The Devils have had three days to enjoy their 6-1 win over Carolina on Saturday night, but get back at it Wednesday night against the Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa Senators at Prudential Center.
Devils coach Brent Sutter said his team understands the importance of the game and doesn't think he needs to worry about a letdown after Saturday's easy win.
"I'd like to think that our team is at the point now where we know we have to take that next step," Sutter said. "Whether you win games 6-1, 2-1 or whatever, at this time of year you can't take anything for granted. I'd like to think these guys here know the situation very well and we'll be ready to play tomorrow night. Obviously, they're a very good hockey team and we're going to have to be at our best to give ourselves a chance."
All Devils practiced today, including goaltender Martin Brodeur, who was given Monday off and will start his 16th game in a row Wednesday night. Sutter said he would stick with the same 12 forwards as Saturday night, but is considering a change on defense. Sutter did not mention which defenseman would go out or who would go in, but it sounds like he wants to get defenseman Karel Rachunek back in the lineup after he sat out Saturday's game.
The Senators play tonight in Ottawa against the Buffalo Sabres after completing a trade Monday in which they acquired Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore from Carolina for Patrick Eaves and Joe Corvo.
Today's line combinations and defense pairs:
Forwards: Parise-Elias-Langenbrunner; Zubrus-Zajac-Gionta; Pandolfo-Madden-Clarkson; Rupp-Brylin-Asham; empty-Pelley-Janssen.
Defense: White-Mottau; Oduya-Martin; Vishnevski-Greene; Brookbank-Rachunek.
I wonder if Janssen will actually play, and not just "practice."
Posted by: Ben M. | February 12, 2008 at 02:21 PM
Agreed.
Posted by: MikeK | February 12, 2008 at 02:27 PM
TG, what did you think of the Sens' trade ? I thought it definitely set them up for a big playoff run, but I'm not so sure because of their goaltending.
Also, I'm not too confident in us getting a d-man like Boyle or Campbell, I don't think we have the resources to get them. I'd expect a smaller pickup like J-M Liles of the Avs, for either Rachunek or Greene.
Posted by: Mike | February 12, 2008 at 02:36 PM
TG, what did you think of the Sens' trade ? I thought it definitely set them up for a big playoff run, but I'm not so sure because of their goaltending.
Also, I'm not too confident in us getting a d-man like Boyle or Campbell, I don't think we have the resources to get them. I'd expect a smaller pickup like J-M Liles of the Avs, for either Rachunek or Greene.
Posted by: Mike | February 12, 2008 at 02:37 PM
I liked the D pairings and the line pairings, including the 4th line, that we used on Saturday. I'm probably just saying that because of the score but you can't argue with results right?
Posted by: Pat D'Amico | February 12, 2008 at 02:37 PM
TG - You've got Vishnevski twice, no Rachunek. I'm curious who played with who to take a guess at who's out.
Ben - In order for Janssen to come off IR, somebody has to be waived. I expect he'll stay on IR until they make a trade or the trade deadline passes so they keep all their options open.
Posted by: DevilsfaninVA | February 12, 2008 at 02:40 PM
TG- tsn.ca has a story on in their trade deadline section saying the devils are ready to deal. source is the new york post:
- The New York Post says that the Devils have some financial flexibility to make additions before the deadline, naming Robert Lang or Martin Havlat of the Blackhawks as potential targets, while the paper reports that Oilers D Joni Pitkanen may be the Devils' preference in their search for a top-four blueliner.
what you been hearing????
Posted by: brian | February 12, 2008 at 02:59 PM
pitkanen- pass. They don't come any softer. He got the toughness of a veal and imo his offensive skills are vastly over rated. Pretty much got run out of philly.
Posted by: Ralph | February 12, 2008 at 03:24 PM
On a separate note, I thought getting Weekes would provide Marty with some rest. Is this guy ever going to get in some games, or will Marty be burnt out in the post season again this year ?
Posted by: Steve f | February 12, 2008 at 03:29 PM
Maybe if we can trade for Luongo then we can Marty will get a night off once or twice. Cause it seems like thats the only way its ever going to happen.
Or maybe they could hold a contest where us fans all get a raffle ticket and the winner gets to be the backup goalie for that season.
Posted by: Xander Crews | February 12, 2008 at 03:53 PM
Rumor of the day from Chicago has Gionta & Green for Havlat & Seabrook. Martin Havlat has been plauged with injuries however he is a talented center and is close friend with Patrick Elias. Take it with a grain of salt.
