N.J. Devils ~ Into the City of Angels

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

2011-2012

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Kings lead Series 2-0

I  -  LAK 2; NJD 1*

II  -  LAK 2; NJD 1*

* overtime

GAME THREE

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

vs.

Los Angeles Kings

From

Some Left Coast Arena

SoCal

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  For the Brick City Demons, Danger Lurks in the City of Angels.


Look what the Kings did to the Devils..., again.  Two games, two goals, two overtime losses, - all too familiar.  For a second straight game, Los Angeles sandwiched the Devils' (third period) lone goal, with an opening goal in the first period, and a finishing goal in overtime.  And now the Devils are down 2-0, going away.

Suddenly, the Kings are making the Devils look like New Jersey made the Rangers look in the Conference Final.  New Jersey's forecheck is sputtering, and suddenly, they are now experiencing a drought of goal scoring.  Anton Volchenkov and Ryan Carter have the Devils' only two goals.

In Game One, the Devils were limited to seventeen shots on goal.  In Game Two, New Jersey practically doubled their output by taking thirty-three shots on goal.  But they got the same results each time.  Meanwhile, Martin Brodeur has been vintage, if not brilliant.


So where do the Devils go from here?  The answer is Los Angeles.  They must go to the west coast and win at least one game so as to bring the series back to Newark.  If not, the Kings will lift the Cup on their own ice.  But if there is one singular player taking the ice tonight, who is best prepared and experienced enough to get his team back in this series, it is Martin Brodeur. All they need to do is win tonight.  And he is certainly capable of stealing a game; even at forty years old.


Having only surrendered one goal in regulation time in each game, there's only so much else Brodeur can do.  Unless Zach Parise and his line can muster some points, unless Ilya Kovalchuck can turn up his game again, unless the Devils start getting multiple goals again, like they did against Florida, Philly,and the Rangers, and unless they get that forecheck grinding again, they will be facing elimination heading into Game Four.


It's not like the Devils are getting thoroughly out-played, or out-classed.  They are not.  But they could use a break or two.




Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ Kings Slay Devils in OT

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY DEMONS

2011 - 2012

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

STANLEY CUP FINALS

GAME ONE

Los Angeles Kings

vs.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

From

THE ROCK

Brick City, Newark

FINAL:

Kings 2

Devils 1
OVERTIME

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Bedeviled in Game One.

In the opening game of the Stanley Cup Finals, New Jersey was reminded what it's like to get scored on early, and having to play from behind.  The Kings came barrelling in on the forecheck and got deep in the Devils' zone, where Jordan Nolan gained possession of the puck behind net.  He found and passed to centerman Colin Fraser positioned at the edge of the right circle, who one-timed a shot passed Brodeur for a 1-0 Los Angeles lead, midway through the first.


The Kings owned the first period battle of the face-offs by a 12-5 count.  But overall, shots on goal were limited in the first period to five apiece.  Only problem was, Broduer let one get by too early.  With 2:15 left, Bryce Salvador had the Devils' best chance on net.  But no goal.  So, off went the Devils into the first intermission trailing by a 1-0 score.


L.A. committed one penalty which they successfully killed off.


The Kings came into the second period like they entered the first; aggressively.  They were the ones taking taking shots over the first half of the second, and were throwing the body more often, again, like in the first period.  The Devils showed they were getting their legs back over the latter half of the first period however.  But the trend didn't seem to be continuing in the second.


With 7:18 left in the second, Marty challenged a shot from point, and won, to kept it a 1-0 game.


New Jersey put L.A. on the power play after committing their first penalty, and even managed a short-handed opportunity by Zach Parise.  They successfully killed off penalty.  At 4:28, they finally managed their first shot on goal of the second period.  Dainius Zubrus had a great look but got stoned by Jonathan Quick on the shot.  Then...


Score at 1:12 - Patrick Elias tied the game off a big rebound/deflection left by Jonathan Quick following Anton Volchenkov's shot from the top of the left circle.


Over the first five minutes of the third period, this time New Jersey was carrying the play.  Zach Parise had a goal waived off after he forced a puck in net with his hand.  But the point is, the Devils were forcing the issue now.  Ryan Carter had another good look against Jonathan Quick, but was stopped with thirteen minutes to go.  But neither team managed much else during regulation.


Into overtime they went.  At 8:47, the Kings scored and the crowd in The Rock crumbled once Anze Kopitar scored.  He juked, and deeked, as he came in on Brodeur virtually unmolested, and scored the Game One winner.


Kings lead the series, one game, to none.




Mike.BTB