Devils vs. Islanders - IV

From the desks of:   THE BROAD STREET DEMONS  &  BROOKLYN's FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

Saturday Night Hockey

 

New Jersey Devils

vs.

New York Islanders

From

Long Island, N.Y.

 

 

Devils lead Series 2-1

I - NJD 2; NYI 1

II - NYI 5; NJD 4*

III - NJD 3; NYI 0

*overtime

New Jersey Devils - David Clarkson and Patrick Elias Continue Giving Atlantic Division Hell.


Friday night, David Clarkson continued his assault upon the Atlantic Division.  At 10:43 of he third period, his redirection goal put the Devils ahead 4-3, after falling behind 3-1 to Philadelphia in the first period.  Travis Zajac opened all scoring just 0:40 seconds into the game.  Then Philly scored three unanswered goals before the period was through.  The Flyers took eleven first period shots against Martin Brodeur.  However, Brodeur regrouped, and kept Philly off the scoreboard the rest of the way.


Just 0:26 after dropping the puck on the second period, Alexi Ponikarovsky made it a 3-2 game.  At 15:40 into the period, Patrick Elias scored his fourth goal of the season to tie the game at three all.  Ilya Kovalchuk assisted on all three Devils goals.  In the second period, Martin Brodeur faced another eleven shots, with far better results.


Midway through the third period, David Clarkson struck for his club leading tenth goal of the season.  With a minute and a half left in the game, Steve Bernier put a feather in the Devils cap with his fourth goal of the season.  Patrick Elias picked up two assists in the period.


Philly out-shot the Devils by a 28-19 margin.  David Clarkson led the Devils with six shots on goal in twenty four shifts.  With three points on the night, Patrick Elias now leads the Devils with eighteen points, and fourteen assists.  The Devils have three forwards with double digit points.


The Devils are now 9-2-3 for the season, and winners of six of their last seven games.  They still lead the Atlantic Division with twenty one points; one point better than Pittsburgh; and own the best goal differential in the division.  Martin Brodeur won his seventh game of the season, and the 663rd of his career.


B'Klyn/New York Islanders - Rumor; Wang Wants To Sell Team.


On Saturday, the New York Post reported owner Charles Wang might possibly be selling the team.  This latest development comes on the heals of the Islanders not being able to secure an arena deal in Nassau County, and announcing the team will move to Brooklyn to play in Barclays Center beginning with the 2015-2016 season.  The club has not commented.  But why shouldn't he sell?  The Islanders have lost/cost him a fortune to operate.  One man can only take so much.  With his hopes to build the Lighthouse Project in Nassau County long extinguished, there really is no reason for him to hold onto the team anymore.


On the ice, the Isles snapped a five game losing streak Thursday night, with a comeback, shootout victory over the New York Rangers.  The Rangers jumped out to an early 2-0 first period lead.  But the Islanders stormed back in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.  John Tavares scored the tying goal.  In shootout, he beat Marty Biron for the game clincher.  John Tavares has eight goals and eight assists to lead the team.


The Islanders are 5-7-1 (11 points) this season, and currently occupy last place in the Atlantic Division; ten points behind the Devils.



Mike.BTb