All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils 2, Carolina Hurricanes 4: Game 13 CoverageA world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2013-02-13T00:16:22-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/37430512013-02-13T00:16:22-05:002013-02-13T00:16:22-05:00Devils Thwarted by Hurricanes 4-2
<figure>
<img alt="David Clarkson's facial reaction matched mine. Though, he's doing this after taking a dumb third period penalty. Mine was during most of the first and second periods." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f7BbZ6TBbvAqplRKYMdVP5UQwio=/0x0:3058x2039/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8065349/161605943.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Clarkson's facial reaction matched mine. Though, he's doing this after taking a dumb third period penalty. Mine was during most of the first and second periods. | Elsa</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The New Jersey Devils had their six game winning streak snapped in a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. This recap focuses on how the Devils came close in the third period but they were undercut by poor play in the first two periods, the penalty kill, and penalties among other thoughts.</p> <p>So close, yet so far. In the final minute of tonight's game, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">Devils</a> pulled <span>Martin Brodeur</span> during a penalty kill and swarmed the zone of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canescountry.com/">Carolina Hurricanes</a>. They were down 3-2 and were desparate for an equalizer. <span>Stephen Gionta</span> re-directed a shot in front of <span>Cam Ward</span> and the puck just trickled wide. <span>Bobby Butler</span> bravely dove at it but couldn't knock it in. The Devils recovered but a misfired pass led to <span>Justin Faulk</span> clearing it up to Eric Staal, who fed <span>Jiri Tlusty</span> for the empty net goal. The Devils were incredibly close to getting a late game-tying goal but the Canes sealed the 4-2 win. They were so close, yet so far from getting something out of tonight's game. </p>
<p>However, the Devils have no one to blame but themselves for being in such a situation. The Devils were fortunate to end the first period 1-0 as the Hurricanes repeatedly and successfully gained the zone to start the game and throw pucks towards Brodeur. The nadir was when the fourth line got pinned back by <span>Eric Staal's</span> line, which was then followed by the <span>Travis Zajac</span> line and the <span>Adam Henrique</span> line getting pinned back in successive shifts. The Canes did what they could whereas the Devils just had issues clearing the puck, much less making passes up ice. They only got away with the first period lead due to <span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span> firing a rocket top-shelf past Ward on the team's first power play. </p>
<p>By the way, that goal by Kovalchuk led to a time warp. You see, the referee on the ice didn't award the goal when Kovalchuk shot it. It required a video review, which can only happen when there's a stoppage in play. As it turned out, it took three minutes before a stoppage in play. Once they got it, a video review clearly showed the puck going into the goal, Kovalchuk officially got the score, and as a result, the game went back to when the shot occurred: 4:01 left in the first. So the Devils and Canes played about a 23-minute first period. then we went all the way back to 4:01 in the period to play. The Canes did what they could to equalize and came out of it with a late holding penalty by <span>Jacob Josefson</span>.</p>
<p>That led to a good start by the Canes' power play in the second period. 1:36 into the period and <span>Jussi Jokinen</span> converted a shot on the weak side to tie the game up. The Canes continued to attack while the Devils' offense was nowhere to be seen for several minutes. The Canes continued to look smooth while the Devils were sloppy. While they would get shots later on, it certainly wasn't consistent. They had one power play and completely squandered it. They had rushes up ice but decisions went awry and the Canes were able to survive it and counter. Somehow, the Devils got eight on net; but the Canes looked more threatening. After a decently long possession, <span>Jay Harrison</span> got an opportunity to shoot from the point. The puck was about to go wide until <span>Patrick Dwyer</span> tipped it. The deflection got past Brodeur and it was 2-1 within the final minute of the period. Not many at the Rock were happy but they can't claim they were surprised. The Devils didn't look good in either period except in spots. The big positive at the second intermission was that the game was only 2-1. Perhaps a strong third period effort could allow the Devils to scrape out a result.</p>
