The Anaheim Ducks held on to defeat the Devils, 4-3, tonight at Honda Center.
With goaltender Scott Clemmensen on the bench for an extra attacker, Zach Parise scored off a scramble in front with 30.2 seconds remaining to bring the Devils within one, but they couldn't net the tying goal in the remaining time.
The Devils are 1-1 so far on this six-game road trip, which continues Tuesday night in Vancouver.
They won't practice Monday after flying to Vancouver. They'll get back on the ice for the morning skate on Tuesday.
Parise took a shot from Chris Pronger right at the buzzer too. He's taken some abuse physically in the last two days.
The Devils played their best in the final nine minutes or so, but it wasn't enough after playing poorly for much of the first 50 minutes. They were outshot 34-21 for the night.
Chris Kunitz's second goal of the night with 3:33 remaining upped the Ducks' lead to 4-2 and proved to be the game-winner.
Kunitz finished a 3-on-2 rush with a shot from the left circle that beat Clemmensen over the blocker.
This is the first time Clemmensen has given up four goals in a road game this season.
Kunitz scored on a wraparound 1:36 into the third period to snap a 2-2 tie and give the Ducks the lead for good.
You guys saw the same replays I did, but if the refreee rules on the ice that it's a goal and the replays are inconclusive, then it's a goal.
[NOTE: I e-mailed with someone who works in the league video room in Toronto and he confirmed that the video was inconclusive and referee Dennis LaRue called it a goal on the ice and said he had a good view of the puck over the line. He must have seen it after moving in close and maybe Clemmensen moved his right leg. That was a good point by Chico that someone should have pulled Clemmensen out before LaRue was able to get a look.]
Jamie Langenbrunner had a great chance on that shorthanded break at 7:19, but appeared to run out of room as he was making his move and Jean-Sebastien Giguere stayed with him to make a left pad save.
The Devils' power play has been the best part of their game tonight. They didn't score on that one, but had some really good chances and Brian Gionta hit the right post with 9:20 left.
Zach Parise finally got a shot on goal with 4:38 left, but he's been very quiet again tonight.
David Clarkson's power-play goal with 3:04 left in the second period had tied the game at 2-2.
***
The Devils are being outshot 25-10 through two periods and are fortunate to be tied. Scott Clemmensen deserves a lot of credit for that.
Clarkson jammed home the rebound of Brian Rolston's shot from the left circle for his eighth goal of the season, Jean-Sebastien Giguere made a left pad save on Rolston's shot, but Clarkson fought hard to push the puck over the goal line on his backhand.
Sammy Pahlsson scored with only 8.2 seconds left in the first period to put Anaheim ahead 2-1.
Even before giving up those two goals in the final five minutes of the first period, the Devils were not having a good opening period. They had only four shots in the period.
I think Dainius Zubrus' injury -- to his wrist or whatever -- has affected that line's ability to play as well defensively against the opposition's top lines. He can't be as strong on the puck and that kind of eliminates some of the advantage he has with his size.
Too many scoring chances for Ryan Getzlaf's line. The Devils have been fortunate that line hasn't scored yet.
The Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Jamie Langenbrunner line hasn't been very noticeable in this game so far.
It's been an adventurous night for Scott Clemmensen with all these strange bounces -- even if that one off Paul Devorski would not have counted. (FYI: Rule 78.5 subsection iii says a puck that goes in directly off an official would not count as a goal).
That was a good right pad save by Clemmensen on Getzlaf's wraparound at 10:16.
***
On Pahlsson's goal, Travis Moen threw a backhand centering pass out of the right corner that went off Brian Gionta and ricocheted to Pahlsson for a quick shot from the right circle that went in off the right post.
Bobby Ryan scored with 4:39 in the first period to pull the Ducks into a 1-1 tie.
Ryan, who was born in Cherry Hill, got behind the check of John Madden, drove to the net and was sliding as he knocked in a centering feed from ex-Devil Brendan Morrison.
Bobby Holik scored off a deflection at 12:53 of the first period to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.
Actually, Mike Mottau's right point shot went off Holik's helmet in the right circle and sailed past goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere on the short side. It came after Holik won a draw in the right circle.
The was a good kill by the Devils on the early tripping penalty by Brian Rolston. The Ducks got only one shot on that power play and it was a point shot.
That was a good shift by Bobby Holik's line to create the Devils' first stint of sustained pressure in the Ducks' zone in the game. Jay Pandolfo ended it with a bad turnover in the neutral zone, though, and Scott Clemmensen had to come up with a good stick save on Bobby Ryan on the Ducks' counterattack.
Although Ryan was born in New Jersey, he grew up and spent his developmental years in California. So, he's not really a Jersey product.
***
Scott Clemmensen will be back in net for the Devils tonight as they face Scott Niedermayer and the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
Kevin Weekes earned his first win since Nov. 21 with a 34-save performance in a 5-1 victory in Los Angeles on Saturday night, but Devils coach Brent Sutter has decided to go back to Clemmensen, who was pulled for the first time in an NHL game in Thursday's 4-0 loss to Atlanta.
