It’s A Fight For First
Published: February 4, 2008
Continuing with the myriad of home games for the good ol’ shorty month of February, the Devils will once again welcome in the Penguins in tonight’s only Eastern Conference game. Yes, my fellow fans, that means that tonight’s shakedown with the Penguins is, indeed, a fight for first place in the Atlantic.
Through five meetings already this season, the Devils are a respectable 3-2 against the flightless birds. An interesting note on the season series so far – the visitor has taken all five contests between the two rivals. Yep, the Devs have stolen the three games in Pittsburgh and the Pens have pretty much stolen the show twice in New Jersey. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but the Devils are going have to break that trend tonight if they want to keep themselves in a viable position for a playoff spot.
I’m not even going to begin to fathom how many times I’ve said “With the Division the way it is…” but despite its redundant nature, it IS a valid argument, and something the Devils (as well as the rest of the division) should be afraid of. A mere two weeks back, the Devils were top dogs in the Atlantic, but have since fallen to the third spot in a division that separates the top four teams (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, New York Rangers; respectively.) by only three points. The Islanders are the resident owners of the division’s basement/apartment combo, (I hear there’s no heat…) sitting six points behind the fourth-place Rangers, and nine points back of the first-place Flyers. It really is uncanny how the division hierarchy has bounced around more than an all-night yahtzee-fest. It’s both entertaining, and frustrating as all hell; which has uncontrollably lead to a unique combination of both heartburn and post-traumatic depression. For those of you wondering; no, I don’t know it’s just a game…
Ok. Lineups. Most notably, the Penguins will be playing without Mr. Crosby. I don’t see that as much as an advantage as it appears that Evgeni Malkin has gone on a possibly crack-induced tear, carrying the team in their captain’s absence. Malkin has tallied up nine points (5g, 4a) since Crosby’s injury only six games ago. Doesn’t help the situation much that the kid always seems to have Brodeur’s number.
For the Devils, Brodeur has been anything but spectacular agains the Pens. Well, at home that is. Considering tonight is indeed a home game for Black ‘n Red, anybody out there think Brent Sutter might play a little mind game and throw Kevin Weekes between the pipes? Well, probably not. But hey, would you put it past him?
On the brighter side of things, that restless news-gopher Tom Gulitti reports that Jay Pandolfo is a possibility for tonight’s game. Please note the bold print. Although I have to admit, I’ve already begun to do the happy dance, despite the risk of more heartburn. I don’t expect any major changes from the lineup that took the ice in the 6-3 victory over the Kings.
Well folks, this one will most certainly be a doozy. Hopefully one that will include many loud instances of that new-fangled goal horn in Newark. Remember to keep your F5-finger ready at 2MA for tonight’s live-cap! The man, the myth, the typist-extraordinare Josh Burnett will deliver a ‘cap that will hit you harder than a sobering Patriots fan.
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