Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said he will start again Saturday afternoon against the Florida Panthers at Prudential Center.
It will be his second game since returning from a torn biceps tendon. It also appears possible he will start Sunday afternoon against Philadelphia.
"I'm going to be playing tomorrow, but Sunday I don't know yet," Brodeur said after today's brief practice at Prudential Center. "We'll see how it goes and how I feel. We're going day by day. We're still in that process a little bit. But I'm going to go tomorrow."
Sutter said he's not looking ahead to Sunday's game, yet.
"I'm taking it day to day," Sutter said. "He said he felt really good today. I think Marty played very well last night, but it was one of those nights where it wasn't a real heavy workload. He said he felt good today and the decision is to go back to him tomorrow."
If Brodeur were to play three games in four days right off the bat, that might be pushing it a little bit after a 50-game layoff. But Sutter said he's "not ruling anything out."
"We'll go through another game and we'll see after tomorrow and make a decsion for the next day," Sutter said. "A lot depends on a lot of different factors."
(To left: Weekes during today's practice.)
One intersesting thing to watch is that Sutter did not start Weekes in any afternoon games this season. I don't know if that's only a coincidence, but he once mentioned that a goaltender's track record in afternoon games after there is no morning skate is a factor in his decision-making process. Scott Clemmensen, who is now in Lowell, started and won all four of the Devils' games that began at 5 p.m. or earlier while Brodeur was out.
Brodeur said he felt "good" today on the morning after his first start in nearly four months, a 4-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche. That was career win No. 545 and career shutout No. 99 for Brodeur.
"I felt great this morning," he said. "I woke up early, actually. I drove the kids to school."
He said he did not have any soreness at all.
"No, I felt good," he said. "Definitely, I'm a little tired right now. I went home and sat on the couch for a while (after Thursay's game). .I woke up this morning and I'm so excited to play hockey. It's so new."
***
Sutter said that Jay Leach and Mike Rupp will again be the healthy scratches on Saturday.
SWEET!!!!!
Posted by: BF | February 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I couldn't imagine him not playing Saturday; not after yesterday.
Posted by: blue-eyed devil | February 27, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Marty's better is a chant along the same lines as Potvin Sucks. Frankly, having been to 100 games over the past three seasons, I feel like our crowd lacks the vocal intensity you get in Philly and at the Garden.
Marty is better than everyone who has ever played the position. Reminding the opposition does nothing besides potentially getting into the heads of opponents. Seems easy enough to me to understand. Marty or Marty's Better shows allegiance to the greatest athlete in NJ sports history. Get vocal at games, it wont kill you, I promise.
Posted by: Jacko | February 27, 2009 at 12:19 PM
CLEMMENSEN WHO?
Posted by: HF | February 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM
there is a distinct difference between a "Marty" chant and a "Marty's better" chant. I always join in on the "Marty" chants, the "Marty's better," I will never do so.
Playing Brodeur back to back right off the bat, doesnt' seem like a smart move to me. There are plenty of games left, I don't see the need to have him play back to back right away.
Posted by: pando20rules | February 27, 2009 at 12:28 PM
the proper chant is "Martaan!! Martaan!!
Posted by: HF | February 27, 2009 at 12:39 PM
we have to stop with the martys better chant. who is he better then? everybody? were they chanting marty's better then raycroft? it really pisses me off. also we are at the devils game.. i hate the rangers as much as everybody but do we need to do a rangers suck chant every 15 seconds? its embarassing.. i know its been discussed before but it is really getting on my nerves. who cares about the 8th place rangers? we were welcoming marty back from his 50 game absense.. i mean once.. twice maybe but every 5 minutes? its almost pathetic.
Posted by: mikeschoenf | February 27, 2009 at 12:42 PM
i agree Mikeschoenf, I'm with you there on both, especially the marty-related part
Posted by: pando20rules | February 27, 2009 at 12:57 PM
I really don't understand why anyone has a problem with the "Marty's Better" chant. Personally it's my favorite. He IS better- than anyone. If we're going to criticize chants, let's get rid of the juvenile "Ranger's suck" chant- especially since the immature fans added to it. Very low class. It's also very new that during a goal celebration, we have to add "you suck". Hate it. Maybe I'm just showing my age.
Just want to add that I hope Marty doesn't play against the Flyers on Sunday. The chances of him getting hurt are pretty high against that dirty team.
Posted by: cg | February 27, 2009 at 01:08 PM
The martys better chant made no sense last night. You are playing andrew freakin raycroft.
It only makes sense when you are playing someone like queen lundqvist who some idiots think is the best goalie in the nhl.
