Clemmensen to start in DC; Parise says he'll play; Martin will be game-time decision

Devils coach Brent Sutter tried today to keep his starting goaltender for Friday night in Washington a mystery.

Scott Clemmensen played along, but Kevin Weekes spilled the beans.

"Clemmer is playing tomorrow as far as I know," Weekes said after coming off the ice about 10 minutes after Clemmensen at the end of today's practice.

Clemmensen deferred questions on the subject.

"I'm not saying anything," Clemmensen said. "You can ask someone else that question."

Sutter claimed he wouldn't make his decision on his goaltender until Friday.

"I'm not sure, yet," Sutter said. "I'll make the decision tomorrow."

Given Weekes' statement and that Clemmensen was the first goaltender off the ice after practice today,it appears Sutter has already made up his mind.

The Devils play the Capitals Friday night at Verizon Center and return home to face them again on Saturday night. But Sutter wouldn't even commit to giving each of his goaltenders one start in the back-to-back set.

"I'm going to be a game-to-game guy with this," Sutter said. "The decision will be made about the game before tomorrow night and then the decision will be made at some point after the game who is going to play the next game."

Weekes has started four of the five games since Martin Brodeur tore his left biceps tendon and won only one of them. Sutter pulled him after he gave up four goals in the second period of Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Rangers.

Clemmensen played the third period and gave up one goal on 17 shots.

***
As usual, Zach Parise was on the ice early before the start of practice today to go through his shooting drills with linemate Travis Zajac and the rest of what they call "The shot club."

But Sutter pulled Parise off the ice before the regular practice began. Sutter said it was just to rest Parise because he has been playing a lot of minutes lately. Parise thought otherwise, though.

"It was tough to move around out there," Parise said. "They told me to get off. I think they saw it was tough for me to skate."

Parise has a quarter-sized welt on the outside of his heel on his left foot from a shot from the Rangers' Dan Girardi that hit him there in the third period on Wednesday.

"It's a little sore" he said. "It's tough to get my skate on. It was more just rest it, try to get the swelling to go down and it will be fine for tomorrow."

Parise is making the trip to Washington and insists he will play Friday night.

"It's nothing serious," he said. "It's fine. I'll be able to play tomorrow,"

Sutter said he's not worried about Parise.

"He's fine. He's doing fine," Sutter said. "It more that he has played a lot of hockey and what's the point in being out there today"? We play two games in two days. Zach is one of those guys who never wants to take a day off. We know he's a little sore, but it's nothing to where it would keep him out of the lineup."

***
Defenseman Paul Martin, who has missed the last five games with an upper body injury, made it through the full practice with no problems and is also making the trip to Washington. He plans to participate in the morning skate on Friday and pre-game warm-ups too. Sutter said he'll be a "game-time decision."

"I'm going on the trip and I'm going to take the skate, hopefully, and take warm-ups and see how it goes," said Martin, who has not played since Nov. 1 against Atlanta.

***
Sutter's son, Brandon, returned to the Hurricanes' lineup Wednesday night for the first time since he suffered a concussion against the Islanders on Oct. 25. Sutter said he spoke to Brandon after the game - a 5-1 loss to the Capitals -- and that he was feeling fine.

I asked Sutter if Brandon gave him a scouting report on the Capitals.

"All he said was, 'Ovechkin,Semin and Backstrom-- Wow!"

Those three players are skating on the same line now and Alexander Semin had two goals and three assists Wednesday night.

Comments

[Reggina]

do you mean the Friday game?

[titans04]

no need to bring in a real goalie at this point we're fine. It took Weekes two weeks to instill doubt in Sutters mind.

[Jack]

Friday in Washington

Weekes will win Saturday night

[Devilswede]

Both goaltenders suck. We need serious help. Lou needs to act. Bring in Khabibulin..he's playing out of his mind so far this season. Yeah, his salary is hefty...but he'd at least give us solid goaltending.

[jdr30]

Doesn't matter which one of them is in goal. The real problem is this team having no heart and no offense. You can't win a game scoring an average of 1 goal a game.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i matters very little who starts in net if this team can't deal with a little adversity. I was at that abortion last night that they might consider a game. Bottom line the Devils quit after the first ranger goal was scored. after that they stood around watching and chasing... Where is heart, and where is the toughness on this team?

[devils3]

you ever think that maybe he doesn't doubt weekes yet, but that he'd rather start the better goalie at home?

