Devils come up flat and empty in chance to put away Hurricanes

The Devils went to RBC Center tonight with a chance to eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes and move on to the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Now, they will be facing elimination themselves when they host the Hurricanes in a deciding Game 7 on Tuesday night.

The Devils knew they wasted an opportunity in tonight's 4-0 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at RBC Center.

They were thoroughly outplayed by a desperate Hurricanes team and demonstrated no sense of urgency themselves.

"I guess the difference of tonight was [one] team played like there was no tomorrow and the other team played like there was," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "And when that happens, usually the team that plays like there is another game tomorrow ends up on the wrong side and we certainly did in a lot of aspects tonight."

The Devils talked for the last three days about not playing as if they had a Game 7 to fall back on, but it appeared as if they knew that if they lost they had another chance on Tuesday.

"It kind of feels that way," Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. "They played like a desperate team and we didn't. That's what happens this time of year. The team that wants it more usually wins and they wanted it tonight."

The Devils hope this wasted opportunity doesn't come back to haunt them on Tuesday.

"It's disappointing," left wing Jay Pandolfo said. "They obviously showed they were the more desperate team.and really took it to us. We can't let that happen next game. That's for sure."

Although the final shots on goal were not that lopsided -- 37-28 in favor of Carolina -- that was misleading. The shots were 23-6 Carolina after Eric Staal scored on s 2-on-1 to make it 3-0 7;30 into the second period. Staal had scored 2:46 earlier to make it 2-0.

"The shots that we got at the end, that's a team that was up 4-0," Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said. "It's different than if the game would have been 1-1. So, it's hard to count that. When it counted, we weren't competing against them. They really outplayed us. We can't sugarcoat it too much. It's not something that we can say we played well, but we lost on a bad bounce. They outplayed us today.

"We have no choice now but to be desperate in a Game 7 and definitely have a better effort of controlling the hockey game."

If the Devils are looking for positive, there are two.

One is that no team has won consecutive games in this seasons. The other is that they get to play Game 7 on home ice.

"That's why you play the whole year is to get that home-ice advantage and that's why you do it, for a Game 7," Sutter said. "Yet, you've got to go out and do it now. We've got 48 hours to get ready to play Now, both teams are in the same boat.and in the same situation and you've got to expect it's going to be a great game, Game 7. There's reasons why you want home-ice advantage and we have it and yet you have to take advantage of it, too."

Comments

[Major Cornholio]

Flat and empty like Olive Oyl's wonderbra.

So the season comes down to 60 minutes.

[Claude Lemieux]

Sutter should wake up and realize that playing our Madden/Pando/Shanny checking line has done nothing against the Canes top line. We haven't done line matching this whole year and now in the playoffs we are!

Sutter go back to your January game plan, play Parise against the top lines to keep them on their heels and make them play defense...putting the Madden line out for 15 minutes a game is significantly impacting our offense.

[Henrik L]

Unless there is overtime....which I have a strong feeling it will be

[CH]

I can't bear to watch ZUBRUS anymore.....

[Keith]

i just got 2 tickets for 45 bucks each on ticketmaster for game 7. i am so pumped! this will be my first playoff game ever. devils better WIN!!!

[Matt]

I think our downturn started about 1:30 into the game when Zubrus took that dumba$s roughing penalty. Prior to that we spent the entire 90 seconds in the offensive zone controlling the puck. Then, one player takes a stupid penalty and the rest of the team just folds. We better play better on Tuesday.

[Henrik L]

I think that checking line was incredibly good in game 1

[TG]

Claude: Madden line barely played against Staal's line tonight.

It's been at home that they were matching lines.

They were trying to match Mottau and White against Staal's line, though.

[Adrock]

Just got back from the game. Wow was that awful.

[Henrik L]

you might not agree TG, but I think Colin WHite is too slow for that matchup.

[A Local Fan]

What a disgraceful performance. If the Devils lose game 7 I might hang up my Langenbrunner for good. I don't need this aggravation anymore. What kind team plays like that in game 6? TG let the Devils players know if they lose Tuesday they are losing fan to the guys from the other side of the Hudson. DISGRACE!

