9:30 PM ET: I’m not happy, so I’m leaving now.  G’night all. 

9:25 PM ET: Dawes with the empty netter after a decent attempt with the pulled goalie.  4-1 Rangers and that’s the game.  Not the way to start it. 

9:23 PM ET: Devils timeout, they’re pulling Marty for the extra attacker.  Gulp. 

9:22 PM ET: Zubrus blasts one that hits the pipe!  1:30 left in the game.  Not gonna get a better chance than that this late. 

9:20 PM ET: Oh goddammit.  Turnover at the blue line, Gomez drives and Marty’s taken out of position, Avery’s left with an open net to drive it home and it’s 3-1.  Ugh. 

9:19 PM ET: Penalty up, some chances but not much.  Less than four minutes to go in the game.  C’mon guys! 

9:16 PM ET: Jamie Langenbrunner takes a stick to the face and goes down in a heap.  He’s okay it seems and the Devils go to the power play.  No blood, two minutes. 

9:11 PM ET: Good sustained bit of pressure there.  But nothing by way of rubber meeting cotton.  Or rubber meeting giant goaltender pads either for that matter, as most everything was wide or blocked in front. 

9:10 PM ET: Not a whole lot of chances either way since the shorthanded goal. 

9:03 PM ET:  Oh jeez…Shorthanded chance for the Rangers that Marty stops, but Brodeur doesn’t see Calahan driving around heind the net.  He goes to play it but Calahan knocks it off the stick and into the net.  2-1 Rangers on a rare Marty flub.  Dammit.

9:01 PM ET: Langenbrunner with a beautiful chance on the doorstep stopped by Lundqvist!  Dang. 

9:00 PM ET: Elias would have had an excellent chance had his stick not been held behind the net.  Luckily the refs see this as well and Rosival goes away for holding the stick.  Devils back to the PP! 

8:58 PM ET: Shots on goal are 5-0 Devils in the period, only 5 minutes in.  Good pressure, I like. 

8:56 PM ET: A little slower pace, but a couple of nice shots on goal.  That counts for something.  Right? 

8:53 PM ET: Period three now on! 

8:49 PM ET: I could swear there’s a commercial with our very own Mr. Joe Bechtel in it.  Or at least his long lost twin… 

8:35 PM ET: And that’s the end of the second and it’s 1-1 after two.  Whoooooo boy it’s gonna be a fun third period.  Come back and see! 

8:34 PM ET: Crazy glove save by Marty in the last minute of the period.  Yeah Marty.  Yeah. 

8:32 PM ET: GOOD GOD THE CHANCES!  Parise/Elias/Langenbrunner with chances on the doorstep galore and nothing doing!  You gotta bury one of those guys! 

8:29 PM ET: Asham rings one off the pipe!  He thought it was in and even put his arms up in victory.  But we all should have known better, it’s ARRON ASHAM. 

8:23 PM ET: Straka with a broken stick and Devils have essentially a five on three!  Crazy chances and Martin with a crazy stutter step, then shoots and scores!  1-1 game and a beautiful little move by Paulie Martin for the goal! 

8:22 PM ET: Scott Gomez says something on TV that you can’t say on TV.  And takes a penalty.  Not for the bad word though.  For hooking, it is.  Devils on the PP. 

8:20 PM ET: I would kill for some shot accuracy at this point in time.  Seriously. 

8:18 PM ET: My stomach is in knots. 

8:12 PM ET: Martin just misses the net on a slapshot, Calahan gets a rush up the other way and crashes in on Marty, dislodging the net.  Protect Marty guys, please. 

8:11 PM ET: FRANTIC penalty kill , but it’s killed nonetheless.   

8:08 PM ET: Nice chance by Gio but again he shoots it too high.  Tripping call on Pando when he loses an edge and again the Rangers go to the PP. 

8:03 PM ET: Shanahan with a shot, Gomez with either a screen or a tip and it’s 1-0 Rangers with the power play goal.  Dammit.  Shanahan gets the goal.

8:00 PM ET: We’re back, baby.  Period 2 underway.  Rock You Red seems to be a pretty big deal up there.  I approve also.  Devils remain on the PK due to Martin’s interference penalty.  First period shots were 8-8, and hits were 18-11 in favor of…well, I dunno, Doc didn’t say. 

7:43 PM ET: And thus is the end of period #1 of the 2008 playoffs.  I’ll be back in 17, will you? 

7:42 PM ET: A couple of wonky shots on Marty but he gets a piece of each.  Paul Martin takes a penalty for interference on Chris Drury in front of the net and with 10 seconds left in the first, the Devils go to the PK.

7:39 PM ET: Rangers with turnovers galore in their own end, the last taken away by Gio who misses high!  At least they’re aiming above the refridgerator doors on Lundy’s legs. 

7:38 PM ET: Oduya with a huge slapshot and bodies fly to the ground.  I don’t know how many he actually hit but it looked like a warzone for a minute there.

7:36 PM ET: Bryce Salvador’s back in, by the way.  He replaces Vitaly Vishvenski, who’s spending the evning in the press box. 

7:32 PM ET: Avery’s back in, though probably pissed that he’s less pretty now. 

7:30 PM ET: Penalty kill’t!  For those who are interested, Pittsburgh leads Ottawa 1-0 in the first. 

7:28 PM ET: This game is nothing if not exciting so far.  A post shot for each team and nothing but end to end hockey. 

7:27 PM ET: Sarge with a breakaway off a shorthanded turnover, nails the crossbar!  Oh jeez that would have been sweet! 

7:24 PM ET: Avery takes a puck to the face and is bloodied!  Avery heads off the ice and Oduya takes a slashing call simultanious to Avery taking rubber in the kisser.  Rangers PP. 

7:19 PM ET: Holy end-to-end hockey Batman!  Rangers get a three-on-two, Jagr clangs it off the post!  Nine minutes already played and scarcely a whistle.  Oh my, I don’t know if I’m in playoff livecapping shape just yet! 

7:18 PM ET: BIG drives by Andy Greene and John Madden turned away by Henrik.  Hello playoff hockey! 

7:17 PM ET: For two teams that enjoy play number 1-2-2, this game has been pretty wide open so far.  I’m impressed. 

7:14 PM ET: Devils power play, so far, not so pretty.  Sigh.  And that’s the end of that.

7:12 PM ET: Penalty on the Rangers - Paul Mara hooks Parise off a loose puck, and it’s time for a PSE&G Power Play! 

7:11 PM ET: The Devils are firey for sure tonight.  Gio went for a big hit on Gomez that just missed it’s mark. 

7:09 PM ET: Playoffs are underway! 

7:02 PM ET: Whoa Nelly, Chico’s taking the Rock The Red campaign seriously.  Why am I not surprised that Chico has such a…loud shirt?  Hah.  I approve nonetheless.

6:01 PM ET: Hark!  What spendid wonders await?  ‘Tis a livecap coming at thou this very eve!  Huzzah!  Stay(ith) tuned!