<p>The Devils did get such an effort. <span>David Clarkson</span> was robbed early in a 2-on-1; the first of what would be 14 shots on net. There wasn't a long wait for that second goal. <span>Ryan Carter</span> stripped it from Faulk in the slot and slammed the puck through Ward's legs. With 18:26 left, it was very possible that the Devils could re-take the game. They actually put up offense, enough to double their first two periods in one. However, the Devils got burnt on special teams. It started with a really unnecessary interference call by <span>Mark Fayne</span>, where he just hit a Cane well after the play was necessary. The penalty kill looked good early and generated an opportunity for <span>Patrik Elias</span> and Henrique. Elias' pass was just off the mark, Zajac crashed into the net, and the Canes hurried up ice. Elias got back to make it a 3-on-3 but he and <span>Anton Volchenkov</span> were like statues as Eric Staal found Jiri Tlusty just inside the lower right circle. Through the bodies, he lofted one in and it became 3-2 Carolina. </p>
<p>The Devils would get more shots on Ward, but nothing was got through. The Devils would get two power plays but they did very little beyond two shots with them. Any hope of a second equalizer was dimmed when David Clarkson took an offensive zone penalty for tripping Jokinen in the corner with 7:17 left to play. That hope was nearly turned off when <span>Andy Greene</span> got beat at the blueline and hooked down <span>Alexander Semin</span> with 2:37 left in the game. While the Devils killed both penalties, and came very close to getting that needed goal with the last one, it undercut the team's chances. Chances that they didn't really deserve to have given how they did in the first two periods. They looked close, but they were understandably far at the start of the third and again when Tlusty scored Carolina's second power play of the night.</p>
<p>In short, the game was a let down. After five good wins in a row, these sorts of games can and do happen. They got some breaks, but they fell apart elsewhere. Perhaps if they didn't start off spending most of the first period in their own end of the rink, tonight could have been different. Perhaps if they took one or two fewer penalties, then the Devils would have come out of this with a result. Perhaps if the PK didn't get beaten twice while the PP did little beyond Kovalchuk's awesome shot, we may be talking about six in a row. Perhaps all of those things happen and the Canes would have found some other way to win. Whatever "perhaps" you feel like believing in, the score remains: 4-2 by a deserving Carolina team, and the Devils' winning streak is now over. </p>
<p><b>The Stats: </b>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/GS020178.HTM">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/ES020178.HTM">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/PL020178.HTM">NHL.com Full Play by Play Log</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/SS020178.HTM">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/FC020178.HTM">NHL.com Faceoff Comparison</a> | The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/TH020178.HTM">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Report</a></p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b><a href="http://www.canescountry.com/2013/2/12/3982864/game-12-recap-hurricanes-4-devils-2" target="_blank">Over at Canes Country, Bob Wage is pleased with the victory tonight in his recap, </a>He notes that it was last of a six-game road trip for Carolina. Thanks to the Devils' early play, it didn't look like they were at the <i>end</i> of a long road trip. Struggling against a forecheck and playing mostly in your own end will do that.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>Tonight's highlight video from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com">NHL.com</a> does have two impressive goals by the Devils. How often do you see Kovalchuk score on a shot that turned back the clock in a game? Or Carter scoring off a steal? At least that was cool.</p>
<p align="center"><object width="640" height="383" id="embed" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://nhl.cdn.neulion.net/u/videocenter-v1/embed.swf">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always">
<param name="flashVars" value="hlg=20122013,2,178&server=http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/&pageurl=http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/&nlwa=http://app2.neulion.com/videocenter/nhl/">
<embed name="embed" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://nhl.cdn.neulion.net/u/videocenter-v1/embed.swf" mce_src="http://nhl.cdn.neulion.net/u/videocenter-v1/embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="383" quality="high" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="hlg=20122013,2,178&server=http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/&pageurl=http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/&nlwa=http://app2.neulion.com/videocenter/nhl/"></embed></object> </p>
<p><b>OK, One More "Perhaps:" </b>Perhaps if the ref immediately awarded Kovalchuk his power play goal instead of going three minutes without a stoppage for a video review to award him the goal, then maybe Josefson doesn't take that penalty the Canes scored early in the second and the game unravels differently. OK, it could have still resulted in a Carolina win, but possibly differently. All right, I'm done with the "Perhaps."</p>
