Melted in the Sun,Devils lose three goal lead

The New Jersey Devils looked dominant in the first period and looked well on their way to a 4-1 road trip as the Devils rolled to a 3-0 lead after one period of play,
It was all downhill from there as New Jersey could not sustain their quality of play and lost the lead to the Florida Panthers in a shocking 4-3 defeat.
The three first period goals were scored by Dainius Zubrus (6),Ilya Kovalchuk (4) and Petr Sykora (4).
The Devils take today off before hosting Columbus at the Rock on Wednesday.
I'll be in Washington on that day for the Winnipeg Jets return to the Nations Capital,so I'll have to watch on a tape or maybe a young lady that will be watching the game could offer me some thoughts.....

Hell Raisers

1) Simply Put-the Devils let off the gas.
New Jersey dominated every aspect of the game in the opening stanza from goals to goaltending to even killing off a five on three advantage for Florida.
And then,Pfttt.
Stan Fischler always says (and I usually scoff) that the three goal lead is the worst in hockey.
On this night,perhaps he is right...

2) No blame on Martin Brodeur,who continues to round into form.with 32 saves and none of the goals allowed being awful ones.
In fact,with any help at all,two of them should not have gone in.
Mark Fayne was in awful position on one goal and the puck bounced off his leg and into the net,while a broken stick of Andy Greene's left him and Brodeur as a result helpless against the game winner.
Not a good defensive night...

3) Anton Volchenkov left the game with a face laceration that would need 10-12 stitches to close in the first period from a hit by Shawn Matthias.
The Devils were incensed by the play,which is being reviewed by the league,yet drew no penalty.
Only Ilya Kovalchuk received a penalty for roughing after the play ended with Volchenkov prone on the ice...

4) Rod Pelley took exception to the hit and fought Matthias in the second period.
Pelley clearly earned the duke in this fight...

5) It might not have gotten to the point that it did with a bounce of the puck.
Adam Henrique's backhander from point blank range clanked off the pipe early in the third period and that was the only serious threat in the final period.
That might have swung Uncle Mo Mentum back the Jersey way...

6) I would have taken a 3-2 road trip beforehand considering the travel and tough places to play for various reasons,so that is not disappointing.
The disappointing part is that it should have been 4-1-This one hurts...

Photo Credit
Joel Auerbach-Getty Images