Sticking with Clemmensen; no finish again

Devils coach Brent Sutter said Scott Clemmensen will start again in Saturday night's rematch with the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center.

"There's no reason not to," Sutter said.

Clemmensen was solid in tonight's 3-1 loss to the Capitals at Verizon Center. He allowed only two goals on 26 shots. He didn't have a shot at stopping either goal.

"He played well," Sutter said. "Under control,"

Of course, it was the Devils' offense that left them down again tonight. They failed to score more than one goal for the fourth time in the six games they've played since Martin Brodeur was injured.

"We missed some big opportunities and it came back to bite us," Devils captain Jamie Langenrunner said. "The longer it goes like that -- we're playing well, but we're not finishing -- the harder it gets."

The Devils outshot the Capitals, 33-27, and held their big line in check -- though Alexander Semin left with an apparent shoulder injury -- without an even-strength goal other than Alex Ovechkin's empty netter.

"Look at all the scoring chances we get and we don't capitalize on them," Sutter said. "Their goalie made some pretty good saves tonight too. It wasn't like he didn't play well. He was very good tonight -as was our (goaltender). But we just don't finish. We played well enough here tonight to get two points and did just enough things, a couple or three mistakes we made cost us.".

The four consecutive losses in regulation equal their worst stretch of that kind last season.Their longest losing streak last season was five games from March 19 to March 27, but the first game of that slide was a shootout loss to the Rangers.

"Clemmer did  a great job," said left wing Patrik Elias, who scored the Devils' only goal. "Both of them, Clemmer and (Kevin Weekes), when they've started, they've done good enough for us to get a win. Obviously, we don't give them a chance offensively."

Zach Parise was still kicking himself after the game for the save Jose Theodore made on him in the second period. Parise appeared to have a sure goal when Brian Gionta fed him on the right side, but he couldn't get the puck up off the ice high enough and Theodore reached back to make the save with the paddle of his stick.

"He made a good save. He made a lucky save," Parise said. "There's really not much you can do about that. You just try to shoot on that as quick as you can. I'll probably see that one in my sleep tonight."

***

Defenseman Bryce Salvador was not cut by the high stick from Ovechkin that he took in the left cheek in the first period. He said one of his teeth was loose, though. Salvador missed about three minutes while he was being checked out in the locker room.

"I thought maybe it was my upper teeth there," Salvador said. "There's one loose. We'll see how it is."

***

Parise said his bruised left heel didn't affect him much tonight.

"I felt a little sluggish in the first, but I was fine after that," he said.

Parise took a few big hits early in the game. John Erskine really connected on one in the left corner of the Caps zone late in the first. But Parise said he didn't think the Caps were going after him.

"I don't if they were," he said "If they were, it wasn't a big deal."

Comments

[Amerz]

I kind of feel bad for Weeksie.....

[jdr30]

Sutter better stop worrying about what goalie is playing and what he is going to do about scoring. it does not matter is we have Clemenson, Weekes, Brodeur, Joe Blow, or my grandmother in goal ... We are going to lose if we don't score.

[Matthew]

I was very impressed with scotty tonight. He played a ver alert game and gave us the chance to win this game. The problem is finishing chances. They players have to get it into their heads that they can score and well start winning games. Please fans stay positive this team has given us alot to be happy with over the years!!!!

[Jim B]

Idk, maybe the Devils should consider Kolvalchuk. Gionta, Bergfors, and a future pick for the guy. I may be wrong but I do believe that it is his last year of his contract in Atlanta and he would solve a lot of the Devils' offensive problems.

[TG]

Sutter didn't say he was worrying about the goaltender. If we didn't ask him and give you guys the answer, you surely would want to know which goaltender was playing tomorrow. Clearly the lack of finish was the biggest problem again tonight.

[Al]

Nothing against Weekes, but I'll be gald to see Scott tomorrow in net.

[bubblebutt]

kovalchuk is to young and to good for lou to ever consider him. lou only trades or signs players who are either past their prime or already played for the team...ex: mogilny, neiuweindyk (butchered spelling), holik, vladmir malakhov, vishnevski, rachunek, etc etc

[JS]

TG,

i think a perfect fit for devils at this time is khabibilin and this is what i would do. Trade gionta, bergfors, weeks, 2nd rd pick to chicago for khabibulin, ladd, fraser.
chicago would do this in a heart beat because they will get rid of khabibulin's 6.7 mill cap hit for this season and then be in a better shape during nhl trade deadline to pick up rental players for playoff run. This will of course help devils big time to calm everything down until br30 returns(please get rid of that bad luck mask)brodeur and devils won't have to rush him. ladd will add side and physical element to devils lineup & fraser is a fesity little player who played for sutter in red deer. TG wats your take on this??????????

[Devilsfan]

No need for Shanahan with this potent pp and offense now is there. Vrana and Bergfors playing ~3:30 a game will solve everything. Holik and Roloston will not make a big enough difference offensively to turn this poorly constructed team around, not to even mention Marty being out.

[tg]

I don't know why you'd want to give up so much for a player that the Blackhawks put on waivers and any team could have had for free earlier this season.

I don't think it would take much to get Khabibulin, but it would the Devils way over the cap. Even if they used Brodeur's long-term injury exemption, they'd still have to find a way to get under the cap when Brodeur returns.

