A little bit of payback

The New Jersey Devils had fallen behind 2-0 to Kris Versteeg (err Florida Panthers) after the Vertsteegs scored their second goal of the game in period two.
The end result did not look good for the Devils.
That was as bleak as it would get for fans of the red and black as less than a minute later,Patrik Elias put New Jersey on the board (10) and Zach Parise tied the game (10) in the third period to force overtime and the eventual shootout.
As you know (or you should!) the Devils usually win when it gets to the shootout and in this one the result was no different as Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias each scored to pair with Martin Brodeur swatting aside both Panther shots to give the Devils two points and a 3-2 shootout win.
The win was a little bit of payback for the Devils meltdown from a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 loss that occurred in the previous trip to Miami this season.
The Devils have won four of the last five games and take two days off before hosting Dallas Friday on Scott Niedermayer night.

Hell Raisers

1) Great night for Martin Brodeur,who was helpless on both Versteeg goals.
He did not face a ton of shots,but was more than solid in net with 24 saves.
Could it be that the increased play for Johan Hedberg has actually been beneficial for Brodeur?
It seems that way for the present time....

2) Bad breakdowns for the Devils on both goals.
Adam Larsson's lazy pass to the center in the Devils zone was intercepted by Stephen Weiss,who flipped the puck to Kris Versteeg beat Brodeur one on one and Henrik Tallinder's turnover was even more inexcusable considering his veteran status as he handed the puck to Versteeg on a poke check and allowed yet another shorthanded goal.

3) The shorthanded goal was the ninth shorthanded goal of the season that the Devils allowed,which leads the league.I wish I had some answers,but I am about out of any ideas for now to correct this unless these things change with practice and repetition.....

4) Another great night for the Zach Parise/Adam Henrique/Ilya Kovalchuk line,which clearly was the dominant line on the ice.
The first goal was scored with Parise and Kovalchuk teaming with Patrik Elias,but the line is playing so well right now that if the other lines can pick up their game a small amount,the issues with goal scoring might take care of themselves....

5) Kurtis Foster made a quiet debut,although he did see some power play time.Foster does have one thing that this team has nowhere else among the blueliners-a booming shot.
If Foster is going to make an impact on the team,it is going to be at the point on the power play.

6) The Devils expect Travis Zajac to return either Friday against Dallas or Saturday against Montreal.
Zajac's return adds more offense to a team that could use it.
My guess is he will plug into the second line,but he could settle into the third line for the time being until the offense needs a line shakeup,which happens periodically throughout the season...

7) Jacob Josefson is still expected to miss four to eight more weeks recovering from his broken clavicle.
If the Devils are able to stay in the playoff hunt until then,the Devils will have plenty of depth at center and that will allow more movement among the forwards....

Photo Credit-AP Photo