Nothing better than a division rivalry. On a Sunday afternoon 4 days before Christmas. In crappy New Jersey winter weather. BUT SERIOUSLY. The Flyers and Devils have been two of the hottest teams in hockey over the past month or so, with both teams going 7-2-1 in their past 10 games. The Devils won the last matchup in an intense overtime thriller down at the Wachovia Center (which I was lucky enough to be in attendance for), and you can be certain the Flyers will be looking for some revenge today. The Devils have two key players missing in Bryce Salvador (upper body injury), and John Madden (he is “ill”, whatever the heck that means). The team got away without them against a pretty lousy Senators team on Friday, but will miss both players against the firepower of this Flyers team. Should be a good one!
My boyfriend’s sitting next to me as I’m doing this today (he actually insisted I blog during the game). I’m sure he’ll have some comments throughout 
1:02 PM: In an unfortunate turn of events (read: Center Ice blacked out the Devils coverage), it seems I’m stuck with the Philly coverage of the game today. I miss Doc and Chico already.
1:04 PM: Niittymaki v. Clemmenson in goal this afternoon. Opening faceoff in a few.
1:08 PM: CSN Philly thought it was a good idea to put GIANT FACES on screen to introduce the lineups for each team. I didn’t really want to see the first 2 minutes of the game. Jake: I hope those faces never come back.
1:12 PM: Josh Gratton and Mike Rupp go at it in front of Clemmenson. Gratton’s probably a good six inches shorter than Rupp, but manages to get Rupp so tangled up that Rupp never gets a good shot in and falls over. I’d call it even. Jake agrees.
1:16 PM: Devils to go up a man as Kimmo Timonen hook. Timonen is not pleased. Good chance for the Devils to get some offensive pressure going.
1:18 PM: The Flyers announcers have an unhealthy obsession with Brian Gionta being “diminutive”. They throw the word out there at least 5 times a game. I still want Doc and Chico back.
1:21 PM: Flyers kill off the penalty without too much trouble. One great chance for Travis Zajac but he can’t convert on the rebound in front.
1:23 PM: Devils on the power play again, this time on a tripping call on Kimmo Timonen. Timonen is still not pleased.
1:25 PM: Awful power play for the Devils. We’re back a full strength.
1:29 PM: I really, really don’t like Sheldon Brookbank. Just throwing that out there.
1:32 PM: Neither team look particularly spectacular right now. Pretty even game thus far. Also, the amount of points the Flyers have tallied shorthanded is intimidating (13 goals).
1:35 PM: Hooking penalty on the Flyers’ Darrel POWE. That’s the best hockey name EVER.
1:39 PM: Penalty killed again. Couple of good chances by the Devils this time around. Great save by Clemmenson coming the other way right after the penalty expires.
1:42 PM: End of the first period. Pretty even play so far, looks a lot like the last matchup between these two teams. I still hate the Flyers announcers with a fiery passion. Be back for the second.
2:01 PM: Second period underway. Apparently Riley Cote fought Donald Brashear twice yesterday and got his face rearranged. He’s got two black eyes, a fat lip, and a couple of stitches over one eye. Not a good look.
2:09 PM: I’m sitting here munching on a frozen pizza and there’s not much going on. Bobby Holik flattened Scottie Upshall early in the period, but other than that, nothing doing. Hartnell just took a penalty though, so the Devils’ power play gets its fourth opportunity of the afternoon. Asham’s sitting in the box for the penalty for an unknown reason and we just got a fantastic shot of him rocking out in the box.
2:12 PM: Patrik Elias extends his point streak to 10, hammering home a second rebound attempt for a power play goal. 1-0 Devils.
2:14 PM: Brian Rolston puts home a slapshot that Niittymaki never saw, and boy does he look happy. 2-0 Devils, with just a minute and 6 seconds between the goals.
2:22 PM: Sheldon Brookbank can’t even fight right. He tries to go at it with Braydon Coburn and they just sort of hug for a while, Brookbank throws one punch, and then they hug some more until Coburn pushes him over. You fail, sir.
2:28 PM: Devils’ take their first penalty of the afternoon, as Andy Greene goes off for high sticking. Big kill here for the Devils.
2:30 PM: Jeff Carter takes back the league lead in goals with 25, poking one through Scott Clemmenson’s five hole at the start of the power play. 2-1 Devils.
2:33 PM: Some good extended pressure from the Devils following the Flyers’ goal, but they can’t convert thanks to some great defensive play by Randy Jones. The rest of the second period expires without too much excitement. Check back in for the third period.
2:51 PM: Third period underway. Game had a great pace to it at the end of the second, we’ll see if that keeps up.
2:55 PM: Josh Gratton lays out Johnny Oduya and Mike Rupp and Jay Leach both want to destroy him but back off in favor of the power play opportunity.
2:58 PM: Scott Hartnell gets a breakaway as the power play comes to an end, but Clemmer comes up with the big save. Another lackluster power play attempt for the Devils.
3:07 PM: Jake points out that Riley Cote just took a run at Bobby Holik. He’s not a wise man, or at least doesn’t value his face.
3:16 PM: Colin White just destroyed someone in the corner. I enjoy watching him hit everything that moves. In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s not much else going on.
3:18 PM: I should have kept my mouth shut. Joffrey Lupul makes it 2-2.
3:26 PM: Couple of strong saves by Niittymaki since the Flyers’ goal. About a minute left in regulation.
3:29 PM: And we’re headed to overtime!
3:32 PM: Bodies are flying everywhere. I have no idea what’s going on out there.
3:34 PM: Clemmenson with the HUGE save on Jeff Carter. Just under 2 minutes left in the overtime.
3:37 PM: 12 seconds left and the Flyers have an offensive zone faceoff. Flyers call a timeout. I imagine his point starts with WIN A FACEOFF ASSHOLES, as the Devils have won 2/3rds of the draws in the game.
3:38 PM: No dice. To the shootout we go.
SHOOTOUT
Simon Gagne – save
Zach Parise – HIT THE DAMN CROSSBAR
Mike Richards – goal
Patrik Elias – save
Jeff Carter – save
Jamie Langenbrunner – goal
Kimmo Timonen – save
Brian Gionta – save
Joffrey Lupul – save
Travis Zajac – goal
And the Devils win the game 3-2 in the shootout on Travis Zajac’s first shootout attempt of the year. Great game.