Goaltender wasn't the problem tonight, but I'm not saying they won't need to get one eventually. I think it's still undecided right now.

[Robbie]

I think they should get Martin Havalt

[Robbie]

Havlat*

[dp]

im tired of the excuses about why they arent scoring its pathetic

[Jeff]

We do not need goaltending we need a playmaker!! What would you do with khabibulin when broduer gets healthy??

[Jim B]

Havlat is such an injury liability and with the injury issues this team is having already they dont need another. Havlat has never played more than 73 games in a season and has not played over 60 in the past 3 seasons. I think Kovalchuk would be a good solution to this teams problems, Atlanta was going to take gionta and a few others for hossa last year, maybe they would do the same this year. Kovalchuk is not happy down there and wants to be on a contender, the devils maybe a good fit for the guy

[JS]

Kabibulin is a free agent at end of this season and marty is not coming back for 4 months if devils want to make playoffs then trade for bulin other wise we can look on the positive side by getting a high draft pick now its upto you do you want to make playoffs or high draft pick? I want to make playoffs because once marty is back and all the players that are injured back this team can go all the way and i truly believe that. If you take a look at my above proposal with chicago it gets rid of gionta becuase he has done nothing and we get back andrew ladd. Bulin will be like a rental player for 4 months and he's cool with marty.

[Pat D'Amico]

I think we should go after Andy McDonald.

[Robbie]

Jim B, do you really think Lou is going to trade for Kovalchuk?

[DH]

Let's think of it this way. The Devils played well tonight and lost by a goal to a team people think are Cup contenders. The Devils need some more offense. How about they trade for Rolston, Holik, and Greene. Oh wait, they are already signed. I'm encouraged by this loss. I think it is rock bottom. The team will win tomorrow, and the offense they are missing will return soon. When Brodeur returns we make the push for the playoffs.

One change: I would like to see parise-zajac-gionta in the interim, especially against the caps if semin doesn't play. Langs really needs to be on the third line. Let Elias play with vrana and bergfors.

[Pete]

I agree...as nice as it would be to have a player like Kovalchuk around, he has way too much talent for Lou to want him.

[Shu]

To everyone calling for a trade, who exactly on this roster or anywhere in the organization do you think is going to bring back anyone significant?

Maybe some team would take a flier on Gionta, but they'd only give up a pick or a mediocre prospect, same thing with Madden. Elias, Langenbrunner, Pandolfo, and White are untradeable with their contracts. Until Bergfors and Vrana show that they can accomplish anything in the NHL they have very little value. The only assets the Devils have that would be attractive to other teams are Parise, Martin, Zajac and their first round pick. As good as the '09 draft is supposed to be and as bad as the Devils look like they are going to be, they'd be insane to give up their 1st.

[Leave it to Lou]

It's a thought but what playmaker is available? Getting someone via trade us going to require a subtraction from the current roster & if we haven't even had a healthy scratch, we certainly can't afford to give up anyone at this point. Or would you really give up the future in the form of a draft pick to get through a temporary bump in the road in the form of injuries? Even if they signed someone, I have my doubts that it would help right now. One forward or defenseman can't play on all lines or pairings for the whole game. And what kind of message does that send to the rest of the team? It's about the team here, not the individual & that team originally assembled has been destroyed by injuries. We just need to suck it up to get through these tough times.

[Speedz Diaz]

Goaltending is not the problem. It's just scoring. The two goals scored, Clemensen couldn't have done anything. Our team just needs to score. I think the rookies need to get more ice time with the veterans because they're hungry. They want it more than any one else but Sutter doesn't want to give it to them.

[Kellyn]

I agree with Shu and Leave it to Lou. The only players on the Devils' current roster that one of the league's other GMs would be even remontely interested in are players this team cannot afford to lose. If Brian Gionta, for example, is not putting up stellar numbers for the Devils, why on earth would a team give up one of their top producers for him? The only GM in the league that is that stupid is the idiot who works for the Florida Panthers and traded away Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen and got very little return for those deals. As for giving up their first round pick, I think the Devils would be better off keeping it and using it to pick one of the top young goaltending prospects in next year's draft because no one they have in the pipeline now is capable of playing as a #1 netminder at the NHL level. If they get a talented young goalie next summer, they would have a few years to let him mature and develop before Brodeur retires for good and they need a permanent replacement. And I am so sick of hearing people say the Devils should trade some of our players/prospects to the Blackhawks for Khabibulan because goaltending clearly is NOT this teams biggest problem right now because both Weekes and Clemmensen have turned in performances that would be sufficient to secure this team two points if the offense were not on life support with exception of Zach Parise. I hate to see the Devils struggle just as much as any of their fans, but right now I think they would be better off hanging on to their core players (Parise, Martin) and riding it out. If there is anyone who absolutely needs to go it is Sutter, and I will not be surprised if he follows Barry Melrose to the unemployment line before long, especially considering Lou Lamoriello's track record. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Sutter would actually let Vrana and Bergfors, this team's top two offensive prospects, play more that a minute a game. If they're here they might as well earn their keep.

[momo from Brooklyn]

Not bad Kellyn, well sad.