<p><b>When Penalty Kills Falter: </b>Tonight, the Devils were beaten twice on the penalty kill. I don't know why the official game summary has Tlusty's first goal at even strength; it clearly was during Fayne's minor for interference. Regardless, they scored two goals out of seven shots on the power play and each were noteworthy as to how Carolina scored.</p>
<p>The first one can be pinned largely on Martin Brodeur. As the play went from the right to <span>Joe Corvo</span> up-top, the Devils seemed to be in control somewhat. Corvo went for the slap-pass; faking the shot and moving it diagonally to Jokinen. Greene was in front of Jokinen, however Brodeur didn't get over. Whether he bit the fake hard or he was just unaware, he didn't even make an effort to go to his left. It would have been a tough shot to stop but as a result, Jokinen had the whole net to shoot at and he found it. </p>
<p>The second one really was baffling from both Patrik Elias and Anton Volchenkov. As the Canes gained the zone, Eric Staal went right, Elias was right behind Semin, and Tlusty carried the puck. Tlusty threw it behind the net as he saw <span>Bryce Salvador</span> and Volchenkov back with Elias right there. As Staal collected the puck, Salvador went after him while Elias and Volchenkov just hung out with Semin right in front of Brodeur. Tlusty remained wide open and neither of the two Devils went after him. So Staal fed it back to Tlusty and he had the time to aim and fire. I can't blame Salvador since at least he tried to go after Staal. But there's no reason, even on a PK, to allow a forward that much space. Semin's good but he doesn't require two skaters to cover him in front. It's rare to see Volchenkov and Elias make such an error in a shorthanded situation, but it happened tonight and it was costly.</p>
<p><b>Calls Happen But Could You At Least Try to Cut Down on Them: </b> Since the PK got beat tonight, the players who took the penalties to begin with deserve blame for what went down tonight. Out of the five, only Volchenkov's interference penalty seemed weak since <span>Chad LaRose</span> jumped on the defender as the ref's arm went up. The rest, well, they were legit. Taking down guys with your stick was, is, and will be a penalty. Clinching a guy in the corner too much is a call. And the Devils either paid the price for with goals or time off the clock that they needed to get one of their own.</p>
<p>To be fair to Rob Kowal and Francois St. Laurent, tonight's refs, they called similar penalties on Carolina. Eric Staal got tagged for a tripping and a hooking call. Jokinen and Corvo got one each as well. The Devils couldn't complain about not getting their share of calls tonight. The fans can complain about how they only got three shots total out of four opportunities. Kovalchuk's goal was fantastic and after that they only forced Ward to make one really good save. As with the penalties and the PK, it helped undercut the Devils' chances at coming back tonight.</p>
<p><b>Good Guys: </b>I will say there were a few Devils I did like tonight. Ilya Kovalchuk was great. He got four shots on net out of seven attempts. He scored a wicked goal on the power play, his first power play goal of the season. He was very good on the penalty kill, including one excellent sequence where he carried the puck around the zone, got it back in to circle it around, and threw a hit at the end of killing at least 15 seconds himself. He was strong on the puck and frequently looked to make things happen tonight beyond the first period.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the CBGB line tonight. Stephen Gionta got three shots on net out of five attempts; <span>Steve Bernier</span> got a shot; and Ryan Carter was the standout with his steal-and-score out of four other shots. I noticed that Peter DeBoer correctly didn't throw them out there against either Staal line all that much. I think that had something to do with their performance but that was just my observations. I didn't like Gionta going 1-for-9 on faceoffs but it ultimately wasn't a big deal.</p>
<p><b>Blah Guys: </b>A lot of the Devils' individual performances can be summed up with "meh." In the case of Adam Henrique, he ended up with no shots on net and didn't make much of an impact. In the case of David Clarkson, he did very little until the second half of the game and most his work came in the third period. That penalty he took was dumb, too. In fact, I wasn't really happy with the whole Henrique line until the third period. As for <span>Adam Larsson</span>, he did a bunch of really good things and then had an occasional bad decision like a cross-ice pass in his own zone with Canes in the area or an attempt at a clearance right to an opposing player. It's things like that where I get hesitant on saying whether he's playing well or not. As for Stefan Matteau, he wasn't so much bad just that he really wasn't all that good. He was just "there," which may be OK but considering where he starts games, we should probably expect a little more impact from him. Lastly, Martin Brodeur made some important stops, especially in the first period. Yet, that Jokinen goal was pretty bad by him, and I'm not quite certain he did what he could on Tlusty's first. I think Ward was the better goalie tonight.</p>
