Penalties have been troubling

Penalty killing used to be a strength for the Devils, but they've struggled on it all season. They gave up two 5-on-3 goals in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Rangers and are ranked 28th in the NHL with a success rate of 75.8 percent.

In the second period alone on Wednesday, the Rangers had four power plays, including the two two-man advantages, and would have had another power play, but Chris Drury scored on a delayed penalty.

"We're taking too many penalties," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "We're taking penalties in the offensive zone. We're 200 feet from our own net and we take a penalty. They're not good penalties."

***

After playing Patrik Elias at right wing on the checking line with Jay Pandolfo and John Madden the last four games, Sutter has decided to put Elias back at left wing on a line with Dainius Zubrus at center and Brian Gionta at right wing. David Clarkson, who had been skating with Zubrus and Gionta, who was out of position on the left wing, moves back with Pandolfo and Madden.

"I just decided to change it up and put Patty back on the left side in his normal position," Sutter said. "Tomorrow night they'll have last change and I'm not sure who they'll want to put Ovechkin and Semin against. So, I just changed it up a little bit. Clarkie goes back to playing with Mad Dog and Pandolfo. Patty goes back to his right side and Brian goes back to his right side."

Playing against the line of Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin will be a huge challenge for the Devils. That line was on the ice for all five of the Caps' goals in their 5-1 win over Carolina on Wednesday. Semin had two goals and three assists and leads the NHL in points with 27 (13 goals, 14 assists).

I asked Sutter, which Alex was more scary right now.

"They're both pretty good," Sutter said. "They're both pretty good players. I don't think if I were Semin I would have made those remarks about Sidney Crosby like he did, but he's definitely a very good player and Ovechkin, we all know how good he is.

"You look at the young players in the league and you can put Zach (Parise) in that category now. There's some pretty elite forwards at that level with the Ovechkins, the Crosbys, the (Evgeni) Malkins, the Parises, the (Ryan) Getzlafs. You could go on and on." 

***

Sutter said he will dress six defensemen Saturday night even if Paul Martin returns to the lineup after missing the last five games with an upper body injury. I'd guess that Sheldon Brookbank would come out if Martin plays. Regardless, rookie right wing Nicklas Bergfors will play after being a healthy scratch on Wednesday.

***

Jose Theodore will get the start in net for the Capitals. Brent Johnson had started five games in a row for Washington, but left Wednesday's game with a hip injury. Johnson did not practice today, but said he will probably dress as the backup on Friday.

Sergei Fedorov might miss his third game in a row with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Shaone Morrissonn will be a game-time decision after missing two in a row wiht a groin injury.

Comments

[DanT]

TG, i think the devils led the league in least amount of penalties against for about 5 seasons in a row not long ago. (with tampa pretty much 2nd least every time)

thats devils hockey to me.

[Brodeur30]

Brookbank out....Good call
Bergfors in....Getting better
Elias off the checking line and onto a line with more skilled players....now we're talking

These three things, coupled with Martin being back in the lineup, give us the best chance at beating washington. There's absolutely no reason to match lines in this game because the alexanders and backstrom would abuse the Madden line.

Brookbank is not an NHL defensemen no matter how much we want him to be....He's an average AHLer..that's about it. I laugh everytime I hear someone say, "but if we send him down we run the risk of having him get claimed." Great, let someone else take on the pylon. That way I'd never have to see him on the ice for us again..

[Pete]

I totally agree Brodeur30. And remember we claimed him off waivers from Columbus at a time when Columbus was a miserable team...he wasn't even good enough to stay with them.

[AK47]

TG any idea why B.Sutter keeps Langs with Parise? His place is with Madden. I understand that you don't break somethings that works but I think Clarkson or anyone else like Gionta, is not going to be any worse then Langs. He is to slow and lazy, this line needs someone who is going to competes. Thanks.

[brodeurfanatic]

No point putting in Bergfors if he can only get 3min of Ice time.

[kstatik]

Why don't we see if Gionta can produce with Parise & Zajac... if he can't score even on that line,
we really should jettison him to the Western Conference! Seriously. We could use a younger player
like Halischuk there at some point, I think that would be awesome.

I want Halischuk to hurry up and heal and get back out there! There's development needed.

He's going to look awesome with P-Z someday.

[kstatik]

And then get Tedenby in there over Langs... ;) Teach them to be defensively responsible AND bang in pucks.

We could get a whole lot better in days ahead. I'm feeling positive again! This slump is just temporary.

This too shall pass! I just hope they can save face by playing a little bit, even if they do wind up
losing. You can appreciate a good effort better than a four goal explosion by your most HATED rival in
ONE period. Then that chant... UGH. *shudder* Dicks! >=(

[Frankie D]

The Devils PK stinks because they all just stand around and watch. They don't know how to pressure the puck handler.

[modnarm]

I think we'll see Rolston given a shot with Parise and Zajac. Hes the only one that makes any sense to put there. Gionta is too small for that line and doesn't seem to read Zajac all that well.. they were never really that good as a unit.

