Ulgy one at The Rock

As losses go, today's 4-1 handling by Phoenix ranks up there with the 5-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Nov. 5 as the worst of the season. Unlike after that loss to the Pens, the Devils didn't have to ride the stationary bikes today, but coach Brent Sutter gave them a bit of a talking to in a brief postgame meeting. Perhaps, if they didn't have another game at 5 p.m. tomorrow against Philadelphia, there might have been some postgame punishment.

Much of Sutter's postgame press conference was about getting outworked by a younger team (which had a league-low 26 points entering the day).

"Like I told the players, it was a very similar game to how it would be against Washington (a 3-1 loss on Monday)," Sutter said. "It's a team that comes in with a bunch of young guys that are going to work extremely hard and if you're not prepared to match their work ethic you're going to be on the wrong side looking in. They worked and skated and we didn't match that."

Sutter's best line was about the team not being prepared to play 1 p.m. game. "At the end of the day, the difference was one team came to the rink today to play a hockey game and the other came to the rink to see what time their reservations for supper would be."

The Devils might not have deserved all nine penalties they took, but most of them were warranted. "When you are on the wrong side of the puck all night, you're going to take penalties," Martin Brodeur said. "But there were other calls that were a little shaky."

Jamie Langenbrunner said he apologized to his teammates after the game for his unsporstmanlike conduct minor in the third period, which led to the Coyotes' only power-play goal.

"Jamie was like everyone else," Sutter said. "He got frustrated as the game went on."

Comments

[Pat D'Amico]

That was a tough game to watch, I hope Martin and Pando come back very, very soon. Also I got mad at Langs for taking the Unsportsmanlike, wasn't a good thing for a captain to do.

[Brian]

This is just my personal opinion but it didn't feel like the 5-0 loss to the Penguins. I thought the Devils played very well in the first, took too many stupid penalties in the 2nd and 3rd, but frankly, they had decent chances to score but didn't capitalize. I thought Brodeur played well but was hung out to dry by the defense too many times. Asham really didn't look good today though, I hope he gets out of this slump or they let a hungry Mike Rupp play.

[Jeremy Kenter]

Nothing resembled the loss against Pittsburgh, but the Devils are losing to younger, inexperienced, yet hungry teams... they need to use that veteran leadership and experience to overcome these opponents...

[Mike M]

On the positive side, how sweet were $1 Hot Dogs?

[TG]

Some of the details of the games were different, but if you're going to rank the Devils' losses this season, this one would be right behind that 5-0 defeat. And the biggest similarity was that the Devils didn't work nearly hard enough in either.

Sutter said the first seven to 10 minutes of the game were fine, but "we weren't prepared to play the game after that."
The penalties, though some were questionable, were also a big indicator of which team worked harder. Brodeur kept it closer than it should have been.

Plus, it's one thing to be lit up by Crosby and Malkin. Having Fredrik Sjostrom, Radim Vrbata and Martin Hanzal do it is a little different.

[ALEXNJD]

I hope this 2 point we did't get wont backfire at the end. I still don't understnd the mental side of the game,how can we play like this against the team that is last in the legue? I think that J.Maden should try to score on those chances his getting. He had few 1 on 1 brakeaways in NYR game last sunday and did't score, it could be huge goals when we need them.

[Danofan355]

Well, the other positive thing that I can think of is that 5-0 loss to Pitt was my 30th birthday present from the Devils. Put a bit of a damper on it, but not as much as the loss to the Rangers the game before that.

It was a poor game but at least it is over. Hopefully they will regroup for tomorrow.

Hey TG I don't think the Devils have ever played well for afternoon games in their entire history. They always seem to play poorly. Am I right?

Thanks and keep up the terrific work!

[jules]

Heh, Sutter says "supper."

Anyway...crap game. Great time to build on their lead in the Atlantic and they blow it. Have to win against Philly tomorrow.

How about Brylin, never giving up. Rod Pelley was decent, too.

[DevsForLife]

At least Jamie apologized afterwards...hopefully he does well tomorrow to make up for it.

[Eddie]

Danofan, Stan Fischler made a similar comment today. I recall the Devils being undefeated or very close to it in matinee games in a recent season. I believe it was a season under Pat Burns. There haven't been many matinees yet, certainly not at home, but that will change as the season goes on & I think you might see a better record.

The Devils didn't come out looking sleepy so I doubt the start time had an affect on things. However, almost a period worth of penalties will hurt any team.

In my opinion, Gionta, Elias & Parise must stay together!

[Nick F]

Today was my first trip to the Rock. Great experience, but the game was terrible. I think Gretzky paid off the refs. Marty played well though, came up big several times. Hope they get it together on sun.

[MikeDeadworks]

lol @ $1 hot dogs comment.

I do pose a question though...there are only 2 other 1pm games, Will those also be $1 hot dog/soda days?

[Shari]

Maybe they put some of those dollar hotdogs in the penalty box. There had to be some reason why half of the Team was in there.

[MikeDeadworks]

ughhh im dying for a hot dog right now.

[Mike M]

MikeDeadworks...I hope so, it wasn't the reason I attended yesterday but it cetianly didn't hurt.

[blue-eyed devil]

I don't know how "ulgy" the game was Mr. Gulitti, but it was definitely "ugly". :)

[bringtheAlineback]

I was at the game today and it was by far the worst officiating against us yet. Refs have to have thicker skin than that, a 5 on 3 for an unsportsmanlike is just ridiculous. Lots of noticable bad clearing attempts and poor passes, it seemed like every pass was in the skates after the 1st period. Oduya was back to his old ways as I had to cover my face every time I saw him come over the boards. Sutter should have sat him after the midpoint of the 2nd. I did enjoy the hot dogs, they were much better than the team. Hopefully they straighten this out for philly today and send Oduya back to Lowell.

[bobo]

TG, why did Langs go off on the linesman(the linesman called it, not the ref) to get the unsporstmanlike conduct penalty? or was he just trying to get the team up?

[midnight]

Bobo, according to one of the coaches, the linesman blew a clear offsides call and Jamie let him know in no uncertain terms.

[Mike]

Top three worst officiated games I have EVER seen.
PS to the Devil's management- If your going to offer something for a $1 make sure you have the capability to deliver in a timely manner. It took the entire first intermission and 5 minutes of the beginning of the second to get set up!