If we could get Havlat without giving up Gionta it would be good. I rather give up Zubrus. Gionta usually comes alive in the playoff and that's when we need him the most. I would hate to part with Green but if Seabrook lives up to his potential he can be a excellent defensemen specially under the wing of Big Bird Robinson.
Another source reports that the Devils may have a deal in place will wait until Friday to make it official. Darn that Lou he never shows his hand, and all you hear are whispers...
Posted by: Zavior | February 12, 2008 at 03:58 PM
I would love to trade Gionta and Green for Havlat and Seabrook...
However Havlat being friends wit Elias mean nothing since its not like they have any control over trades and Havlat is also not a center. We dont need to give up Zubrus and keep Gio since were already to small, and giving away one of our biggger guys and keeping a small one wont help us at all.
just my 2 cents.
Posted by: Xander Crews | February 12, 2008 at 04:06 PM
Vancouver's Sheldon Souray will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury (thank god we didn't sign him), Van. radio says there could be discussion of trade between Devils and Canucks. Might be 5 player swap, but no one can confirm player names on either side. Willie Mitchell's name was mentioned. Didn't he play for us before the lock out?
Posted by: 311 | February 12, 2008 at 04:09 PM
Nice trade by the Senators, Commodore is a big hard hitting defensemen and Stillman can light the lamp well. The Devils need to make a similar type of trade. We need more grit on defense, White and Vishnevski won't be able to enough.
Posted by: Skillet | February 12, 2008 at 04:15 PM
lol why did we get rid of commodore anyway? did we trade him or just not re-sign him?
Posted by: Xander Crews | February 12, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Commodore was traded by the Devils:
Jul 6, 2002: New Jersey Devils traded Petr Sykora, Igor Pohanka, Mike Commodore and Jean-Francois Damphousse to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Jeff Friesen, Oleg Tverdovsky and Maxim Balmochnykh.
Posted by: Zavior | February 12, 2008 at 04:27 PM
TG
Don't know if you've posted before, but are the practices open to the public yet?
Posted by: Mike M | February 12, 2008 at 04:29 PM
311 - Souray's in Edm, not Van. Either way he's out for the year though so I guess it doesn't matter much.
Posted by: Josh | February 12, 2008 at 04:31 PM
I fixed the pairings. Rachunek was with Brookbank.
If the Devils have a deal in place, why would they wait until Friday to make it official?
Posted by: TG | February 12, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Don't want to ruin anyone's Valentine's Day?
Posted by: Josh | February 12, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Josh - thanks for the correction, I got confused. The radio said Edmonton's Souray is out for the year and that Vancouver and NJ maybe planning the next big trade. We shall have to wait and see.
Maybe Xander's wish is coming true and Devils are aquiring Loungo
or maybe Naslund.
Posted by: 311 | February 12, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Chicago isn't going to give up a stud like Seabrook and an ubertalent like Havlat (no matter how fragile and overpaid he may be) for Gionta and Greene. It's more Seabrook then Havlat that they wouldn't give up.
Posted by: Hoosier | February 12, 2008 at 04:37 PM
That trade rumor doesn't seem to make a lot of sense for Chicago, IMO. They seem to be fairly big losers of the trade...then again we just saw OTT pull off a trade that seems to be way in their favor on paper.
Posted by: Scott731 | February 12, 2008 at 04:42 PM
I agree TG it didn't sound like it made sense when I heard it either, not sure why the Devils would wait until Friday to acutally make a deal. Sorry for putting that up, obviously there is alot of fabricated trade stories out there, didn't mean to bring it in here. The source I spoke off was the first one tell of the Zubrus and Vishnevski signing with the Devils in the offseason before I heard it anywhere else, so I usually give him the benefit of the doubt.
Posted by: Zavior | February 12, 2008 at 04:44 PM
Lots of Schadenfreude for Souray and Edmonton round here :D
I wonder if the Devs recent dismantling of Carolina didn't trigger the trade with Ottawa. Commodore was a -3 and Stillman a -2 with only one SOG during that game.
I'd take a 1 for 1 trade, Gio for Havlat, any day of the week. I'm still a bit unsure about giving up Greene, though I guess he's the most appealing tradebait of the 8 D we have since Oduya is apparently some kind of folk hero for two nice rushes in a season, and I think people were just waxing nostalgic for the Scottys (Gomez and Niedermeyer) during that play anyway.
Posted by: Duskheart | February 12, 2008 at 05:03 PM