Sutter is keeping Langs on that line because he helps them play the way they do. He may not be scoring, but he may be doing other things that help them to play better than if some1 else was there- chemistry.

but YES i agree he should be with Madolfo. He was there back in the day and fit well with them.
I like Zubrus between Elias and Gionta because they make up for his slowness and he makes room for them with his big body. As long as he stays aggressive then i like him in the middle there.

If both of those fail, fine put Rolston back in the middle.. but i think he would be a lock next to Zajac. Zajac has been playing GREAT hockey and looks like our #1 center (not A number1.. but at least on our team.. a #1).

Parise-Zajac-Rolston
Elias-Zubrus-Gionta
Pandolfo-Madden-Langenbrunner
Rupp-Holik-Clarkson

Martin-Salvador
Greene-Oduya
Mottau/Salmela-White

Salmela-Brookbank

[Falcone]

TG-
Since you speak to the players, what's the deal with Langs that we don't see? Is he a joker in the locker room? Does everything love him? I mean it seems like behind closed doors there's something we're not seeing. Because on the ice I'm wondering how he helps us?

[Puckster]

I read somewhere that Jay Leach got sent back down. That would be a good sign for Martin playing.

[devscupchamps]

Langs does nothing good for that line whatsoever. He is almost always responsible for the breakup of promising plays. He also loses about 95% of the battles along the boards. Its unfathomable that Sutter will try anything at all including two rw but he won't try putting in rw on that line who might actually contribute offensively. Poor Parise has been carrying this tool for two seasons. This is what drives me nuts about Sutter. These moves have been the obvious things to do but instead he keeps going with his ridiculous hunches that don't amount to anything except bad loses.

[bobo]

Guess Shanny is going to the Flyers.

http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/flyers/2008/11/13/kukkonen-waived-shanny-coming/

[TG]

You could have read that Leach was sent down here yesterday.

http://njmg.typepad.com/devilsblog/2008/11/parise-missing-martin-practicing-line-changes.html

[Puckster]

Thanks TG. That's probably where I did read it. :)

[panz]

i agree with devscupchamps....sutter and langenloser are perfect for each other bc they both have no clue what the hell is going on. langs shows no hustle on too many occasions leading to offensive oppertunities being ruined, taking dumb penalties at the worst times, and showing no heart when it comes to throwing a check or showing any type of leadership. as for sutter....his line combo's should speak for itself.

[Feesh]

It's funny that Sutter puts Parise in the same category as Ovechkin. I don't see it.

[Jeff]

You don't see it?? I think Parise is just as good if not better than some of the other so-called superstas in the league because I have never seen him take a game off or even a shift off when he is on the ice. He has more heart than almost any of the other names mentioned. If he was playing for a team that bettman liked the Pens, Caps or Tampa we would be sick of hearing about how great he is already.

[njdave]

Jeff i gotta agree with you, Parise is an unsung young star in this league...Its not from lack of talent its from a bias against the Devils in both the sports media and the NHL. Imagine how good Parise would be on a line with other superstars which most of his competitors are (Malkin-Crosby, Ovechkin-Semin etc.) Put those guys with the dead weight of Langs and they would likely not produce as well as they have.

[panz]

good point jeff. the only reason that parise doesnt get the recognition he should is because ESPN and NHL.com and NHL NETWORK ride ovechkin, crosby and malkin's jock to no end. parise does all the small things that make him a top 5 to 10 forward in the league. he doesnt need to be flashy to put up consistant numbers.

[modnarm]

GREAT, Philly has another weapon to shoot pucks through our defense. I was hoping he'd go out west to chicago or st. louis.. but he wanted to stay near home... even tho he's slow, he still has a great shot.. yay.

[RNCDevil]

modnarm, I like your idea of putting Rolston with Zajac and Parise.

Parise - Zajac - Rolston
(good speed, two good shooters, good work rate)

Elias - Zubrus - Bergfors/Langs
(creativity and speed)

Pandolfo - Madden - Langs/Bergfors
(matchup line)

Rupp - Holik - Clarkson
(that's a nasty fourth line)

I think those are four solid lines that complement each other

[Jeff]

"Elias - Zubrus - Bergfors/Langs
(creativity and speed)"

Well Elias is creative but where is the speed with Langs and Zubbie????

[Steve]

Before we move the same parts around, can we possibly try Vrana for 5 games at his NATURAL position which is center? Maybe Vrana/Elias/Clarkson?

Vrana's playmaking skills are wasted at 6 -7 minutes a night on the wing.

Can we also try Vrana quarterbacking the 2nd pp unit from down low? It seems like the Devils idea of a PP is 1 foward low and 3 players high.

How about Bergfors with Zajac and Parise for a 3-4 game stretch? (What have we got to lose?)

I'd like to see the Devils field their most skilled lineup and we are not going to score 3 or more goals a game with Zubrus playing 15 minutes at center.

I am not saying with 100% certainty that Vrana and Bergfors are the answers, but the scoring touch is not going to come from Zubrus, Madden, Pandolfo, Rupp, Holik and Langs.