Oduya ready for Game 2; Mottau treats at the movies

After sitting out practice on Thursday, Devils defenseman Johnny Oduya skated for about 20 minutes this morning and declared himself ready to play in Game 2 against Carolina tonight.

"If I had skated yesterday I probably would not have gone on today," he said.

Oduya said he never had any doubts that he would play, even though he skipped practice for "maintenance."

"No, not in my mind," he said.

When asked if he had any bumps or bruises or anything that is bothering him, Oduya said. "No, I feel good."

The Devils' lineup will be the same for Game 2, meaning Bobby Holik, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, Rod Pelley, Andy Greene and Jay Leach will again be healthy scratches.

***

Martin Brodeur and six teammates had time to go to the movies Thursday night after there was no time on the night before Game 1. Leach, Pelley, Leblond, Greene, Paul Martin and Mike Mottau also attended.

Leach and Brodeur saw "Observe and Report", while the other five saw "I Love You Man."

"It was all right,":Brodeur said of "Observe and Report." "Everybody says it's pretty bad, but it was all right,"

Brodeur gave Mottau credit for buying the tickets for the whole group. I asked Brodeur if he at least bought Mottau some popcorn and he said, "Not even,":

Mottau didn't mind.

"It was my treat," he said. "If we win tonight, Marty said I have to buy all the time. though."

That was a joke.

"What I like about him is he's the least superstitious goalie I've ever been around," Mottau said.

Mottau gave "I Love You Man" a thumbs up.

***

Seeing a movie is just something to kill time because the team spends the night before home games in a hotel. Back when Brodeur was a rookie in 1994, the team stayed in the hotel in the playoffs every night. Now, the players get to go home on game nights.

Brodeur still isn't a fan of the practice, though.

"There's not much to do," he said. "I like it today (day of game), but the night before, there's like five channels on TV (in the hotel)., There's not much,. You can go through your DVD collection and watch a movie to kill time." 

***

Some of those that didn't go to the movies played cards at the hotel. Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner was the winner of a mini cribbage tournament that also involved Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, Jay Pandolfo and Brian Gionta.

He told me to ask Parise how it went, but Parise said Langenbrunner left out what happened in the doubles match, Parise said he and Zajac defeated Langenbrunner and Pandolfo.

"We beat them down again," Parise said. "But Jamie won the singles tournament."

Comments

[Kris]

I love you man was a good movie.

I hope they are fired up and ready to play like they did Wednesday!

[Scratch16]

Wow, Motts being very generous, I think Rolston should have paid, even if he didn't go!

[devilstown]

TG - Any news on Brind'Amour?

[DevsFaninTX]

Must be pretty cool for Jay Leach, who is not bad but certainly not a regular NHLer, to go watch a movie with Martin Brodeur. I would imagine there has to be something in the back of your mind going "Oh my god I'm hanging out with the greatest goalie ever."

[nnjrules]

5 tv stations in the hotel? I assume that they are staying across from the turtle back zoo than. If that is the case i would also assume they are going to West Essex plaza to see a movie in West Orange..stalk away

[guillermoMAGICO]

TG, thanks for all this info.....how would we find about all this stuff otherwise?

[Tull]

when they're in the hotel, i wonder which they miss more: their wives, their dogs or cable TV? :)

[Rob]

I'd smoke them in cribbage...

[Canadian Devils Fan]

What kind of Hotel only has 5 channels??

[John S]

Why am I not surprised the Zach and Trav teamed up to play cards....

[PattyMusk]

These guys just need an XBox 360 and NHL 09.

[BF from Australia]

Only Lou will provide them a hotel with 5 channels.. haha!