win one in order to advance into the Eastern Conference championship round against the winner of the Washington Capitals/New York Rangers series.


"Pleased to meet you....  Hope you guess my name!"




* Devils Playground graffiti;Buskwick
Mike.BTB