<p>As an aside, I didn't think Josefson or Butler had good games tonight. Josefson lost quite a few pucks and took a penalty that turned out to be costly. Butler was ineffective on the power play and elsewhere in the 9:48 he did play. </p>
<p><b>I Sort of Got What I Wanted: </b>In the preview, I felt the Devils could limit the Canes' shots. Well, the Canes only got 25 and the Devils did get more with 28. However, the Canes were on pace for 30 after the first two periods and they could have quite a few more had they realized the weak side was constantly open when they carried the puck into the zone. It speaks to how well the Devils did in the third period as a team as well as how out of it they were in the first two periods. Of course, the Canes scored twice on their five shots, with the latter being an empty net. Next time, I'll try to be a bit more specific I suppose.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, most of the Canes split up the 25 shots evenly. The Eric Staal line found the most success with eight total shots, three each from Eric Staal and Tlusty with two from Semin. A lot of one and two-shot players for the Canes tonight. </p>
<p><b>Suite Seats: </b>I'd like to end on a happier note; I got my season ticket "experience" tonight. As a Devils season ticket holder, they've been giving out various "experiences" and mine was an ice cream social in a suite. I wasn't going to turn down eating ice cream on Jeff Vanderbeek's dime and sitting in a second-level suite. My vantage point was a bit higher up tonight and so I got a better look at how the Canes' forecheck really gave the Devils problems early and how bad things can get if a Devils' pinch doesn't work. The seats were incredibly comfortable, the ice cream was quite good, and those in the suite were fellow fans who appreciated (or at times tonight, unappreciated) what was happening on the ice. As a surprise, Grant Marshall and Bruce Driver stopped in during each intermission separately and just handed out autographed pictures of themselves as Devils. Driver got to be there and looked pleased at Carter's goal. So I want to thank Marshall, Driver, and the Devils for the experience. I had a good time in spite of what happened. And if you ever get the chance to go to a suite, well, do it. I'll be back in my usual seat for future games.</p>
<p>Now that you know my take on tonight's loss, I want to know yours. Would you agree that the Devils deserved to be so close, yet so far tonight? What did you think of their third period play after two relatively poor performances in the first two periods? Who on the Devils stood out to you in a good or bad way tonight? What about the Canes, did they impress you in any way? What do the Devils need to do in preparation for their upcoming back-to-back based on what you saw tonight? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. I want to thank everyone who followed along in the Gamethread and on Twitter with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust" target="_blank">@InLouWeTrust.</a> The Wednesday post will be up later than usual - it's about the defense, in case you were curious. Thank you for reading. </p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/13/3983108/new-jersey-devils-thwarted-carolina-hurricanes-4-2-snapped-6-game-winning-streakJohn Fischer2013-02-12T18:45:05-05:002013-02-12T18:45:05-05:00Gamethread 13: Devils vs Hurricanes
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DswTQ0xM1hVpa_3Ckld2VyMhDxM=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47827643/large_inlouwetrust.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>This is the 13th gamethread of the New Jersey Devils 2013 season, in which the Devils are visited by the Hurricanes. Users can discuss the game as it happens here.</p> <p><strong style="color: #292929; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;">The Time:</span></strong><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;"> 7:00 PM</span></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;">The Broadcast Info:</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.59375px;">TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;">The Matchup:<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> </span></span></strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59375px;">The </span><a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="color: #292929; font-weight: bold; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: #292929; line-height: 25.59375px; background-color: #ffffff;">New Jersey Devils</a><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59375px;"> (8-1-3) vs. the </span><a href="https://www.canescountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="color: #292929; font-weight: bold; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: #292929; line-height: 25.59375px; background-color: #ffffff;">Carolina Hurricanes</a><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59375px;"> (6-4-1</span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 25.59375px;">)</span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;">Game Previews:<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"> </span></span></strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/12/3978004/new-jersey-devils-vs-carolina-hurricanes-game-13-preview" target="_blank" style="color: #828282; font-weight: bold;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">John has his preview up here</strong></a>, while <a href="http://www.canescountry.com/2013/2/12/3974168/game-preview-carolina-hurricanes-at-nj-devils-2-12-13" target="_blank" style="color: #828282; font-weight: bold;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Jamie Kellner wrote a preview from the Hurricanes perspective over at Canes Country</strong></a>.</span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;">Gameday Information:</strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;"> </strong><font color="#292929" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;"><span>Dainius Zubrus</span> will miss his 4th straight game with an upper body injury, so lines should remain the same. <span>Mark Fayne</span> was absent at </span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">practice</span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;">, but he'll be playing tonight. From Jamie's preview over at Canes Country, it looks like they'll likely ice the same lineup as they did last night against the <a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="color: #292929; font-weight: bold; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: #292929;">Islanders</a>. My guess is that <span>Dan Ellis</span> might start in place of Ward because of the back to backs, but it might be a game time decision.</span></font></span></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;">A Song For Tonight:</strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;"> </strong><font color="#292929" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.8pt;">I've been listening to these guys over the last few days. They're a relatively new band from Britain, which explains why none of you will have probably heard of them. Tonight's song is </span></font></span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eENROyIB88w" target="_blank" style="color: #828282; font-weight: bold;">Die With a Bullet by Headspace</a></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 14.4pt; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Again, remember the rules. No swearing, no personal attacks, no discussion of illegal streams and try and limit off-topic discussion to a minimum. -Please title your pictures and .gifs so that people can minimize them if they're too large (or slowing down the gamethread).</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 14.4pt; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">I'll be providing commentary here while John will be tweeting live from the rock from</span><a href="https://twitter.com/inlouwetrust" target="_blank" style="color: #828282; font-weight: bold;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; color: #828282;">@inlouwetrust</span></strong></a><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 14.4pt; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 12.8pt; color: #292929;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Go Devils.</span></p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/12/3982220/gamethread-13-new-jersey-devils-vs-carolina-hurricanesBlurred Cat2013-02-12T07:00:06-05:002013-02-12T07:00:06-05:00Devils vs. Hurricanes: Game 13 Preview
<figure>
<img alt="The Devils got to celebrate three goals on Sunday on their way to their fifth win a row. How often will they get to celebrate goals tonight?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZSe8Ek1dWN7vVf-1-8wQcVNrzlw=/0x21:4000x2688/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8010197/161406951.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The Devils got to celebrate three goals on Sunday on their way to their fifth win a row. How often will they get to celebrate goals tonight? | Vincent Pugliese</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The New Jersey Devils will host the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season. As they hope to extend their winning streak to six games, this preview summarizes what the Canes have done so far and what the Devils should expect tonight.</p> <p>Back at the Rock and just before a two-day break in the schedule. Can the Devils extend their winning streak?</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>7:00 PM EST</p>
