Sunday off for Devils

The Devils were given today off after defeating the Rangers, 4-2, on Saturday night. They'll practice Monday afternoon at Prudential Center before traveling to St. Louis for Tuesday night's game against the Blues.

Defenseman Bryce Salvador hopes to return for that game after missing the last five games with what the team is now calling an inner ear infection (Seinfeld reference: "My wife has an inner ear infecton"). Salvador played seven seasons in St. Louis before being traded to the Devils for Cam Janssen on Feb. 26.

The Devils broke out offensively Saturday after going seven periods -- plus an overtime -- without scoring.

After not scoring more than two goals on Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers in 15 consecutive regular season games, the Devils have scored 12 goals on him in winning 8-5 and 4-2 in their last two meetings.

***

I asked Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello Saturday night why right wing Nicklas Bergfors missed some games last week for Lowell. (That was before I knew Bergfors did not play again in Saturday's 8-1 win over Providence).

Lamoriello said, "He had some upper body soreness." 

***

I posted this in the comments section of one of the posts after Saturday's game, but thought it was worth repeating.

The NHL's top five goals-against average leaders after Saturday's games.

1. Steve Mason, Columbus 1.87; 2. Tim Thomas, Boston 2.04; 3. Craig Anderson, Florida 2.09; 4. Manny Fernandez, Boston 2.09; 5. Scott Clemmensen, Devils 2.15.

Who would have thought any of those five goaltenders would have been in the top five of any category before this season began?

***

Interesting column about Devils' 2008 second-round pick Patrice Cormier by Slam's Chris Stevenenson. Cormier had a big hit that got Canada going in its World Juniors win over Czech on Friday.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Stevenson/2008/12/28/7866456-sun.html

Comments

[Jeff]

Hey TG,

I know many reporters and beat guys say that they put their rooting hats away when they start getting in the business or covering the team, and many people say that once they are in the locker rooms and see the guys, they really can't root for them, but what about you?

Would you consider yourself a fan of the Devils or is this simply just a job covering the team? Are you going home frustrated after a game like the one against the Pens on Friday, like everyone else in the building?

[modnarm]

TG is probably a Habs fan deep down

[perry]

hey tg,

what time is practice Monday? I'll be in Newark for the afternoon and need to kill some time.

[Robbie]

I think practice is not open to the public unless they changed it

[dannyd]

This is very random but I stumbled upon this Neil Young quote from after the 2004 Lockout while roaming the internet after the game last night....
"We had guys like Hank Snow, and he was singing songs like The Good Ole Hockey Game, before the NHL failed and started to change the rules of the game because they screwed up the strike last year, and now they've changed the whole way hockey is. It's a complete joke. The only reason I go to hockey games is because I get to go with Ben (his son). But now that they've changed the rules, I'm wondering how I'm going to explain to Ben that I don't want to go to the hockey games anymore. I know my dad would be going nuts. These people changed the rules just for TV money, and it's a joke. They have no respect for the game."
I post this partly because I'm a big Young fan but also b/c I found it interesting to hear him basically calling the NHL a sellout since he is a Canadian and is someone who no one could EVER call a sellout. But even TG has kind of made this point with how he finds the shootout to just be a gimmick, and I find myself sickened by some of the penalties they call nowadays. I wouldn't say I think everything about the game was better before the lockout, but there are some aspects wouldn't u all agree?

[Salvatore from Garfield]

TG- out of that list of 5 goalies... I'd say Tim Thomas, and Manny Fernandez would be the least bit surprising. I had picked them up both on my fantasy hockey team a year ago, and they were nothing but great back then. I'm happy to see both of them continue the trend.

[Salvatore from Garfield]

DannyD- i'm happy ties are gone. If you have a better way to resolve a tied game without causing people to miss their train, I'm all ears.

I'm happy that the game has sped up, but I really can't take the officiating. A LOT of inconsistencies... see Friday's game if you want an example.

[dannyd]

@ Salvatore from Garfield
personally, i didn't really have a huge problem with ties...and as exciting as the shootout can be i find it is already getting old and cheapens the game, hockey is supposed to be a team battle...for me, the best solution is a longer 4-on-4 OT whether its 10, 15, or at most 20 minutes. If it is still tied after the extended OT then leave the game a tie and each team gets 2 points

i completely agree on the officiating ...WAY too much inconsistency and some of the calls are ridiculous...i absolutely hate how defenders can't hack away at guys standing in from of the goalie...hockey is a game about battling for every inch, so the fact a guy can gain possibly the most valuable area on the ice for free w/o any worry of a defender coming at him really really bothers me...that is supposed to be the essence of hockey and they have taken it away...i also can't stand the instigator rule

[dannyd]

i meant each team gets 1 point if game stays tied

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

TG i have a question... i was just reading Andrew Gross' Ranger Rants, and he said in his Live Blog of last nights game(sorry i just love hearing rags fans cry) that you two were having a competition of who has more overall comments. Is that true, and if so WHY WOULD HE EVEN CONSIDER THAT HE COULD WIN? being totally cereal here, i don't think he has a post over there that tops 20 comments and his live blog had a total of 5 where yours had 86... which is actually a low total for most of your live blogs on the games... So is there really a competition? and if so is there a bet on the line?

