Devils waste chance to clinch playoff berth with less-than-special effort

You didn't have to look far for the reasons for the Devils' downfall in tonight's 4-2 loss the Philadelphia Flyers at Wachovia Center.

The Devils allowed three power-play goals on three shorthanded chances and went 1-for-8 on their own power-play.

Jeff Carter's power-play deflection 55 seconds snapped a 2-2 tie and stood up as the game-winner.

The Devils have given up eight power-play goals on 12 times shorthanded in losing their last three road games. They've lost three of four overall since Martin Brodeur's record-breaking win over Chicago last Tuesday.

With Florida losing in overtime to Carolina tonight, the Devils could have clinched a playoff berth win a win. Now, they still need two points in their final nine games to clinch a playoff berth for the 12th consecutive season.

Making the playing shouldn't be a problem now, but Devils coach Brent Sutter knows that if his team doesn't straighten out its special teams play,it won't go very far in the postseason.

"I'm annoyed. I'm not worried," Sutter insisted. "I'm annoyed to see us playing like this when we're a better team than this on the road. At home, we've been fine. It's just our habits on the road. We've got to get that same attitude back on the road that we have at home. We had it before these last nine games, Outside of the Montreal game (a 3-1 win on March 14), which we were pretty darn good in, we've been pretty erratic on the road.

"It's the specialty teams. You can shake it and bake it all you want. Our specialty teams haven't done the job for us in the last little bit."

In losing back-to-back road games to the Flyers and Boston, the Devils allowed five power-play goals on seven chances and scored only one on 13 chances.

The Devils believed they controlled play five-on-five tonight. It was during shorthanded and power-play time that they were dominated.

The PK seemed especially disheartening to the Devils tonight because every time they took a penalty the Flyers scored.

"It's been like that the last couple of games," said Zach Parise. "In Boston and Carolina (a 4-2 loss six days ago) it was the same thing."

On the Flyers' first two power-play goals tonight, the Devils left players wide open on the back door for easy putaway behind a helpless Martin Brodeur.

"It's kind of obvious on the first two goals they scored there were guys wide open," Brodeur said. "It's just breakdowns. We have breakdowns in our own zone. You don;t clear the puck when it's time, you don't make the play and teams will make good plays. There's a lot of room out there and they found ways to get tap-in goals"

Before Mike Knuble's power-play goal that gaive the Flyers a 2-1 lead 4:45 into the second period, Johnny Oduya and Jamie Langenbrunner had chances to clear the bouncing puck and couldn't.

"The puck was on our stick two different times and it was bouncing and we didn't control it and then there's breakdowns," Sutter said.

Sutter pointed out that the loss of Colin White, who has missed four consecutive games with a lower-body injury, has hurt the PK. But it's more than that.

"We were very good on it at home," Sutter said. "Home we've been good. We just aren't doing the same things on the road. We've got probably our best penalty killer not playing right now in Whitey. That's one of his speciaties have been his whole career. Somebody else is trying to fill in those shoes and it's changing little things down our lineup...I'm not using it as an excuse, but it is someone we miss. You don't replace a player like that, especially the way he's played this year."

The Devils' power play has been nearly as bad. Tonight, it generated nothing during a four-minute high sticking against Daniel Carcillo in the third period.

"When get that double minor, you've got to get at least one (goal) or at least get a scoring chance," Parise said.

The Devils have nine regular season games left to find the answers and hold off the Flyers, who have closed within seven points of them for the Atlantic Division lead and have a game in hand.

"Any time of the season it's a concern, but here it gets magnified a bit and we realize we're nine games away from the playoffs and you want to be playing well going into the playoffs and obviously these last two games haven't been perfect," Langenbrunner said. "Nine games is plenty of games to correct what's wrong, but the key is to correct it soon. Otherwise, in nine games a lot of things can happen if we don't get it corrected. So, we need to get it corrected soon."

***

The regulation loss was only the Devils' fourth this season in a game in which they scored first (35-4-2).

The Devils and Flyers split the regular season series with each team going 3-2-1.

Comments

[Captain Cornholio]

"You can shake it and bake it all you want."

That's the line of the year from Sutter! If Sutter tried to lighten the mood, then it worked.

[justin]

devs luncheon tomorrow...shall beith most interesting

[Speedz]

One of the things, I find with the Devils, is like we're watching a Mighty Ducks Movie. Every one just seems to have personality, eveyr one is human. People make mistakes no doubt, but it just seems to be the Devils forte to do so at critical times. It's interesting.

[Force76]

Why do I see another heartbreaking playoff exit at the hands of the Rangers??? How many seasons can one team fall apart at the worst possible time and underachive??

[momo from Brooklyn]

We don't coming back from behind this season like we did in 07-08. Madden and Rolston have terrible year.I was expecting little bit more from a 30 goal scorer than just blast the puck and miss the net.It was injury excuse earlier but its been a enough time since then to start be more creative and especially on the blue line on PP,you have to find the way to stop the puck and keep it in the zone. It could turn out to be the worst signing after all. I hope I am wrong.

