Photo credit: Kostroun/ APBy Chris Carrano
Patrik Elias led the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night at the Prudential Center, sweeping the six game series from their divisional rivals for the first time in franchise history.
Elias scored on a breakaway goal and set up another for the Devils as they took over first place in the Atlantic Division. The defending Stanley Cup Champions have been outscored 22-5 against New Jersey this season.
"It's kind of a measuring stick a little bit because you're playing the Stanley Cup champs," said Danius Zubrus. "Guys get up and play well." Zubrus tied the game at 1-1 when Elias intercepted Kris Letang’s pass at the Penguins blue line. With his back to the offensive zone, Elias sent a pass backward to Zubrus, who skated toward him with a full head of steam. Zubrus charged in, deked Fleury onto his back and put the Devils on the scoreboard.
Paul Martin, who returned to the Devils lineup after missing 59 games with a broken forearm, scored an unassisted goal in the first to put New Jersey up 2-1. Elias then scored on a shorthanded breakaway just 3:09 into the second period when he intercepted Jordan Leopold’s pass at the blue line and raced down the ice for his breakaway chance.
The Penguins, who looked nothing like defending Stanley Cup Champions last night, have only themselves to blame. Their sloppy play and multiple turnovers gave the Devils numerous breakaway chances and even led to two unassisted goals. Remarkably, the Penguins out shot the Devils 26-19, but none of that matters when you commit turnovers at the rate that they did. "They had 12 shots on net and five were clear breakaways," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "That's leaving your goalie out to dry."
Lubomir Vishnovsky rifled a shot from just inside the blue line that was deflected high in the air. As Sopel was waiting for it to come down, he was cross-checked to the ice by Perry who then got the puck to Saku Koivu, whose 20-foot wrister beat Corey Crawford with 5:36 remaining.
"I thought it was definitely going to be a penalty. It was pretty evident," Sopel said. "I was jumping for the puck and he pushed me down. You can't do that. You've got to blow it down. You can't let it go in the slot like that and let them score a goal."
The game took an ugly turn when former Blackhawk James Wisniewski drove Brent Seabrook into the boards with a vicious hit to the jaw. Seabrook hit the boards with such force that he was left momentarily dazed before he crumpled down on to the ice. Seabrook left the game with an upper body injury while Wisniewski was given a two minute charging penalty and a five minute misconduct for fighting Duncan Keith, who came to his fallen teammates aid.
"I don't understand how the referees can see something like that and don't identify the fact that he's trying to hurt one of our players. He wasn't skating in from the blue line for any other reason than to run Seebs over and take the liberty on him," said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.
The hit will most certainly be reviewed by the NHL especially in the aftermath of Alexander Ovechkin's hit on Brian Campbell over the weekend and Matt Cooke’s hit on Marc Savard that led to a concussion.
"It is being looked into," NHL spokesperson Julie Young said Thursday. "If there is a suspension, it has to be done before the next game, unless the player is suspended until further notice."
Said Wisniewski after the game, “It probably will get looked at, but the result wasn't because of a shot to the head. I'm 5-foot-11 and he's 6-3. What happened was that my face hit his face. The visor came down and cut up my nose. I was shocked when I saw the result of it on the replay.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Wisniewski added. "The result of what happened isn't good, but there wasn't anything wrong that I did."
Milan Hejduk scored at 19:27 of the third period to get Colorado within one goal of the desperate Flames, but it was all for naught.
"We were buzzing at the end," Hejduk said. "We came out flat right out of the gate. They outplayed us the first period and then you play catch-up hockey."
Elias scored on a breakaway goal and set up another for the Devils as they took over first place in the Atlantic Division. The defending Stanley Cup Champions have been outscored 22-5 against New Jersey this season.
"It's kind of a measuring stick a little bit because you're playing the Stanley Cup champs," said Danius Zubrus. "Guys get up and play well." Zubrus tied the game at 1-1 when Elias intercepted Kris Letang’s pass at the Penguins blue line. With his back to the offensive zone, Elias sent a pass backward to Zubrus, who skated toward him with a full head of steam. Zubrus charged in, deked Fleury onto his back and put the Devils on the scoreboard.