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

Big Question for TG......So i was just reading Andrew Gross' Ranger Rants(love to hear rags fans cry) and he posted something saying that the two of you had a competition of sorts going on who was going to get the most Comments on your live blog section. Is it true? and if so how could he possibly hope to compete? your live blog had 88(i think) posts compared to his 5. So my question is.... is there really a competition between the two blogs? and if so is there a bet of some sort involved?

Your posts probably average 10 comments to every 1 on Ranger Rants... this is not a slam either on Andrew, who does a good job of covering the blueshirts, but i think for a jersey based blog he is going to have a harder time gathering the fan base that you do. That said it is nice that it seems that the Devils are drawing more fans in thier home state than the Rangers

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

sorry about the double post, the first one did not show for a while. Also i was wrong with the first one...

The Live Blog on Ranger Rants for the LAST game on 12/12 Devils vs. Rangers he did get 21 comments

[Robbie]

I wonder if Janssen will drop the gloves with one of the Devils

[Speedz]

I think he will just because it IS the Devils, but I don't think he should unless people be throwing cheap shots around. Besides the Blues and Devs don't really have much history so I don't think it would happen other than it just being Cam Janssen.

[Puckster]

I think Janssen would drop the gloves with his own mother if she were on the ice.

[TG]

Andrew was just joking around. The first Rangers-Devils' game this season, they called it "dueling blogs", so we've joked about that since then.

But Andrew didn't start his blog until this season, so I've had a big head start on him. I think he's starting to get more comments. He does an excellent job.

And, as I've said many times, I have no rooting interest as far as teams anymore.

[Robbie]

I wouldn´t mind seeing Janssen fight. All I know is that if he does fight, it should be a good one

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

he definitely does a good job covering the team, and it does seem his comments are up, i was just wondering if there was a real bet or something behind it

[mckay21]

The officating has been way soft....a slash with these new sticks will break before any signifcant damgage could be done...wink....but no stick checks,takin' a body, guess we all have to get used to it.

[Al]

I wonder if Cam Jam will be a healthy scratch.

[DevilsNow]

Some off day reading:

Story in Friday's Asbury Park Press about Flyers prospect James van Riemsdyk. He's from Middletown, New Jersey and playing for Team USA in the World Junior Championships.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881225031

Too bad he's a Rag$ fan playing with the Flyers. But either way, nice to see a Jersey boy have this kind of success.

[Pete]

If Janssen fights anyone, I could see it being Clarkson for stealing his job. Clarkson, of course, would get beat down because even though he's much more well rounded, Janssen is by far the better fighter.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

Does Cam actually start that often for them? i mean he is a one dimensional player and that St. Louis team isn't exactly burning it up out west, but what they do have is some pretty talented youth, and i don't know if they would use a one dimensional player like Cam in a space that could go to a young player who is trying to earn his stripes. Also remember that John Davidson is calling the bulk of the shots out there(i really hate the guy as an announcer, but i respect the hell out of his hockey knowledge)and i know for a fact he values his youth, i just don't see him wasting a roster spot on a fighter. That said i don't even know if Cam plays alot for them, but i know Lou sure fleeced them in that trade.... a top 4 defenseman, for a one dimensional(albeit, fan favorite) fighter. THATS GOTTA IMPRESS!

By the way for all the Sutter haters out there, don't be suprised if he gets mentioned for the Jack Adams trophy at the end of the season if he isn't nominated. NO ONE gave us a chace to compete for a spot for the playoffs, and even with all the injuries we have looked pretty darn good with the exception of a few rough patches... which lets face it, its a long season EVERY team is going to hit rough patches... So lets all not forget that he has brought us through one of the toughest streches this franchise has ever seen and brought us out of it with more than just a winning record, but with RESPECT from the rest of the league that we are MORE than Martin Brodeur.

[Craigwell]

Here is a nice Billington article. http://goaltendinglegends.blogspot.com/2007/07/craig-billington.html

Takes me back!

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

jeez whats next a Craig Wolanian day here?

How about a Claude Vilgrain day as well... or being entirely serious here a Slava Fetisov day. Thats one of my favorite players of all time