[Henrik L]

I just got home from the game in Philly and i just have one thing to say.
Please...let Bobby Holik sit next game, He really really sucked the whole game through! Another dumb penalty and he really brings nothing to this team.

[JK]

Just shows how much this team misses White and Patty. They looked clueless on the PK, and the PP was awful without Elias. Anyone else extremely disappointed in Rolston's play lately (I could say all season)?

[CH]

Agree....Holik should be out...cannot watch him take another dumb penalty...or get knocked off the puck...he needs to sit

[CH]

By the way....he has 8 POINTS!!!!!

[Tapiolevo09]

Rolston has been a huge disappointment. I'm sure the ankle will be the excuse.
Salvador does nothing for me (even though he was a + tonight), makes mistakes, out of position a lot, always injured.
Also, never thought I'd imagine a Devils team that "missed" Colin White.
Reality- As they move more and more away from their traditional defensive style, their defensive zone positioning will suffer. See Marty's quotes. By the way Marty, they weren't all "tap-in's".

[TG]

He was talking about the first two power-play goals.

[AK47]

Its not only Rolston. I don't know what happened to Madden,where is his offencive skills we all enjoyed last season. He is like minus 100 now,his defensive game nowhere to be found,just huge disappointment.

[Marcus Crespilho]

Even when we were up 1-0 in the first, not once in the game did I feel like we were going to win it for some reason. Defense was not collapsing on Brodeur to take away second chances, people standing in front of Brodeur while nobody taking the body. I know there were some tap-in goals but that 4th goal has been classic Brodeur lately. Especially in the game in Boston, at least two or three soft goals, come on what's going on? I believe in this team, and really want it to succeed but we have to kill at least one penalty a night, : P. Is that too much to ask for?

[Tapiolevo09]

Agreed those were tap-ins. Still, too often I see Marty give up insurance goals right after giving up a tie breaking goal. I'm pro Marty and all his stats are great, yet he's been out played in many playoff series by no-name goalies. See- Cam Ward, Robert Esche, Irbe/Weekes, the immoral Damien Rhodes.
I hope it's not another one of those short playoff runs.

[Tapiolevo09]

Meant ..immortal ...on Rhodes.

[Cutting losses]

Rolston and Holik have been fine, folks. Whitey is drastically underrated and was badly missed, as was Patty. Greene was looking great though; hope he is okay. Havelid played better tonight too, but I still think he should be taken off the PP. Pando was the weak link on the PK.

Let's hope the special teams get back on track and all these 'maintenance' issues are worked out by the playoffs.

[Noam N. Kogen]

Madden needs to go. He is no longer a shut down performer and hasn't been for some time. Holik still brings it, that is, toughness, is still good on faceoffs. I would rather have him than Madden, whom, from what I hear, is a disruptive force in the locker room. Why Madden is still a Devil is beyond me. Rupp is better now than Madden and he should be centering the fourth line. Perhaps Pandolfo should go, though he may have some use.

Devils missed Elias big time tonight and I, too, never thought they would miss White on the blueline.

Weekes will need to play one game this upcoming weekend. Greene and Mottau are a good defense pairing. Oduya has looked weak recently, being out of position.

It's time for the Devils to get their game together--pronto!!

[Tommy.]

You can't really call Cam Ward a no named goalie he won the stanley cup. Now the others I agree fully. But the thing that is really dissapointing about this team lately is that they keep running into these "hungry teams" and they haven't been competing as hard as the other team.

[Lets Go Devs Baby]

everyone seems surprised that we are missing colin white right now.. with the exception of paul martin, white is our best defensive defenseman. top penalty killer and can still bring a decent shot. the pk has suffered badly with him out of the lineup and its showing how awesome it is to have a big body like him killing penalties. by the way.. colin white is a +24 on the season which is 7th among nhl defensemen and his partner mike mottau is 5th +27

[DCdevil]

holik and rolston have been fine...what team are you watching?

[Brodeur30]

Rolston has 8PP goals...that's fine, but other than that he's been invisible. You'd be lying if you said you didn't expect more.

My lord are Pando and Madden worthless. Never seen two players fall off the map so fast. They have very little value to this team.

[Spud]

Sutter needs to bear down on these guys. They will slack off to the extent that you allow it. If you give a mouse a cookie, they will want a glass of milk...

[Pat D'Amico]

I hope people realize how important White is to the team now. Also I hope Sutter uses Zubrus at center with Elias and Rolston or Gionta once Patty returns.

[walt]

you just can't throw out "madden is a distruptive force in the locker room" sez who? i think the one thing i would have wished lou had done at deadline time was get some more offence... thats what like 4 deadline dates in a row w/ NO moves to bolster the O?i think alot of people expect marty to shut-out or give up one goal a game EVERY game. that being said there were some iffy goals these last 2 games.he has got to play BEYOND solid this year in the play-offs or there will be alot of criticism coming his way.no excuses on being tired, no excuses on no offensive help. really no excuses at all if he has a sub-par play=offs. i believe he knows this as well and will raise his game to the level we all expect from him.

[Tommy.]

Well atleast us devils fans that went to the game last night get a free breakfast sammich in the morning.