The rest of the Devils' lineup will remain the same tonight.
No out of town scoreboard for me tonight. No one else in the Eastern Conference is playing.
If your football pool isn't screwed up, though, then you deserve much congratulations!
Posted by: Cornholio | January 11, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Could use the nice little pick-me-up that a devils win would provide tonight. Giants game was abysmal today.
Posted by: Giantsfan | January 11, 2009 at 07:15 PM
No pre-game show tonight, either.
Posted by: Cornholio | January 11, 2009 at 07:25 PM
Was hoping there would be a pre-game show, they didn't mention that there wouldn't be one tonight? I remember them making a big deal about there not being one last night, so I just assumed we would have a pre-game tonight.
Yeah, the Giants game was pretty horrible. Eli looked like his old self. Hopefully the Devils can continue their momentum tonight and the PP keeps clicking.
Posted by: Nick | January 11, 2009 at 07:27 PM
I'm not liking the idea of Clemmensen in net tonight. We gave him every opportunity to get and stay hot, which he did - no reason why we shouldn't do the same for Weekes. He was a major factor last night.
I hope he finds himself in at least one more game this trip, if not two.
Posted by: Josh | January 11, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Manning was starting to play like Favre
Posted by: Robbie | January 11, 2009 at 07:30 PM
Eli was playing like the real Eli.
Posted by: ZuljinRaynor | January 11, 2009 at 07:37 PM
Well he didn't play any worse than Pennington and Delhomme.
Posted by: Nick | January 11, 2009 at 07:38 PM
Eli hid behind a strong o-line and good running game.....anytime the running game was stopped, he was ineffective....can anyone explain how he got allpro....does every atleast average player get picked allpro
Posted by: embo slice | January 11, 2009 at 07:43 PM
I'm hoping McNabb plays like garbage next week. :)
Posted by: ZuljinRaynor | January 11, 2009 at 07:44 PM
Josh, isin't it obvious that they have no confidence in Weekes? He played well last night, and he should be given the same opportunity that Clemmer had earlier in the season to stay hot.
But he's not getting it. And its shameful because hes a good goalie. Both he and Clemmer are good, as long as the Devils can score. Weekes IMO is much better than Clemmer, but no one has seen him play as much, and therefore he's basically been shafted by this coaching staff.
I'm surprised his attitude is still professional, cause I would be pissed if I were him. But he is a really classy guy.
Posted by: Ben M. | January 11, 2009 at 07:44 PM
Well at least now that the Giants are done I can focus all my energy on Hockey.
Posted by: Jeff | January 11, 2009 at 07:45 PM
embo, probably the same way that Henrik is on the All-Star team. He hasn't been that good this year to be on it.
Posted by: ZuljinRaynor | January 11, 2009 at 07:46 PM
Henrik's stats are near the bottom of the league. No way he should have gotten the go ahead for the all-star team. And he wasn't even a fan selection, so I was assuming they would make a better pick.
Posted by: Nick | January 11, 2009 at 07:53 PM
As I've said previously, Weekes is definitely more athletic and more technically sound than Clemmensen. However, his lack of mental toughness has kept him from being a #1 goalie anywhere. I think he plays the way a goalie would play in a Jim Park "The Puck Stops Here" video.
Why do you think Clemmensen got the lion's share of the work after the night the Rangers lit Weekes up like a pinball machine on the Fourth of July? Weekes let in a soft goal and had a meltdown between the ears.
Posted by: Cornholio | January 11, 2009 at 07:54 PM
This will be an interesting game.
Posted by: Steve | January 11, 2009 at 08:01 PM
Let's come out with the same intensity as we displayed last night. Hopefully the PP can keep up the good work because the Ducks tend to commit a lot of penalties. I would've liked to see Weekes get the start after a strong performance last night, but Clemmensen gets a chance to redeem himself after that atrocious effort vs Atlanta.
GO DEVS!!
Posted by: Brodeur30 | January 11, 2009 at 08:02 PM
Let's hope Scotty takes over where Weekes left off...
Posted by: ParisePizza | January 11, 2009 at 08:02 PM
Too bad we don't have Bobby Ryan, I really like how he plays. He's from Jersey too.
Posted by: Nick | January 11, 2009 at 08:06 PM
That's why we need Rupp in the lineup...who else will step up for the team and take on the heavyweights?
Posted by: Mike O. | January 11, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Clarkson will step up, but he's not the best fighter against the bigger guys.
Posted by: Nick | January 11, 2009 at 08:11 PM
Dive.
Posted by: Cornholio | January 11, 2009 at 08:12 PM
It would appear that Clemmensen's glove hand has improved, but he's still not looking the puck enough into the glove.
Posted by: Cornholio | January 11, 2009 at 08:14 PM
Good pk
Posted by: Steve | January 11, 2009 at 08:15 PM
totally a dive
Posted by: Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti) | January 11, 2009 at 08:15 PM