Brodeur to start on Friday; wait and see for Saturday

Martin Brodeur will be in net again for the Devils when they take on the winless Philadelphia Flyers (0-3-3) Friday night at Prudential Center.

Devils coach Brent Sutter wouldn't commit to playing Brodeur or backup Kevin Weekes in Saturday's rematch in Philadelphia, though.

"Marty plays Game 1," Sutter said. "It's a divisional game."

Brodeur has started all six of the team's games so far and gone 5-1 with two shutouts and a league-leading 1.30 goals-against average. Weekes hasn't played since the team's second-to-last preseason game against the Islanders on Oct. 3, which is almost three weeks ago.

Weekes said today that he has not heard if he is going to play on Saturday, yet.

***

The Devils know that Bobby Holik will miss three to four weeks with his broken right pinky, but there's still no timetable for how long Brian Rolston will be out. Rolston suffered a high right ankle sprain in Atlanta a week ago.

"Brian is a day-to-day thing," Sutter said. "You don't know with those things. It could be two days, it could be two weeks, it could be a month. As a coach, his situation is no different than I have with any other injury here. When they're ready, they'll be ready. And until they're ready we've got a job to do."

***

Before Holik left with his fractured pinky in the second period of the Devils' 4-3 shootout win in Washington on Saturday, the Devils had scored seven total goals in four games plus two periods (14 total periods). In the four periods since then, they've also scored seven goals -- without Holik and Rolston, their two big free agent signings from the summer.

Why the sudden turnaround?

"I can't answer that for you," Sutter said. "That's just the way it works. It shouldn't matter who is in your lineup. You've got to paly a certain way. It's not saying that if Bobby and Brian were in our lineup, we still would have scored that many goals. It just happens they're not in the lineup the last couple of games and the puck has gone in the net for us. We haven't changed how we've played as far as with the puck and playing, smart, intelligent hockey, but we're starting to get rewarded now." 

***

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond is a mouthful for anyone, so it's understandable that he has some nicknames. He seemed ammused when I wrote down his name as PL3 while talking to him after Wednesday's game. He said some people call him that.

Right wing Barry Tallackson said in Lowell last season they called him, "Four names."

***

Here were the line combinations and defense pairs from today's practice, which lasted only 30 minutes. The lineup Friday will be the same as Wednesday's game.

Forwards: Elias-Zubrus-Vrana; Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner; Pandolfo-Madden-Gionta; Leblond-Rupp-Clarkson. Extra: Tallackson.

Defense: Salvador-Martin; White-Mottau; Oduya-Greene. Extra: Brookbank.

Goaltenders: Brodeur, Weekes.

Comments

[dp]

TG, do you think that Salmela will stay in lowell for the season? i am getting the feeling that he will be kept down there to adapt to the NA game a little better.

[Matt]

Any word on why Lou is in Minnesota? Is it hockey related?

[Sarah]

I hope they play Weekes Saturday. Give him a chance to get out there. 3 games in 4 nights and 2 in less than 24 hours is a perfect time to give Marty a break. I'd hate to see them fall into the same pattern as last year.

[Jeff]

I say if we win Friday put Weekes in Saturday if we lose Marty starts Saturday.

[JakeT]

I think that salmela will stay down until Greene fucks up or gets hurt

[JJ]

Salmela has a much greater upside than Greene or Brookbank, it would only make sense that when he's ready he'll take that 6th spot. Don't forget we have Corrente down there who will be pushing also (but may need a year in Lowell). It's a nice situation actually, the team's playing well defensively and there's no need to rush anyone.

[JJ]

I like Blondie myself for PL3. Say it with a little gravel in your throat and a spanish accent. :)

[AK47]

'We haven't changed how we've played as far as with the puck and playing' maybe they should start changing somethings on the PP. Its not producing at all. Rolston or no Rolston, its time to score on PPs.

[JCdevs]

Writer/Director Kevin Smith talks about being a devils fan and his upcoming movie

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Daddy-talks-hockey-and-movies-with-director;_ylt=AqZFwETWk2TaDnwiIvDUw0p7vLYF?urn=nhl,116905

[DcDevil]

Isn't Lou in Minnesota for GM meetings?

[TG]

The GM meetings are in Chicago and Lou Lamoriello is there today along with the rest of the GMs.

Before any of you start speculating on Gaborik, the Wild did not play last night and Doug Risebrough is in Chicago, too. So, no need to go to Minnesota to see Risebrough. Consider that a pre-emptive strike.

That said, I don't know why Lamoriello was in Minnesota. I'll ask him when he gets back.

[mikeP]

could Lou be in Min to watch Nathan Perkovich play for Lk Superior St? (I believe that's in Minnesota, no?)

[TG]

I just realized. I don't know why I forgot, but Lamoriello was in Minnesota for the Lester Patrick Luncheon. Brian Burke and Phil Housley were among those being honored.

I can't believe I forgot that. Too much floating around in my head, not enough brain cells.

[Kelly]

I was hopin for Weeksie on Friday. I guess I'll hope for Saturday then... ;-)

[mark]

COUGH::GABORIK::COUGH

[JJ]

Yeah, the PP has been terrible. It's not about losing Rolston either. I'm sure they're given a game plan to execute but they just seem to get out there and flounder. If they can figure that out and get to at least 17-18% (or close to a goal/game) this team will be a contender to come out of the east.

[JJ]

Sorry I intended to say "the favorite" not "a contender".

[Salvatore from Garfield]

I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan and that was one awesome article! Thanks for sharing! I'm looking forward to seeing his new movie next Friday. I did find it kind of ironic that I saw a commercial for it during Devils games!

[Kevin]

I wasnt able to watch the game the other night, I'm in Philly for school and cant wait for this weekend. Anyway, Letourneau-Leblond is a mouth full, never mind a ton to spell. IS just Leblond on the back? If so, two teir the name like so:
Letourneau-
Leblond

[TG]

Just Leblond

[Devs4Life]

Haha, that's cool that "4 names" like PL3. Personally I like to call him PL^3 (PL-to the third/cubed)

speaking of guys with ridiculously long names, whatever happened to Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre? I'll never forget the first time I saw the back of his jersey at training camp,lol.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

I too JJ, prefer Blondie! i thought he played well the other night, and furthermore i hope come sunday morning that the flyers are still winless!
Thanks again TG for staying on top of EVERYTHING

[Orrduya]

I hope Weekes doesn't play on Saturday just because I'd hate to see the Flyers win their first game of the season against the Devs. They have a solid offense which will make it a high scoring game but their defense/goaltending is atrocious so it may even out if Weekes is in net and plays how he did last season. Start him against the Leafs.

[Guy]

They wouldnt let Marty let have such a long rest though. I agree, let Weekes have a start. My choice would be the second Philly game. But I don't think Marty will sit any of those games.