<p><b>The Broadcast: </b>TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><b>The Matchup: </b>The <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> (8-1-3) vs. the <a href="https://www.canescountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Hurricanes</a> (6-4-1; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.canescountry.com/">Canes Country</a>)</p>
<p><b>The TiqIQ Ticket Link:</b> Suddenly decide to go to tonight's game at the Rock? Want to avoid the rush at the box office? Visit our partners at TiqIQ for tickets now. Here's a link: <a href="http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils-tickets/?publisherid=1011101" target="_blank">New Jersey Devils tickets.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b> The Devils went to Pittsburgh for the second half of a home-and-home with the <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Penguins</a>. The first period was pretty much all Penguins with two exceptions: <span>Johan Hedberg</span> remaining hot in net and <span>David Clarkson</span> netting a goal on one of the very few offensive opportunities for the Devils. The Devils escaped the first with a 1-0 lead and then proceeded to work over the Penguins repeatedly in the second period. They dominated the shot count, the possession game, and the scoreboard. The latter is thanks to <span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span> torching Tomas Vokoun's five-hole off a rush and Clarkson banging in a loose puck on their lone power play. <span>James Neal</span> converted an early power play in the third period but the Devils kept them at bay for another ten minutes before Pittsburgh started to try to throw the kitchen sink at the visitors. Alas, Moose and the skaters held on and the Devils swept the home-and-home with a 3-1 win. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/10/3975094/new-jersey-devils-sweep-weekend-home-and-home-pittsburgh-penguins">My recap of the Devils' fifth win in a row is here.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Hurricanes Game: </b>The Hurricanes went up to Long Island to take on the <a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Islanders</a> on Monday night. The Canes and Isles battled each other in a high-scoring affair. Frans Neilsen opened up the game with an early power play goal; however the Canes found a first period equalizer from <span>Tim Wallace</span>, his first for the franchise. The Isles' power play took back the lead fairly early the second with a blast from <span>John Tavares</span>. However, the Canes responded in 29 seconds when a <span>Jeff Skinner</span> slapshot found the back of the net. Another Carolina penalty and <span>Matt Moulson</span> put the home team back up 3-2 not long after that. The third period was all about Carolina and their first line. Thirty seconds in, <span>Jiri Tlusty</span> re-directs a shot from <span>Alexander Semin</span> to tie up the game. About five minutes later, Semin scores off a feed from Tlusty. Just before halfway through the period and the Canes make it 5-3 when <span>Eric Staal</span> tips a Tlusty shot into the net. Lubomir Visnovsky's first goal of the season not only was the Isles' fourth power play goal but it made it a dramatic 5-4 scoreline. Alas, that would be all that they would get in the third, save for a couple more shots as they were out-shot 11-4 in the period. Tlusty knocked in an empty netter to seal a 6-4 win for the Carolina in spite of their special teams. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.canescountry.com/2013/2/11/3976422/carolina-hurricanes-at-new-york-islanders-game-11-complete-coverage">Check out Canes Country for coverage of their road win.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Be more accurate with passes out of the zone and within the neutral zone. The Devils were rather fortunate to survive the first period against Pittsburgh on Sunday night. One of the main reasons why the Penguins just blew away the Devils, 23-6, in attempts was because the Devils struggled mightily with their puck movement. Even when they got a stop on defense or knocked a puck away, the team just misfired or mishandled the pass in the neutral zone constantly. This allowed Pittsburgh to keep on rolling. It's no coincidence that when they were more successful in making those passes, the Devils were able to attack far more often in the second period of that game. It's important that the Devils get going right away in this regard tonight because the Canes have been adept at putting rubber on net. The Hurricanes have been the most prolific shooting team in the league <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSAAAll&sort=avgShotsPerGame&viewName=summary">with an average of 36.0 shots per game in all situations.</a> They also lead the league with a 36.8 SF/60 rate in 5-on-5 play <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=15">according to Behind the Net prior to Monday's games.</a> It's going to be a long night for New Jersey if Carolina gets within those averages on the shot count. If there's one team that can slow them down, it's the Devils. But they will need to make those breakout passes and clearing passes up-ice count.</p>
