No Crowning on this night!

The New Jersey Devils switched tactics and some talent and as a result,the Devils avoided the sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings with a 3-1 win in game four in Los Angeles.
The Devils scored three goals in the third period to outscore the Kings one as all scoring was in the final period.
Patrik Elias started the scoring,Adam Henrique broke a 1-1- tie with four and a half minutes to go and Ilya Kovalchuk hit the empty netter to salt the game away and send the Stanley Cup back into its case for at least two more nights.
Game five will be Saturday night in Newark.....

Hell Raisers

1) Full disclosure-I saw none of the four goals in this game.
Honestly,in the time it took for me to leave my car,clock in at work and get the XM boombox set,the game had went from 0-0 to 1-1!

2) So considering all that,I'll try to keep things to what I did see for the most part.
The Devils clearly made a change in tactics as the forecheck became less important as the team stayed back a bit,played a tighter more defensive oriented game and the switch paid benefits as the Kings were not as able in transitional play and the Devils were able to get the clear Kings opportunities to a minimum.

3)  Peter DeBoer also made a move in the lineup as veterans Petr Sykora and Henrik Tallinder made their series debut.Jacob Josefson and Peter Harrold were scratched in order to play the newcomers to the lineup.
Neither player hit the scoresheet.but I would say having fresh legs in the lineup always is a help at this time of the year...

4) Is there any doubt that Adam Henrique is a big game player?
Three game winners in these playoffs with two of those coming with the Devils elimination staring them in the face.
Mark my words,there is a captainship for Adam Henrique down the road....

5) Martin Brodeur was brilliant in goal other than one mistake that brought back memories of Ilya Brzygalov's muff against the Devils.
The mistake did not cost the Devils and therefore did not mar an excellent outing...

6) Finally,considering I missed the final period when things got exciting-a solid game for the Devils.
They kept the Kings from playing their game and the Kings will try to adjust to that adjustment in Newark.
This series really could be 3-1 Devils with a pair of breaks,but they are not,so you play the hand that you are dealt.
This is still going to take a miracle,but the longest journey starts with the first step.
Step one taken,step two -Saturday night.

Photo Credit:AP Photo