After two periods in Columbus,the Devils found themselves on the low side of a 1-0 score of a hard hitting defensive game.But midway through the third,Travis Zajac took a gift of a pass on the Devils first power play of the night from the Blue Jackets R.J. Umberger and whipped the pass between the pads and glove of Steve Mason (13) to tie the game and John Madden shoved the puck into the goal (5) among a pileup a minute later for a Devil lead that would never be allowed back into Ohio hands in a 2-1 Devil win.
The Devils travel to Long Island tonight and will meet the battered Islanders at seven.
Hell Raisers
1) The win guarantees the Devils at least a .500 record on the six game road swing and a win tonight over the Islanders would guarantee a winning trip.
2) The Madden goal had its share of controversy,as the net came off its moorings.
The officials decided that the puck was going into the goal before it became dislodged and therefore the goal counted.
Columbus was unhappy and I can understand why,but after a call among a net scrum went against the Devils in Anaheim,this seemed like karma....
3) The Zajac goal came on the only Devil power play of the evening.
The game was pretty cleanly played as Columbus committed just one penalty and the Devils only three.Three of the games total four were for tripping.
4) Kevin Weekes picked up his second win of the trip and again allowed just one goal in doing it.
Weekes especially made some nice saves in the first period,although the one goal that he did allow to Manny Malholtra was a bit on the soft side.
No word on whether it will be Weekes or Scott Clemmensen tonight against the Gorton Gang.
Editors Note:It will be Clemmensen going for the Red and Black tonight.
5) John Madden has struggled a bit this season and has even been mentioned in trade rumors,so it was nice to see number eleven hit the game winner.
Even when Madden is not playing well,it is never due to lack of effort.
Bonus Rounds
Brendan Shanahan was with the team last night and will be with them tonight,but will not make his first appearance until Monday's game in Nashville.
The Islanders have yet to win a game in 2009,lets hope that trend continues tonight!
Bullpen Notes
Speaking of the Islanders,they will be playing a exhibition game in Kansas City next year and that has added to the speculation of the Islanders being one of the top candidates to move to the new arena there.
The Islanders do have tradition,but they play in a dump,attendance is poor and as large as the New York market is,three teams appears to be overkill....
Please don't get me wrong,I am not advocating a move there,but it would add fire to the league,if the Islanders moved to KC and switched divisions with Washington.
That would return the Capitals to the division and rivals that their fans want most.....
The Post-Gazette is reporting that Pedro Alvarez reported to Pirate mini-camp overw
eight and with knee tendinitis.Alvarez also refused interview requests.
The word on Alvarez before the draft was always of a hard working,in shape,team guy and thus far there has been little to support that.
Is playing for the Pirates that much of a buzzkill?
The good news from the camp though has Andrew McCutchen adding ten pounds of muscle (he needed it!) and Brad Lincoln slimming down and looking in shape as well.
Good to see both of those guys taking the off season seriously and making some waves this season.
Until tomorrow with the wrapup of the battle between Kansas City's past and perhaps its future.
Photo Credits
Madden and Weekes-AP Photo
Alvarez-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
1 comment:
There are many better options for relocation, but I must admit that the thought of the "Kansas City Islanders" strikes me as very amusing.
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