[TG]

Yes, I meant Thursday. I will be updating. Also Zach Parise is making the trip and said he will play Friday. He actually skated for about 20 minutes before practice, but has a quarter-size welt on the outside of his left heal and Brent Sutter told him to take the rest of the day off.

[VinnyC]

@RJ

The heart is hanging up in the rafters, right next to the toughness. Ever since they both left, we took a dive.

[momo from brooklyn]

Devilswede are you taking any meds? No offense, do you really think we should pay that guy salary which is like 7 mil for 4 mounts.

[Robbie]

Haha so no one wants Shanny? We can always bring back Jeff Friesen

[Craigwell]

I still have confidence. We'll be fine.

[SonicDude]

nice to see some finally coming around to the fact this team is suffering from ivory tower lou's cap cluelessnes. and the team is missing nearly every element of our cup champions of the past...1 top-pairing d-man, a strong 2nd d-line, balanced scoring, toughness, relentless hustle, forechecking prowess.

and since i am losing confidence in sutter now as well given the well-made points by posters that this team lacks intensity, i hang that on ivory tower as well.

wish we could call up someone who could make a difference...but we cant, can we? another reason to thank the ivory.

elias is not gonna wake up...this is what he is. someone said 4 for 1 for jay bo? how about starting with elias and gio.

i'd like to see bergfor on travis's line, put elias and langs and gio up in the skybox for a couple of games.

i am miserable...you cant even watch this team.

[Jill]

so who else is a part of this "shot club"...I know a few who should be a part of it.

[Andrew]

I would rather take roloson over weekes. I don't know how lou could pull it off but they have 3 rotating goalies and roloson would be a great goalie until marty comes back. Also he is not as expensive as Khabibulin. Also we could use a good backup in case marty gets injured again but remember he would just be a rental goalie.

[Andrew]

Also Langs to pick it up god its really starting to piss me and i'm sure a lot of you off the dumb penalties and lack of leadership he plays. I would say strip him of his "C" but to be honest that might do more harm than good. It could lower team morale. Though i'm sure we're at an all time low anyways.

[Pando20Rules]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/81298-devils-standing-by-as-season-could-be-slipping-away

An interesting perspective I saw regarding what possibly to do, a lot of which has been discussed on here

[TG]

Parise, Zajac and Pandolfo are usually out first for the shot club. Langenbrunner, Madden and Rupp often join them-- sometimes Gionta too.

I might be missing a guy or two, but that's all I can remember right now

[Pando20Rules]

someone needs to sign up Elias, Zubrus and Rolston (when he gets healthy) for the shot club!

[Jim B]

For the first 10 seasons of Brodeur's career one can argue that the defense of scotty stevens, niedermayer, daneyko, and company made him look good, but i think the past few years brodeur has made the defense look good and we can see it now. This team is in need of some serious help and soon because they are digging themselves down deep very quickly. Boumeester would be very ideal right now.

If I was Lou I would definatly put Gionta, Langenbrunner, and BErgfors on the trading block. I would prefer to package gionta/bergfors for a top notch all around defensivemen...like jay boumeester in Florida

[Jim]

If the Devils lose both games I think Lou will be ready to pull the trigger. It takes a few weeks to put together a trade these days and I am sure Lou has been working the phones. Only problem is he will have to pay more for a goalie with the position he is in. Should be interesting.

[Robbie]

We should help Parise get a trip to Montreal in January. GO VOTE FOR HIM

[CB]

Khabibulin? Roloson? They may be better than Weekes and Clemmensen but they aren't good enough to make a difference. Nobody could make a difference when the rest of the team throws in the towel as soon as they face any adversity. They're a bunch of gutless wonders. The roster is so flawed, the notion of adding players in an attempt to win this season is pure folly. They're only priority should be cutting some of the dead weight off the roster...there's plenty of it.

[modnarm]

we're doomed against the caps. I shud probably take Nylander off my fantasy team now that backstrom is btwn semin and ovechkin..

[2600]

I was at the washington vs. hurricanes game last night, and yes the capitals destroyed them. The crowd was restless and booing the canes as semin continued to destroy the canes with ease. It didnt hurt that he had backstrom and ovechkin to make plays with. Green continued to be a monster on D and rocketed a slapshot into the top shelf corner. I don't think these games will be pretty for us.