Rock Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 PUMMELED DEVILS GIVE BULLIES LESSON http://www.nypost.com/sports/devils/40651.htm By MARK (N)Єverson September 24, 2003 -- Preseason: Devils 3 - Flyers 0 TRENTON - The Devils are only halfway through their four exhibitions with the Flyers, and six regular-season bouts will follow. Already, the blood is boiling, the fists are flying and the disrespect spoken. "I just know the rule is that you never punch someone when he's down," Pat Burns said, referring to Flyer tough guy Donald Brashear after last night's 3-0 triumph here. "A good fighter respects those things." Burns was angry that Brashear continued punching Grant Marshall after Marshall was on his back, punching up, in the third period. Brashear had initially squared off with Sean Brown, who was then cheaply tripped from behind by Flyer defenseman Jim Vandermeer. Marshall went after Vandermeer, the scrum collided and opponents were accidentally exchanged; Marshall found himself off-balance, then down, with one of the toughest in the game. "When you've got that big guy on you, you're fighting for your life," Marshall said. "I was throwing. It was probably a mistake, hitting up." Later in the third, Brown sought to inform Brashear of the error of his ways. Brashear won that fight, too, but the Devils were impressed with Brown's willingness - a quality that will help him win a job on New Jersey's backline. "You see your teammate down getting his face bashed in - well, I thought Brown did a good job," Burns said. "We play as a team. I felt Brashear took advantage of Marshall on the ground, and being a team is being there for each other," Brown said. Brown kept the Flyers from claiming even a moral victory as the Devils avenged a 6-1 thrashing in their exhibition opener last Friday in Philly. New Jersey squared its record at 1-1, while the 2-1 Flyers fell for the first time in preseason. After the Devils host the Islanders tonight, they resume this contempt-building proximity with this weekend's home-and-home, in Philly on Friday and at the Meadowlands Saturday. Nine Devils had points 8:02 into last night's game, as the team took a 3-0 lead on goals by Sergei Brylin, Marshall and Mike Rupp. Brylin broke down the slot to connect over Robert Esche's stick, Marshall converted at the left post after Scott Gomez collected Marshall's rebound behind the net, and Rupp rebounded Jeff Friesen's centering feed at the right post. Martin Brodeur stopped all 14 shots he faced in the first 40 minutes, before yielding to Scott Clemmensen. Esche went the distance for Philly. * Devils are planning to visit White House Monday, to be congratulated by President Bush for winning the Stanley Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I wonder if Skrlac could beat Brashear, I heard that Skrlac beat Worrel pretty bad when in the AHL, I consider Worrel as one of the best fighters in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldon Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Like the sticking up part. This is unusual for these 2 teams to play 4 times in pre-season. I guess also fun, since there should be plenty of rough stuff. I did have a tough time following along with this sentence from the article: "Marshall went after Vandermeer, the scrum collided and opponents were accidentally exchanged; Marshall found himself off-balance, then down, with one of the toughest in the game." ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moustic Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I did have a tough time following along with this sentence from the article: "Marshall went after Vandermeer, the scrum collided and opponents were accidentally exchanged; Marshall found himself off-balance, then down, with one of the toughest in the game." ??? if it's difficult to you to follow... believe me.. for me it's half-impossible the only thing that i eventually undestund is that Marshy jump in a fight against a equal-level opposent (Vandermeer) & finish against brashear (who punsh marshall when he's down) or something like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 You see Neverson "mails in" his articles, and with all of the rain lately, the letter got wet and the person who typed it in the computer for him had trouble reading the wet type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Notice how Neverson doesn't talk about teh Devil's prospects or how they did. Isn't that what preseason reporting is about... or maybe he read the recap on NHL.com and wrote his article? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Well, on this point I'll defend (N)Єverson.. to whatever sad individual that buys the Post for its hockey section and takes (N)Єverson seriously (there has to be someone out there who does), exhibition fighting is going to be a hell of a lot more interesting than prospect talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Well, on this point I'll defend (N)Єverson.. to whatever sad individual that buys the Post for its hockey section and takes (N)Єverson seriously (there has to be someone out there who does), exhibition fighting is going to be a hell of a lot more interesting than prospect talk. Agreed to some extent, but then why can Brooks write "real" articles on the Rag$? I'll take a switch of Brooks and Neverson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbdf Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Guys, why is that sentence so hard to understand? Marshall