Dried up in Edmonton,Devils fall 5-4

For two periods,the New Jersey Devils looked good and played better in building a 3-0 lead and appeared to be on their way to their first victory of the season.
However, in a eight minute span,not only had the Devils been caught on the scoreboard,the team had been surpassed and looked to be in danger of not even gaining a point!
Patrik Elias' score with the team shorthanded (1 Shorthanded) allowed the Devils to tie the game and at least salvage a point before the Edmonton Oilers would win the shootout,the game and the extra point in a 5-4 Devils loss in Edmonton.
The Devils received other goals from Damien Brunner (3 Powerplay),Michael Ryder (2) and Jaromir Jagr (1).
New Jersey will not have time to sulk over the stunning defeat as they will return in Vancouver tonight...

Hell Raisers

1) Let's deal with the top story first-Unacceptable.
When you have the amount of veteran defensemen that this team carries and just blows a game like this something needs to be at least looked at and I don't care that its only the third game of the season.
When your youngest defenseman (Adam Larsson) has the best game on the night,then the vets need to shape up!
Bryce Salvador handed the Oilers a powerplay with a dumb penalty (puck over the glass) and generally played an awful final period.
Anton Volchenkov was generally bad and don't get me started on Peter Harrold!

2) Ok,you got me started on Peter Harrold.
Harrold must have something that this writer misses.
It's been a progression for ol' Pete.I went from wondering why he made the roster to why Harrold is playing and Mark Fayne is scratched to why so much ice time to why is Harrold on the specialty units to oh never mind...
Peter Harrold should be the 7th defenseman AT BEST and instead is a constant handicap to this team.

3) Martin Brodeur was brilliant for two periods,not so good in the third.
Not all the goals were on him,but not a good period for Brodeur-no matter how hard you try to excuse him....

4) The Patrik Elias goal to tie the game was the first of the year for a returning Devil.

5) I really like Damian Brunner.
He shoots the puck and might be the most creative player offensively on a team crying out for some!
I also like the lunchpail attitude as well...

6) And ditto for Michael Ryder.
I have always thought Ryder's game would make him a good Devil and he has been thus far.
His goal was a very pretty one and he goes to the net too,another plus on a team that can reluctant to hit the net....

7) Finally,I know some are already hitting the Peter DeBoer must go button.
I'm not-for now.
I am frustrated with the constant shaking up of lines at a time of year that consistency builds chemistry and I am sick of his devotion to some players-Peter Harrold,that are lucky to even be employed yet given key ice time,but let's look at it this way,If the Devils had split games in regulation,they would have the same two points that they have now.
I will admit that I don't like the way things are headed,but let's not move too quickly.
DeBoer didn't allow four goals and DeBoer isn't the guy that gets stoned on every shootout attempt (Devils 0 for 9 in the shootout) that the Devils take,so don't be hasty-there is plenty of time for that...

Photo Credit-AP Photo