Posted by: frankied | February 27, 2009 at 01:08 PM
agreed mischoenf - do the "Rangers Suck" thing when they post that they got scored upon and that's it. We have to get something more original going also. I love the faux Mike Miller "One Nothing NEW JERSEY!!!" (or whatever the score is) thing after a goal but it's tough to get a lot of people doing it because it's gotta be choreographed properly.
Posted by: JJ | February 27, 2009 at 01:09 PM
On the topic of chants (not that it's the subject of this post), what's the chant after a goal is scored? When they play the Gary Glitter song and the crowd shouts "Hey!" and something after... it sounded like "You suck", but that's not what you want to chant just after Zach Parise buries the puck in the net.
Posted by: Scott E | February 27, 2009 at 01:15 PM
I think "Marty's Better" had a double meaning... as in... he's feeling better.
Posted by: Number6 | February 27, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Scott- it is "You suck"". And it's juvenile. I assume it's directed at the opposing team.
Posted by: cg | February 27, 2009 at 01:21 PM
well, I started the Marty's Better chant during the 2000 SC finals....it was meant to target Belfour and comments made at the time....
Posted by: devsrule08 | February 27, 2009 at 01:24 PM
"Rangers Suck" = Stupid
"Flyers Swallow" = even worse
"Marty's Better" = mixed feelings
"Hey! You Suck!" = awesome
Posted by: Joe | February 27, 2009 at 01:27 PM
Thanks for the feedback on the "marty better" cheer fellow devils fans. I guess in the context of that series in 2003 with Gigere it makes alittle sense but it seems kind of middle schoolish to use it now.
I agree with the above post about the rangers suck chant. I was at the game last night and the crowd chanted "rangers suck" at least 15 times in the 3rd period alone. Give it a rest people. I hate them too but we are not playing them.
Cant we just do more "lets go devils" and more "Marty..Marty"??
Posted by: C$ | February 27, 2009 at 01:36 PM
Let's stop trying to be Ranger fans and quit trying to imitate them with the "rangers (Potvin) sucks" chant.
"Marty's better" only works in the right circumstance.
"Mar-taan" only works when Marty makes the unbelievable save.
I like the Mike Miller call. I miss his call on the radio.
Posted by: JoeDevil | February 27, 2009 at 02:00 PM
C$ i agree!
lets do it. those are two good chants.
Posted by: mikeschoenf | February 27, 2009 at 02:00 PM
@JJ
I'm part of the 233 Crazies, and we do the chant after the Devils score (when we're up, of course). As soon as the announcer is done with his little speech, we count 1, 2, 3 and then yell it. If word was spread, that would be one heck of a chant throughout the arena!
Posted by: Jaime | February 27, 2009 at 02:12 PM
Jaime, what is that chant?
I am getting sick of the Rangers suck chants also. Can we save that, and the "Marty's better" chants for the Rangers games ONLY?
The whole "you suck" chant during our goal song isn't too classy either. Can we grow up and segregate ourselves from Rangers fans a little more please?
Posted by: Salvatore from Garfield | February 27, 2009 at 03:35 PM
I was scanning around the AM stations a while ago on a clear night... picked up a strange hockey broadcast on channel 800.
Turns out it was Hamilton vs. Windsor (I think)... and the announcer turned out to be Mike Miller.
Kind of a blast from the past.
Posted by: Number6 | February 27, 2009 at 03:41 PM
Salvatore,
The chant I was referring to was the one after we score similar to what JJ posted about earlier. Once the announcer is finished, we count 1, 2, 3 "And the score is... 4, nothing, NEW JERSEY!!" and then we do the Let's Go Devils chant immediately after. We have been able to get our corner into it, but it hasn't spread any further yet. We've been doing it for some time now. Most people join in on the second part.
Posted by: Jaime | February 27, 2009 at 03:46 PM
YESS great news.... ill be at the game tomorrow
MAR - TY'S BETTER!!!
Posted by: devsrule7 | February 27, 2009 at 04:46 PM
wow, I'm very interested by this chant discussion, I would love to point out a significant problem!
am I the only one who hates the "let's go devils" cheer? it's just so lame, seems like no one likes to chant that. Maybe start up a "go devils go" cheer? anyone with me? that would just be more fun, and might even get the place louder!!
also, I agree with let's keep the "rangers suck" down to twice or so a game, just takes away how special of a cheer that is when it's over used.
Marty-Marty-Marty!!
Go Devils Go!! (anyone know the scoreboard controller?)
Posted by: godevilsgo | February 27, 2009 at 09:41 PM