<p>Now, the Devils did not practice on Monday according to <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/devils_g_martin_brodeur_named_nhls_third_star_of_the_week/">Tom Gulitti at Fire & Ice.</a> They get a deserved day off after sweeping the Penguins in a home-and-home. <span>Martin Brodeur</span> got some love from the league for his last three starts. I suspect we'll see him tonight since he's been the starter this season. Don't worry, Moose fans. There's a back-to-back later this week so it won't be long for the next appearance from the currently super-hot Johan Hedberg. I also wouldn't expect too many changes to the lineup for this game by the Devils. They've been winning so there isn't any real reason to change things up. Plus, whoever was out remains out. On Monday, <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/deboer_deserves_credit_for_devils_great_start_Devils_view_Loktionov_as_NHL_prospect/">Gulitti asked Lou about Zubrus' status and Lou's response was that Zubrus needs to be reevaluated</a><a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/gionta_laughs_off_scary_moment_carter_tried_to_set_early_tone_zubrus_injury_to_be_reevaluated/">.</a> That most likely means we won't see Big Z tonight. More will be revealed today when the team has their morning skate.</p>
<p>The Hurricane offense is the biggest threat tonight. As noted in The Goal, the Canes have been very successful in generating shots. They've almost had to be high-volume shooters given that <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=16">their 5-on-5 shooting percentage is a mere 6.6%.</a> I got that value before the Isles game, so it should go up a little bit - it's still relatively small. The shot leaders are exactly who would you'd expect on this roster: Jeff Skinner, Eric Staal, and Alexander Semin. Staal and Skinner lead the team in production. Staal has 8 goals and 14 points and Skinner has 7 goals and 12 points. Semin hasn't been as fortunate in terms of shooting percentage but he's got 3 goals and 9 points already. Their big draft-day acquisition of <span>Jordan Staal</span> hasn't lit the lamp much but he's been very supportive with a goal and ten assists already. He regularly plays with Skinner, so the Devils will have to maintain focus against two lines with dangerous talent in their gameplan. I'm not sure who Peter DeBoer will match-up his defenders but you can bet on the pairings of <span>Bryce Salvador</span> & <span>Mark Fayne</span> and <span>Adam Larsson</span> & <span>Andy Greene</span> to go up against the Staal lines the most.</p>
<p>The rest of the roster has been chipping whenever they could and it's with them where the shooting percentage woes hurt them. <span>Drayson Bowman</span> is fourth on the team in shots on net with 27 and he has no goals. Jiri Tlusty has 25 shots on net and only three goals in spite of playing with Staal and Semin as of late. He did just get two goals last night so perhaps he's just getting out of his slump. The only forward not named Skinner, Staal, or Semin with two or more goals this season is <span>Patrick Dwyer</span> with three out of 22 shots while averaging 12:53 per game. I wouldn't sleep on them entirely; just that they haven't been terribly successful. Their high-volume in shots have made up for their low percentages; therefore, it's important that the Devils clamp down on them as they did to Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Interestingly, their power play hasn't followed their shot-machine ways at even strength. They have an OK shots for per 60 rate in 5-on-4 situations at 49.1 (just below the Devils, to be exact) <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=25" target="_blank">according to Behind the Net.</a> However, they only have a total conversion rate of 15.6% before Monday's game. And it's bound to go down after a 0-for-3 night on Long Island. Why? I think it's the shooting percentage. Prior to Monday's game, they were at <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=26" target="_blank">10% in 5-on-4 situations</a> isn't so bad but it's in the lower-third in the NHL. They've been <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=35" target="_blank">fantastic in 5-on-3 situations</a> but they've only had a couple at most. This doesn't mean the Devils should be perfectly fine with, say, handing them a lot of power plays. For all we know, tonight may be the night they start finding some success. It does mean that the Canes are more of a threat at evens when they have the puck.</p>
