I had a plan this week, folks. I was going to live blog a game that didn’t involve my beloved, yet awful, Devils. First, I planned to follow the Islanders/Canucks game on Sunday. Roberto Luongo! YAY! As it turned out, that game was actually Monday. Eventually I’ll figure out what day of the week it is. So, plan B: I decided to bring you the Rangers/Canucks game last night. Even more Roberto Luongo! YAY! (Have you noticed a theme yet?) Then my job and the Project From Hell (TM) sucked out my soul. I fell asleep approximately 12 minutes after the game ended, and was lucky I stayed awake through the entire game. But man, did I enjoy watching “King Henry” pull himself.
It’s the little things in life.
ANYWAY, third time’s a charm. Tonight, I shall bring you a live blog of a way less exciting game between the Devils and Panthers! I can feel your enthusiasm from here. The Devils are coming off of a big shootout win Saturday against the Capitals (which I was in attendance for and I’m fairly certain took 3 years off my life), backstopped by none other than Martin Brodeur Kevin Weekes Scott Clemmenson?! Sigh. Clemmer will be in net again this evening, leaving me to yell out WEEEEEEEEEEKEEEEEESSSS in agony every time he does something stupid. I’ll try to spare you my pain. This is a big one for the Devils, as they are looking to build up some momentum at home before heading out on a road trip leading up to Thanksgiving.
I won’t lie to you, I know nothing about the Panthers except that David Booth has been playing lights out and both goaltenders have been pretty stellar this season, though I expect we’ll see Vokoun tonight. They’re 7-9-1, which is better than I would have expected but only good enough for last place in the Southeast. Just the kind of team the Devils love to lose to.
See you for the opening faceoff!
6:55 PM: I forgot about Jay Bouwmeester. He’s pretty awesome too. Too bad for the Panthers he’ll be gone by the trade deadline.
7:01 PM: It’s been a month since the Devils won back to back games. Now would be a great time to break that trend if they intend to prove to people they AREN’T simply “Martin Brodeur & a bunch of other dudes who play hockey”
7:08 PM: Fun fact: I have an undying hatred for Stan Fischler.
7:11 PM: Strong start for the Devils (I like saying that). Zach Parise shoots about 3 feet too high after some extended Devils pressure. Please don’t start shooting like Jamie Langenbrunner, Zach.
7:14 PM: Bouwmeester just did one hell of a job defending Zach Parise. Like 4 times. Lou, are you watching? GO AFTER THIS KID.
7:15 PM: Jason Cullimore still plays in the NHL? Really? I didn’t get that memo.
7:17 PM: Devils going on the power play, which Mike Emerick is nice enough to remind the viewing public is 1 for its last 15 tries. I love me some crappy special teams. Prior to that Jay Pandolfo shot harder than I’ve ever seen him shoot before. Good stuff.
7:21 PM: Nice pass up-ice by Scott Clemmenson on the power play. This is not a sentence I ever thought I’d type.
7:23 PM: Power play over. Dainus Zubrus missed a rebound attempt at a wide open net. Same old, same old.
7:26 PM: Florida’s first real chance of the period. Good stop by Clemmenson.
7:28 PM: Nicklas Bergfors has clearly been watching David Clarkson’s wraparounds. He fails of course. I still like what I see from this kid, though.
7:35 PM: Bryce Salvador just got nailed in the back of the head with an unidentifed Panther stick. Devils power play again.
7:47PM: I had unexpected company arrive. Obviously, I am not meant to live blog. To sum up the end of the first: The Devils power play sucks, terrible penalty call on Colin White, about 20 seconds to go in the Florida power play at the start of the second.
8:08 PM: Florida’s played much better this period, Devils’ look a little more sluggish. Why yes, I am only half watching. The best laid plans. John Madden appeared to just take a shot off the leg and sort of gimped through the rest of his shift. I grow sad.
8:10 PM: Patrik Elias puts one past Vokoun with a beautiful move. 1-0 Devils.
8:13 PM: Clemmer stops a great play by Booth, and Madden’s back on the ice. I can breathe a little easier.
8:22 PM: Jason Cullimore appears to be hurt. One of his own guys fell on his right leg — that didn’t look good. Legs shouldn’t bend that way.
8:27 PM: Parise has been unfortunately snakebitten that last few games. Also, Scott Clemmenson has been playing really well tonight.
8:28 PM: Shots on goal this period 10-1 in favor of Florida. Devils with the one that matters.
8:31 PM: 1-0 Devils at the end of the second. ThankyouScottClemmenson. Add that to the list of things I didn’t think I’d be writing tonight.
8:52 PM: Devils are coasting a little too much. May come back to bite them later on if they don’t pick up their energy level.
8:55 PM: Hey they listened! David Clarkson to Paul Martin who puts a shot right past Vokoun. 2-0 Devils.
8:57 PM: That. was. awesome. Gionta, to Elias, back to Gionta, and nothing but an open net awaits him. 3-0 Devils. 1:02 between the goals. The Gionta/Elias/Zubrus line has been fantastic tonight.
9:01 PM: Elias takes an unfortunate high-sticking penalty. The Devils penalty kill makes me really nervous.
9:04 PM: And that’s why. Frolick’s first-ever NHL goal (the Devils really like giving those up), 3-1 Devils.
9:07 PM: Florida hasn’t won a playoff game in 10 years. That’s just unfortunate. Granted, they also haven’t been IN the playoffs very much, but that’s a whole different story.
9:17 PM: Chico Resch has a huge man crush on Zach Parise. Oh, right, the game. The Panthers will probably pull the goalie soon. Or now.
9:19 PM: Times like these I want Bobby Holik and his huge frickin’ unibrow back. Huge faceoffs in the defensive zone.
9:20 PM: Ok, enough digs at Clemmer. He’s been absolutely awesome tonight. Huge save again there.
9:23 PM: That’ll do it. 3-1 Devils. Solid performance all around (minus the second period, perhaps) and a big win.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Couple of nice saves by Clemmer, but I still want to see Weekes tomorrow night, then let the one who plays better get Sunday. Clemmer didn’t play well last game, just came up huge in the SO… but tip the cap to him tonight, he’s played well in what I saw
November 20th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Hey, we’re 2 games over .500 and still hanging tough through the injury jinx. As TG said, we’ve stopped the bleeding, now we start playing a little better and keep in that “couple games over .500″ zone… Kudos to Zubrus and Elias tonight too.