[Claude Lemieux]

TG - I may have exaggerated it a bit saying they were out there a majority of the time against Staal's line, but if you look at the ice totals for the team tonight Madden's line had roughly 1 minute of ice time less than Parise's line which makes no sense to me when this team needs to score goals.

[A Local Fan]

I meant Langenbrunner jersey

[Mardevils]

Hey Local Fan--you've already established yourself as a fan of the other side of the Hudson, before this series even started.

[Cory]

The Devils did exactly what they were expected to do tonight - come out flat and put their own backs up against the wall... there's nothing positive to take from tonight. But it all comes down to Tuesday.

I want to see that special team that we all saw this year, laying it all on the line and representing what true winners are all about. I know many of you thought the same thing earlier this year, that we weren't going to watch our heroes falter again this year. Let's Go Devils!!!!

...it would be nice if they'd throw out a matching dive on CAR one time in this series. Ya, there was a little hold on that first penalty - but the ref's know they missed it and only saw another pathetic flop to the ice from someone insulting the privilege to play in this great league immediately afterward. So at least call both; send a message that this isn't going to be soccer (errr, "futbol").

ALF: You have been a Rags fan since the beginning. Go rally behind that performance you saw earlier this afternoon on NBC, or whatever makes you happy.

[Zorin]

Balls to the Walls. Bring out the physical side and not with 8 min to go. Scratch Rollie for Holik...Rollie is the biggest waste out there. He tries to fake his shot on the Cains...the Dman knows that Rollie's shot only flies to the net when his stick is pointing to the sky. And I like Rollie and want him to do good, but when is going to do that???

Lou, if you are reading this, in the future, guys that you bring back that are 35+, please don't sign them to anything other than a 2 year deal. Sure, you locked him up at $5M a year, but this year has been a garbage one and he's only getting older. "Two with Lou"..and if he didn't like, that's fine.

[DCdevil]

ALF will you admit your a complete tool when both the devils and rangers lose on Tuesday?

[Philly Devil]

THANK YOU TG. Dear "Claude," Try and call out Mr. Zajac who has been playing with no heart, no determination..nothing. Staal played with it tonight, Travi did not.

Again, MOTTAU and White destroyed. This is our "top" shutdown pair? Changes must be made even if we do win this series.

We've seen this script before, our D is OWNED on the boards. Marty Against the World Part ??? Tuesday night.

FOR GOD SAKE PUT HOLIK IN OVER RUPP!! HE CAN AT LEAST WIN A FACE OFF!!

[JerseyJeff]

Lets talk about Teflon Lou,

Dainus Zubrus -3mil- No O talent whatsoever playing with Elias and Gio to salvage Lou's blunder.

Brian Rolston - 5 mil - constant PP time to salvage another Lou Blunder.

Bobby Holik - 2 mil - Healthy Scratch Lou Blunder.

Trade Deadline Martin Havlat who is average sending Greene to bench who was more noticable tonight then Havlat has been since he got here. Lou Blunder

And because of Lou, of "we don't celebrate or appreciate our players that unless they sign a blood oath to retire a devil will be treated them like interchangable parts ( see treatment of Neider, Rafalski, Gomez,Brylin) Gio and Madden will be gone. Right behind Sutter. Ditto with Zach when its his time.

[DCdevil]

Martin Havlat?...u mean Nic Havelid...JerseyJeff Blunder

[Robbie]

I think you mean Nic Havelid Jersey Jeff. I would love to have Havlat though.

[Keith]

Cornholio - Where can i find the video online? Or do i have to buy the season?

[Jim B]

@Jersey Jeff

It is Niclas Havelid, not Martin Havlat, so if you are gonna rip on a guy who has put together 3 diff. championship teams and countless more division winners, and he has kept this team competitive for over the past 15 years, at least get the names of the players right.

[you are a genius]

wait, when did the devils get martin havlat? they converted him into a defenseman too? i could swear i saw him playing a wing in chicago last night...idiot

[Ben]

It just seems so obvious to me...put Rolston with Elias and Gionta, put Holik with Rupp and Clarkson, and put Zubrus on waivers.