Paul Martin, who returned to the Devils lineup after missing 59 games with a broken forearm, scored an unassisted goal in the first to put New Jersey up 2-1. Elias then scored on a shorthanded breakaway just 3:09 into the second period when he intercepted Jordan Leopold’s pass at the blue line and raced down the ice for his breakaway chance.
The Penguins, who looked nothing like defending Stanley Cup Champions last night, have only themselves to blame. Their sloppy play and multiple turnovers gave the Devils numerous breakaway chances and even led to two unassisted goals. Remarkably, the Penguins out shot the Devils 26-19, but none of that matters when you commit turnovers at the rate that they did. "They had 12 shots on net and five were clear breakaways," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "That's leaving your goalie out to dry."
BLACKHAWKS LOSE GAME, SEABROOK
With a chance to tie the San Jose Sharks for the lead in the Western Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks fell 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks last night, losing their third straight game. Anaheim can thank the refs for getting dust in their eye at the exact moment Corey Perry’s cross-check on Brent Sopel set up the game winning goal.Lubomir Vishnovsky rifled a shot from just inside the blue line that was deflected high in the air. As Sopel was waiting for it to come down, he was cross-checked to the ice by Perry who then got the puck to Saku Koivu, whose 20-foot wrister beat Corey Crawford with 5:36 remaining.
"I thought it was definitely going to be a penalty. It was pretty evident," Sopel said. "I was jumping for the puck and he pushed me down. You can't do that. You've got to blow it down. You can't let it go in the slot like that and let them score a goal."
The game took an ugly turn when former Blackhawk James Wisniewski drove Brent Seabrook into the boards with a vicious hit to the jaw. Seabrook hit the boards with such force that he was left momentarily dazed before he crumpled down on to the ice. Seabrook left the game with an upper body injury while Wisniewski was given a two minute charging penalty and a five minute misconduct for fighting Duncan Keith, who came to his fallen teammates aid.
"I don't understand how the referees can see something like that and don't identify the fact that he's trying to hurt one of our players. He wasn't skating in from the blue line for any other reason than to run Seebs over and take the liberty on him," said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.
The hit will most certainly be reviewed by the NHL especially in the aftermath of Alexander Ovechkin's hit on Brian Campbell over the weekend and Matt Cooke’s hit on Marc Savard that led to a concussion.
"It is being looked into," NHL spokesperson Julie Young said Thursday. "If there is a suspension, it has to be done before the next game, unless the player is suspended until further notice."
Said Wisniewski after the game, “It probably will get looked at, but the result wasn't because of a shot to the head. I'm 5-foot-11 and he's 6-3. What happened was that my face hit his face. The visor came down and cut up my nose. I was shocked when I saw the result of it on the replay.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Wisniewski added. "The result of what happened isn't good, but there wasn't anything wrong that I did."
THE OTHER GAME…
Rene Bourque scored twice, once on a power play and once short handed to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche last night. "We got off with a good start, getting a lucky break on the short-handed goal,” said Bourque. “ I got a nice bounce and it turned into a nice night."Milan Hejduk scored at 19:27 of the third period to get Colorado within one goal of the desperate Flames, but it was all for naught.
"We were buzzing at the end," Hejduk said. "We came out flat right out of the gate. They outplayed us the first period and then you play catch-up hockey."
TONIGHT'S GAMES
(All times EST)Pittsburgh at Boston 7 p.m.
Washington at Carolina 7 p.m.
St. Louis at NY Rangers 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Atlanta 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
New Jersey at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Washington at Carolina 7 p.m.
St. Louis at NY Rangers 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Atlanta 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
New Jersey at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Nashville 8 p.m.
Philadelphia at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
San Jose at Vancouver 10 p.m.
Chicago at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
San Jose at Vancouver 10 p.m.
Chicago at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
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