<p>Fortunately for the Devils, the Canes have been quite vulnerable on defense. As much as they shoot, they have allowed a lot to get to their goaltenders. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSAAAll&sort=avgShotsAgainstPerGame&viewName=summary" target="_blank">Their shots against per game average is 34.1</a>, tied for the most in the entire NHL before Monday's games. <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=18" target="_blank">They aren't dead last in 5-on-5 SA/60 according to Behind the Net</a>; only third from the worst at 31.6. Yes, they have been fantastic at generating offense and pathetic at thwarting it so far this season. <span>Cam Ward</span> <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20122013&gameType=2&team=CAR&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves" target="_blank">hasn't been consistently stellar</a> so the Canes go into Monday night averaging three goals against per game. If there's a game where the Devils should be able to pile on the rubber, this is the one. And it's not just at even strength. Their streaking power play, with seven goals in the last five games, should be looking forward to facing a Carolina penalty kill <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=48" target="_blank">that has the highest SA/60 in 4-on-5 situations</a> before Monday's game and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSAAAll&sort=penaltyKillPercentage&viewName=penaltyKill" target="_blank">an overall success rate of only 77.3%</a>, ranking 23rd in the league. And that PK got ripped apart by the Islanders last night with four power play goals allowed out of five attempts. Clearly, it would be to the Devils' advantage to force Carolina to take a few calls tonight.</p>
<p>The Canes' main players on defense are <span>Joni Pitkanen</span> and <span>Justin Faulk</span> and the Devils will see a lot of the two of them. Pitkanen has been averaging 25:37 per game while Faulk's at a "lighter" 23:31. They weren't used as heavily last night, but don't be surprised if you see the duo out there against the Devils' top lines. Pitkanen has been around for a while and he's been a two-way threat for most of his career. Faulk's in his second season of hockey and the Canes clearly think he'll be their defensive general of the future. They're backed up by the recently returned <span>Jamie McBain</span>, the veteran presence of <span>Joe Corvo</span>, the steady <span>Tim Gleason</span>, and <span>Jay Harrison</span>. Individually, they're not bad and their on-ice Corsi rate is largely very good except for McBain. Yet, the shots against average is so high that I really don't feel comfortable saying that they're a really good defense. Given how the Devils' offense did against Pittsburgh at times this weekend, I think the Devils forwards can find holes to exploit and get some good shifts tonight. Clarkson, Kovalchuk, and <span>Adam Henrique</span> did well on Sunday; so I'm hoping they can lead the way on offense tonight.</p>
<p>In terms of goaltenders, Cam Ward did play against the Isles and made 24 saves out of 28 shots. His even strength save percentage rose to 91.8% but his penalty kill save percentage plummeted to 84.1%. Ward does play a lot so it wouldn't be a big stretch if Devils faced him tonight. I would almost hope for it given the play of his back up, <span>Dan Ellis</span>. Crack all the lame jokes you want but the game doesn't care about Tweets and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20122013&gameType=2&team=CAR&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=specialTeamSaves#?navid=nav-sts-indiv">his 95.9% save percentage at evens speaks for itself.</a> Like Ward, he's been beaten pretty badly on the PK; but overall Ellis has been hot almost like Hedberg. Should the Canes' defense - especially their PK - play like they have been this season, then the Devils will be able to make either goalie work tonight. Let's hope a few get through.</p>
<p>As a final point for this game, it is noteworthy that despite the big disparity in shots for and against for Carolina, they're not bad in terms of possession. The team's on-ice Corsi rates are very positive for the vast majority of the lineup <a target="_blank" href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_statistics.php?ds=30&f1=2012_s&f2=5v5&f5=CAR&c=0+1+3+5+4+6+7+8+13+14+29+30+32+33+34+45+46+63+67">according to Behind the Net.</a> Their <a target="_blank" href="http://behindthenet.ca/fenwick_2012.php?sort=6&section=close">team Fenwick percentages have been just below the league median</a>, but it's not too bad at about 49% in tied and close score situations. After last night's game, it should go up a bit. The Canes aren't like Tampa Bay at all, where they got rocked in possession regularly. It seems to me that they just play a lot of high-event games at evens. They allow a lot, but they dish out a lot too. The Devils will need to be careful that they don't find themselves in such a free-wheeling game and stick to their own ways. If they can do that, then they have a shot at making it six in a row heading into a two-day break.</p>
<p>Will the Devils be able to fend off the Canes' shooting barrage? Can the Devils' power play keep their streak alive and use it to keep the Canes down? How do you think the Devils will perform against two Staals, a Semin, a Skinner, and a Tlusty? What do you think the Devils need to do tonight - other than the obvious - to make it six wins in a row? Please leave your answers and other thoughts on tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/12/3978004/new-jersey-devils-vs-carolina-hurricanes-game-13-previewJohn Fischer