New Jersey Devils -.5 -110
[Unit and a half play]
I watch the Florida Panthers play and if you have a vested interest in the game it’s pure torture. Every minute!
This team has no shooters and relies throughout on their all-star net minder Roberto Luongo. This guy literally carries the team on his shoulders. It’s not like watching Belfour with a solid Maple Leaf defense in front of him or Brodeur with a shield of Devil defenders stopping shots before they ever make it close to their prize goalie. Luongo does it all by himself.
This team doesn’t pass well, skates like they are disinterested and appears to be afraid of making any kind of physical contact with the opposition. Can one man continue to stop everything that is thrown at him and keep his team within slim playoff hopes?
Not tonight he won’t. The Devils show up in south Florida in no mood for the beach or fun in the sun. They’ve lost three in a row for the second time in a month. They have not played like the Stanley Cup champs they are. The loss of Scott Stevens effects this team like the loss of Keith Primeau effects the Flyers. These type of players add more than stats and goals scored. They add leadership by example and heart. They are the kind of athlete that helps to rise everyone around them one step higher.
But despite all their problems the Devils still play tough and trust me, come playoff time they will be ready. There is no comparison between these two teams tonight. The only category that they would have on a equal balance of the scales would be positioned between the pipes. The Devils have scorers, skaters, checkers, and unity. All the “little” things that I don’t see in Florida. With the Panthers I see a Chinese fire drill, that looks like no one is quite sure of where they are supposed to be.
New Jersey has better players, coaching, and for all I know a better traveling secretary. They have a road record of 15-9-7 to Florida’s home of 13-12-6. As a road favorite the Devils are 11-6-6 and the Panthers are 7-7-4 as a home dog. Although the Panthers may have this year’s Vezina Trophy winner on their side it’s the Devils squad that leads the league in defense with 2 GAA and only 1.87 on the road.
The Devils have won their last four at Florida by a combined total of 14-4, (only allowing one goal every game). This game sets up well for them as they have had a night off to regroup while the Panthers play their third game in four nights after playing the night before in Washington. New Jersey needs to stop the losing streak here as they do not want to go into Tampa Bay on Friday losers of four in a row. They need some important points to solidify their playoff position and I can guarantee you they will take two points from this game.
NHL single unit plays………73-52-6.…+ 21.11
Unit and a half plays…………9-2-1.…. + 10.695
NHL total to Date……………82-54-7.…+ 31.805
[Unit and a half play]
I watch the Florida Panthers play and if you have a vested interest in the game it’s pure torture. Every minute!
This team has no shooters and relies throughout on their all-star net minder Roberto Luongo. This guy literally carries the team on his shoulders. It’s not like watching Belfour with a solid Maple Leaf defense in front of him or Brodeur with a shield of Devil defenders stopping shots before they ever make it close to their prize goalie. Luongo does it all by himself.
This team doesn’t pass well, skates like they are disinterested and appears to be afraid of making any kind of physical contact with the opposition. Can one man continue to stop everything that is thrown at him and keep his team within slim playoff hopes?
Not tonight he won’t. The Devils show up in south Florida in no mood for the beach or fun in the sun. They’ve lost three in a row for the second time in a month. They have not played like the Stanley Cup champs they are. The loss of Scott Stevens effects this team like the loss of Keith Primeau effects the Flyers. These type of players add more than stats and goals scored. They add leadership by example and heart. They are the kind of athlete that helps to rise everyone around them one step higher.
But despite all their problems the Devils still play tough and trust me, come playoff time they will be ready. There is no comparison between these two teams tonight. The only category that they would have on a equal balance of the scales would be positioned between the pipes. The Devils have scorers, skaters, checkers, and unity. All the “little” things that I don’t see in Florida. With the Panthers I see a Chinese fire drill, that looks like no one is quite sure of where they are supposed to be.
New Jersey has better players, coaching, and for all I know a better traveling secretary. They have a road record of 15-9-7 to Florida’s home of 13-12-6. As a road favorite the Devils are 11-6-6 and the Panthers are 7-7-4 as a home dog. Although the Panthers may have this year’s Vezina Trophy winner on their side it’s the Devils squad that leads the league in defense with 2 GAA and only 1.87 on the road.
The Devils have won their last four at Florida by a combined total of 14-4, (only allowing one goal every game). This game sets up well for them as they have had a night off to regroup while the Panthers play their third game in four nights after playing the night before in Washington. New Jersey needs to stop the losing streak here as they do not want to go into Tampa Bay on Friday losers of four in a row. They need some important points to solidify their playoff position and I can guarantee you they will take two points from this game.
NHL single unit plays………73-52-6.…+ 21.11
Unit and a half plays…………9-2-1.…. + 10.695
NHL total to Date……………82-54-7.…+ 31.805
