The New Jersey Devils continue to play red-hot hockey, and now
sit alone atop the Atlantic Division. After starting out somewhat
slow, they have gone 8-3-1 in their last 12 games, culminated by
a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to propel themselves
into first place, previously occupied by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Head coach, Robbie Ftorek has got these boys playing a new style
of hockey, unfamiliar to what anyone who has ever watched
professional hockey in North Jersey. Not only is this new
"offensive" system a lot more enjoyable from a fan's perspective,
it's also producing results much quicker than anyone could have
hoped for. Ftorek stated that, "Everyone is contributing on both
ends of the ice," but there is still much work to be done.
After jumping out to a 3-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the
Devils went into a defensive shell, only to see the score
eventually be tied at 3-3. It took a goal by Randy McKay late in
the third period to solidify goaltender Chris Terreri's third win
of the season. Bobby Holik said, "We have to learn to put a team
away when we have the chance, kick them when they're down."
It is a difficult thing to do, to learn a new system. While it is
still very early in the season, the Devils have shown very
positive signs that they will, indeed, make this a winning
scheme.
Oliwa: A Scorer?
In the game against the Montreal Canadians, tough guy Krzysztof
Oliwa notched his first goal of the season. He certainly made the
most of it, because it was the first goal of the game, and the
eventual game-winner.
When he's not using those soft hands around the net, he's using
them on the opposition. He is tied with Toronto's Tie Domi for
the league-lead with eight fighting majors. After scoring his
goal, Oliwa was scratched from the very next game.
Second Time Is A Charm
In that same game, defenseman Scott Niedermayer was awarded his
second career penalty shot. The Devils were in a 5-on-3 short-
handed situation when Ken Daneyko banked the puck off of the
boards and hit Niedermayer for a breakaway. He was pulled down
from behind, and the officials immediately pointed to center ice.
Niedermayer raced in on Canadiens netminder Jose Theodore, faked
to his backhand, then wristed a shot through the pads for his
first-ever penalty shot goal in the NHL. Nieds admitted that when
he took his first penalty shot against Ken Wregget in 1996, he
was extremely nervous - the result, a shot that hit Wregget in
the middle of his chest. This time around, he said that he was
much more relaxed, and just let the move happen. Now there's
irony - relaxing during "the most exciting play in sports."
Wake-Up Call
The Devils' brief two-game winning streak came to a screaming
halt when they took a road trip down to Philadelphia. The two
teams played each other straight up for two periods, then the
Flyers erupted for five third-period goals, giving the Devils a
first class spanking, 6-1. This marked the most goals against in
a single game for the entire season.
If you want to look for a bright spot, youngster Vadim
Sharifijanov scored his first NHL goal - cranking a slap shot
from the left circle, beating Hextall high, glove-side.
Taking The Streak On The Road
The Devils had two wins against the Carolina Hurricanes
sandwiched around a 3-3 tie with the Florida Panthers. The tie
was the Devils' first of the season. The second game against the
Canes marked the first of a five-game road trip, where they will
take their three-game unbeaten streak to Dallas, Phoenix,
Colorado, and Washington.
The Devils have really shown that they can flourish under head
coach Robbie Ftorek, and his offensive system. The lines are
beginning to gel, the scoring is well spread out, the defense is
trademark, and the goaltending is solid.
Bottom line - the future looks bright in New Jersey.
Bure a Devil?
Vancouver GM Brian Burke is currently on a two-week trip to the
East Coast where he is shopping super-scorer Pavel Bure. While
refusing to play for the Canucks any longer, the speedy winger is
working out with the Red Army team in his home in Russia. Bure is
keeping in game shape, while anticipating a trade. The Devils are
reportedly one of five teams who are in contention for the
Russian Rocket - the Flyers, Rangers, Islanders, and Kings are
the others.
If you are a fan who would like to see Bure in a Devil sweater,
don't hold your breath. He doesn't exactly fit the bill as a
"team player," not to mention his $8 million price tag.
