One good period cannot override two poor ones

The New Jersey Devils were off their game for two periods and the result was a three goal deficit.

A different Devils team showed up for the third period and came within inches of tying the game before a meaningless empty netter by the Florida Panthers with no time on the clock allowed the Panthers to escape with a 4-2 win and a tie in the series as the teams head to New Jersey for Game 3 tomorrow night.
Travis Zajac and Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the Devils.

Hell Raisers

1) Well,the title says it all for me as the Devils played twenty minutes of solid hockey and forty minutes of pretty mediocre hockey.
Even against the worst of the leagues teams,you will not often get away with that very often,let alone earn wins in the playoffs....

2) The goals that set the tone were the two Stephen Weiss power plays goals.
For all the stats of the Devils record setting penalty kill,it was the lack of the kill on this night that set the stage for the loss.
The puck bounces funny sometimes,so I am not concerned yet,but something to look at for Game 3.

3) The two Weiss goals were not soft goals,but the Marcel Goc goal that proved to be the game winner sure was against Martin Brodeur.
Brodeur was only able to get a piece of the puck as it flew under his arm,that one was on Marty's head.

4) Peter DeBoer used both Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac as centers on the Zach Parise/Ilya Kovalchuk line and both produced a goal.
I would like to see both centers get time with the star pair as each brings a different touch to the unit.
Zajac is the more adept passer in the offensive zone,while Henrique offers more of the breakaway chances that the team can use more of.

5) OK,the series is 1-1,not bad.
The Devils now have home ice and played an excellent third period that had the Panthers reeling,I would not say I feel cocky,but very confident going into Game three.

Photo Credit:AP Photo