The New Jersey Devils polished off a Pennsylvania twin killing with a 5-2 win at home over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins at the Rock.The win was the Devils fourth in a row since the All Star break and has helped New Jersey climb up the Eastern Conference standings into sixth place and only one point behind fifth place Pittsburgh with a game in hand.
New Jersey goals to Ilya Kovalchuk (22),David Clarkson (20 empty net),Zach Parise (20), Dainius Zubrus (15 shorthanded) and Anton Volchenkov (1).
The Devils are off tonight before a trip to MSG and the waiting first place Rangers.....
Hell Raisers
1) A goal and two assists for Ilya Kovalchuk as he continued his sizzling recent scoring,but the play that I enjoyed most was his dish to Anton Volchenkov for the first goal in a season and a half for Volchenkov.
I realize the Pittsburgh defenders were drawn to Kovalchuk because of the lack of pop from Volchenkov,but Kovalchuk had the confidence in his teammate to wait and make the pass instead of the shot.
Kovalchuk has been a player that has tried to do things on his own,perhaps the realization that those player do not win in the playoffs has matured both himself and his game...
2) The Anton Volchenkov goal was his first as a Devil,but a funny note on a former Devil on a similar drought.
Scott Gomez,who is still getting paid for his outlandish contract from the Rangers to leave New Jersey, has not scored a goal in over a year for Montreal.
Sometimes,there is more to things than money....
3) The Devils did catch a break on the shorthanded goal by Dainius Zubrus,who was fed the puck by Ilya Kovalchuk,who obtained the puck through what could have been a penalty from former Devil Paul Martin.
The penalty probably should have been called,but was not...
4) David Clarkson's twentieth goal of the season came on a long flip up the ice from Martin Brodeur,who picked up the assist.
Marty used to do these things far more often before the trapezoid was installed to slow Brodeur's game among with a few others of the better puck moving netminders.
Rumor has it that the trapezoid could be gone for next season,but that will be too late for Brodeur after wasting years of his skill being taken away from the zone.
5) Steve Bernier assisted on the Parise goal and has looked strong since being called up.
The skills are there Bernier to be a productive third liner and if he can put things together (just 26),the Devils could find themselves with a solid player for a reasonable price..
Back later with the promised Cavaliers win over Dallas from Saturday...
Photo Credit:Mike Stobe-Getty Images
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