Devils Show Up Rival Rangers! 3/6/12

Every meeting between the Devils and Rangers is highlighted on hockey calendars. Tuesday, like all other of these games, did not give a single reason to hush the hype. Every game is physical, skaters skate faster, and goalies are zoned-in. It is simply like watching playoff-style hockey. There have been two shut-outs in the combatted rivalry this season, with a total of only 3 goals combined! If that does not imply the intensity of these games, I do not have any other ways to convince you. 

The opening puck drops followed by a Devils score. Wait, what? That quickly? Well I guess a good explanation would have to be that number 17 guy the Devils have. Yea, he is pretty good. Ilya Kovalchuk, "that number 17 guy", is lightning quick. When he splits the defense of any team and is given a break-away, that team would have just as good of a chance if they pulled their goalie and attempted to bring on another defensemen to stop him. Most of the time the goalie does not move, and the puck is snapped behind him already. This is pretty much the story of the first goal in the Rangers visit to the Prudential Center. Just under one minute into the game, and the score reads: Kovalchuk-1 vs. Rangers-0. Unfortunately for the Rangers, also known as the Blueshirts, Brandon Dubinsky got punched in the nose in a fight with Devils third, but usually fourth, liner Ryan Carter. He did not return. The period ended with the Devils on top 1-0, and Martin Brodeur looking amazing.

Marty did not let up in the second period. The Blueshirts' forward, Derek Stepan, rifled a slap-shot by him from between the face-off circle hash marks, but Brodeur was not completely at fault. I am sure he wished he had saved it, but there was not much he could do about the shot. Brodeur was looking ages younger on Tuesday, making saves look easy and fluent. The Rangers controlled the first half of the second period, but were only able to produce one goal out of it. Approximately at the eight minute mark of the period, the Devils picked up their pace and the game was more balanced. However, still no more goals were scored in the second period.

If you could draw a picture to summarize the third period, it would look like this. There would be a red light above Blueshirts' goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the devils sticks in the air celebrating, and a sea of red in the crowd standing with their arms up. Why? Because New Jersey took a 1-1 tie game and created a blowout. Finishing the game 4-1, the Devils got goals from David Clarkson and Ryan Carter. The last goal was an empty net dagger from Patrik Elias. Brodeur played very well, making 25 saves on 26 shots.


It feels great as a fan to watch a game like that, but I am sure it feels that much better as a player. If only this could be a sign of what is to come. Tuesday's contest was the Devils first home game after a four game road trip. They take on the Islanders in each of their next two games. Brodeur has let in only a combined two goals in two games now, and hopefully these games against the Isles go better than the last.