I don’t know about you guys, but it took a tiny little occurance called Christmas for me to forget about that brutal loss on Tuesday night. I mean, seriously. You’re up FOUR goals with a touch more than 35 minutes to play and one of the best netminders in the planet behind you. How do you let that one go? Stupid lateral passes at the blueline were their undoing, and in overtime it almost seemed like they were just trying to hold off the Fightin’ Ovechins long enough to get to a shootout. Bah, whatever.
The Devils come to the Garden tonight, and the last time these two teams met we got a wild 8-5 offensive explosion. The Blueshirts took home W’s the first two times these teams met, outscoring the Devs 9-3 in the process. This just in though, Scott Clemmensen’s pretty good: 1.96 GAA & 0.928 SV% this month (nine games).
I’ve still got some family over for the holidays, so it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to post any updates. Enjoy the game.
Update (7:07pm): Michal Rozsival is dealing with some “personal issues” and is out of the lineup. Corey Potter is back up from Hartford to fill in.
Update (8:28pm): A rather blah first period. The Rangers appeared to be in “beat themselves” mode early, allowing a PPG on a too many men call, then yet another shorthanded job. Nice job of bouncing back with a tally of their own, but the refs need to let them play more. Way too many soft calls on both sides.
Oh, and this team needs a power play quarterback in the worst way. Wade Redden just isn’t cutting it. Jay Bouwmeester, anyone?
Update (9:13pm): Well, they showed some signs of life at the end of the period there, and it only took a 5-on-3 power play. Gonna have to man up in the third, Clemmensen’s doing his best Marty impression.
Update (9:37pm): When Dmitri Kalinin scores a goal, you just have to find a way to win. Do it.
Mike Axisa writes for River Ave. Blues and can be reached here.
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