steps in with the fly's 3rd man (Vandermeer) to even things up, but as the 4 fighters collide with each other, marshal ends up with Brasher (and brown with vandermeer), marshall gets off balance, then falls down and brasher keeps punching him (punk that he is). so Brown seeks out brasher later in the game to settle the score. In the meantime, someone should also have settled up with vandermeer, but I guess there's always next game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJayDevil Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 This is the same Brashear who BACKED DOWN fighting Jimbo in a game last year at the FU Center at the Feb. 18th game. Real fighters don't back down from fighters...or punch ppl on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrydevil Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Why the hell are the Devils playing Philly FOUR times in the preseason???!! That's excessive. Don't get me wrong, I like the bad blood between the teams, but four times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldon Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Guys, why is that sentence so hard to understand? Marshall steps in with the fly's 3rd man (Vandermeer) to even things up, but as the 4 fighters collide with each other, marshal ends up with Brasher (and brown with vandermeer), marshall gets off balance, then falls down and brasher keeps punching him (punk that he is). so Brown seeks out brasher later in the game to settle the score. Come on, I had to read it 5 times to just get what he was trying to say. The Scrum collided? Maybe if he said the 2 scrums collided, etc. Whatever. What you said was much easier to understand. I seriously thought some words were missing from the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Devil Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Fighting during pre-season for rookies is a way for young players to make the team or show themselves off. The Devils are not known as a hitting team or as a hard hitting team and certainly not a fighting team. The Devils don't get prospects for fighting and there aren't any fighters left of the veterans. Don't worry fighting will stop when the real season begins and there won't be any at playoff time. As for hitting that's something the Devils have to learn to do that is take the body. But that's like the PP it doesn't fit into a defensive team's strategy. Marshall should have known better he is experienced and . If he got hurt shame on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge18 Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 The Devils are not known as a hitting team or as a hard hitting team and certainly not a fighting team. Marshall should have known better he is experienced and . If he got hurt shame on him. Right now that is probably true, but in the past at least in regards to hitting it was the complete opposite. With our former bigger lineups we were always one of the hardest teams to play against physiclly. Our defense as a whole still is. We are lucky enough to have 3 crash and bang defenders in the lineup on any given night. And last year with the Addition of Rheaume the 4th line certainly had that element. In regards to Marshall, as i understand it Brown as all set to go, then Vandermeer came in as the 3rd man and tripped him up. Marshall came in to even thigns up and ended up with Brashear. Marshall has been around the block enough to know when your down things are out. I would suspect he was defending himself on the ground more then anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidgetess Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I wonder if Skrlac could beat Brashear, I heard that Skrlac beat Worrel pretty bad when in the AHL, I consider Worrel as one of the best fighters in the league. I'd put a lot of money on Skrlac if they fought. He has been beating a lot of the AHLers...I don't think they're a challenge for him anymore. A bad fight for him is if he doesn't get the other guy to fall down. I also have this theory that he may get called up for some games in NJ, but Scott just blew that one out of the water. (I just had to use it once!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I did NOT do any such thing he's got a DECENT chance on being the McKenzie guy this year.. but I can't see them using a full-time roster spot for THAT another person whining glass ceiling at me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devildude Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 In times like this, I miss having that Danton guy around... No one would miss him if he got into a fight... I hope Brown makes the team... he has a good attitude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeakoftheDevil(s) Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 The Devils have had a quality enforcer in the line up for the past decade or so....we clearly lack that now. ( Peluso, Oliwa, McKenzie.) Like fighting or not, its a nice commodity to have when squaring off with thug teams like Toronto and Philthy. The team has made a transition in the past several years, getting smaller and faster. While it s hard to argue with the teams success I still like the idea of not being able to have guys like Brashear run us night in and night out. Brown, Marshall, Stevenson and co are simply no match for DB. So should this be the case, look for Lou to make an acquisition before Thanksgiving. We shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.