hattrick Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?....xml&coll=1 If it were at all possible, the Devils would probably pack up and say goodbye to Continental Airlines Arena even before they completed their final season in the building. Although no one was specifically blaming the bad ice last night for groin injuries suffered by key forwards Patrik Elias and John Madden, there were enough complaints to suggest their poor home-ice conditions have done more to hurt the Devils than the rest of the NHL. Elias and Madden both left with groin pulls during the third period of the Devils' 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins as they joined teammate Brian Gionta with the troubling injury. With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, the news could not have come at a worse time for the Devils as their lead over Pittsburgh stands at only four points. Could bad ice be a factor in the Devils' string of groin injuries? "It could be (a factor)," said Elias, who left after two shifts in the third period and isn't sure if he will be able to play in tonight's meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C. "That was one of the worst ice (surfaces) I've ever skated on. It was horrible." Even coach Claude Julien wouldn't dismiss the possibility. "It's just speculation," he said. "The puck was bouncing around. We've had some groin injuries and they've happened in different ways." With four straight losses at home on a surface that kept the puck bouncing all night, maybe the Devils don't want to secure home ice in the playoffs. Right now their concern is how many healthy players they'll have to face the Hurricanes. Elias isn't sure if he'll be able to play tonight. "I don't know exactly how bad or good it is," he said. "I didn't hear any pops. Let's see how it feels. It's an important game." Gionta, who missed his third straight game and 11th of the last 13, won't play while Madden is now a question mark. "It's a groin pull but not a severe one," the checking center said. "I've never had one. I just know I didn't feel strong enough to finish the game. In the third period I took a pass up the middle and kind of got tripped up by a stick. I tried to get up quickly and couldn't." After a scoreless first period, the Devils got a break at 12:05 of the second while killing off a Brad Lukowich holding penalty. Penguins power play point man Sergei Gonchar fell at the blue line, giving Madden a short-handed breakaway. However, he couldn't take advantage as his shot missed the net. "I missed the net and hit the glass," Madden said abruptly. "No shot. No save." The Penguins also wasted a short-handed chance at 14:36 when Colby Armstrong was unable to keep the puck on his stick as he tried to wrap it around the right post, but they took the lead at 17:18 on a fortunate deflection. Jarkko Ruutu left the penalty box after roughing Lukowich and scored the first goal of the game one minute later when his pass from the right corner hit the outstretched stick of Devils rookie center Travis Zajac and landed inside the near post. "I couldn't believe it," Zajac said. "It was a bad bounce. I guess it happens. It definitely gives them some momentum when you get a goal like that." The Devils' comeback hopes faded in the third as Elias left and Madden soon followed. Ruutu set up a goal from Erik Christensen at 9:31 of the third and Jordan Staal buried the Devils by scoring his 28th goal with 2:36 left. "Yes, it's an eye-opener," forward Mike Rupp said. "We lost and it was a big game for us. We turned a lot of pucks over. Not to take anything away from them, but we didn't play our game." Now they're hoping for some positive medical news, perhaps happy that seven of their last 12 games are on the road. "You're always concerned about injuries," Julien said. "Especially this time of year. You don't like to see them. Unfortunately, they are what they are. We've been through a lot this year and we've battled through it. I expect our hockey club to do the same again (tonight)." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redruM Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Does this mean that the devs will play with only 3 lines next game or might LL actually bring up some players now?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellOnICE Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Needs to send cam/andy down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilish34 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Does this mean that the devs will play with only 3 lines next game or might LL actually bring up some players now?? I'm guessin we play short Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hattrick Posted March 15, 2007 Author Share Posted March 15, 2007 Bring up Tally and Little G? I just threw that out there. Anyone else on the Lowell roster that LL can promote? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Needs to send cam/andy down. Sending Cam down doesn't help with the number of players since he makes minimum...well unless we consider calling someone up who can actually play some minutes in his place more of a player. With Greene down I guess the Devils could call up Pelley and Fraser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 This fvcking sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langsgirl Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 This is not a good way to enter the last chunk of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellOnICE Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Yea that's hwat i meant 731. No elias, madden, or gionta....I have a feeling madden and/or elias will tough it out though. Which isn't good. They should let them rest, if need be. Parise-Gomez-Rupp Brylin-Zajac-Jamie Jay-Dowd-Rass Cam Send Andy down could let you play with 5D, and call up a forwward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdevil26 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 martin, rafalski, and luko played well when given 30 minutes in the middle of the season... maybe they could tough it out a few more games... send andy down and bring up pelley or a goal scorerr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptynet Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 This is a re-occuring theme at CAA and it always happens right after the circus is in town. The ice gets like $hit, not that it's ever that great. I guess it's from lack of prep time to really get the ice ready. God I cant wait for Newark, they should have some of the best ice in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Krinkle Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Sending Cam down doesn't help with the number of players since he makes minimum...well unless we consider calling someone up who can actually play some minutes in his place more of a player. With Greene down I guess the Devils could call up Pelley and Fraser. So far I'm liking what I'm seeing from Pelley, he's gritty and he has some decent puck handling skills, he may be able to provide a much needed spark to this team. Where he won't be able to help though is in the injury department, we've lost someone else every game now in what seems like the last 5 - Gionta, Luk, Madden, Elias, Greene...did I miss anyone?? WTF is going on here?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satans Hockey Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 fantastic, we couldn't score goals as it was last night. Someone needs to step up tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ev0lemi Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 not that he'll help our scoring but he needs some time in the lineup preplayoffs: WHERE IS MATVICHUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 not that he'll help our scoring but he needs some time in the lineup preplayoffs: WHERE IS MATVICHUK I was thinking last night. I believe players coming off LTIR can get something like 3 games of rehab in the AHL. If that didn't count against the cap(which I don't know about) the gameplan would be play him in the 3 AHL games and the last NHL game. That gives him 4 games plus plactices to get back in some sort of game shape and let the Devils add him with the minimum amount of cap space needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I don't think Matvichuk is coming back. Not enough room, and why play a guy who's been sitting out all year? The guy ain't exactly Bobby Orr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I suspect we will probably see Matvichuk in the next few weeks or sooner if someone else gets hurt. My question is how else gets called up besides Tallackson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizDevil30 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Like we needed another reason to hate CAA. How are they ever going to win a game with Gio, Elias, and Madden out? Playing short doesn't sound like a solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 The ice was about as bad as it's ever been last night, puck bouncing around everywhere. A lot of scoring chances and clearing attempts get foiled this way because the puck bounced over a stick at the wrong time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Since we seem to be dropping offensive players at an alarming rate and can't score goals I would love to see Bergfors get the call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxcatafalquexx Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 If both Elias and Madden are no go's tonight and the team does call up a forward or two, I think Pelley should be one of them. He fits in really well on the fourth line and they could move Dowd up to the third line to play in between Pando and Brylin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 If both Elias and Madden are no go's tonight and the team does call up a forward or two, I think Pelley should be one of them. He fits in really well on the fourth line and they could move Dowd up to the third line to play in between Pando and Brylin. BIASED to me I always wonder why minard NEVER gets a call-up...he's played with Gomez before and there was chemistry there (even if it was in the ECHL) and it seems to be kinda logical since Gomez's linemates are dropping like the panic button on this forum it's a shame Lou didn't wait ONE game and IR Gionta so we'd have some cap space to move around, but the Cam suspension kinda farooqed that I think Bergfors would be a good call too... get these guys some games so they can be playoff eligible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Since we seem to be dropping offensive players at an alarming rate and can't score goals I would love to see Bergfors get the call. I would LOVE that too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxcatafalquexx Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 BIASED Yeah maybe I'm just a little biased when it comes to Pelley. But he really does fit well with the 4th line and it would free up Dowd to center the checking line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyvegas Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Wow! First time in our history that we've had injury problems heading into the playoffs. First time these many guys have been hurt since we started making some noise--what?? 18 years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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