New Jersey Devils

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Looks like the Devils are rolling, huh? With their 3-2 overtime win over the Flyers, that makes it six wins in their last seven games. And with Brian Rolston back in the lineup, and Bobby Holik set to return any day now, things are going about as well as they could for Brent Sutter's men. Star-Ledger Devils beat writer Rich Chere takes a look at what is going on with the Devils at the moment.

1. When the horn sounded to end the regulation 60 minutes, Devils TV analyst Chico Resch said the Devils had just earned their biggest point of the year. It follows, then, that after Patrik Elias scored in overtime, that turned it into the biggest win of the year for the Devils. Was it?

I think so. As goalie Scott Clemmensen said: "That was definitely big. On the road against one of our big rivals, a divisional opponent ahead of us in the standings and we're down by a goal with three and a half minutes left. So it's a very big win."

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils surging after biggest win of season" »

Box Score

Newspaper Stories

Devils beat Flyers, 3-2, in overtime on Elias' second goal

Notebook: Is Clemmensen the Devils' No. 1 now?>

Rolston happy to be back

Blog posts:

Parise and Elias have chemistry in overtime

Claude Lemieux determined to make NHL comeback

Holik says he'd love to play with Lemieux

PHILADELPHIA -- Two or three goals in overtime could be considered lucky. Half a dozen would be viewed as a very respectable number for an entire career.

Patrik Elias, on the other hand, is now on the verge of becoming the NHL's all-time overtime king.

By scoring the 15th OT goal of his career and lifting the Devils to an important 3-2 victory over the Flyers Thursday night at the Wachovia Center, Elias tied Jaromir Jagr and Mats Sundin as the league's all-time leaders.

"I knew I was kind of up there," Elias said modestly.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils beat Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, as Elias gets closer to overtime goal record" »

NOTEBOOK

PHILADELPHIA -- It sure looks like the Devils have a temporary No. 1 goaltender until Martin Brodeur returns in March from a torn tendon in his left arm. But no one will say so.

Scott Clemmensen made his fourth straight start Thursday night and seventh in eight games.

"I try not to read into it," said Clemmensen, 5-3-0 this season. "But at this point I'm going to be ready to play every game. I'm not surprised. I think I played well enough the last few weeks, including the game in Pittsburgh, to warrant it."

Continue reading "Clemmensen starts fourth straight for New Jersey Devils -- is he now No. 1?" »

They've become Devils coach Brent Sutter's biggest weapons in overtime. Skating four-on-four, Sutter has turned to putting Patrik Elias and Zach Parise together.

It was Elias who scored the overtime winner Thursday night against the Flyers on a pass from Parise.

"Parise and Patty. I started trying it a few games ago," Sutter explained. "They're two of your top end guys. They can make things happen and they're both responsible defensively."

Continue reading "Parise and Elias a magic pair for Devils in overtime" »

PHILADELPHIA -- It took seven cautious weeks, but the Devils finally got their top free-agent acquisition of the summer back Thursday night.

Brian Rolston, who suffered a high ankle sprain in only the fourth game of the season on Oct. 16 in Atlanta, returned to the lineup against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wachovia Center.

He was anxious, to say the least.

"Absolutely. It's been a long time, obviously," Rolston said before the game. "It's such a slow process with an ankle to just feel comfortable on the ice. I finally feel comfortable enough to play. I'm excited to be back and to get into this routine again of playing hockey."

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils' Rolston finally back on ice" »

Zach Parise's 14th goal of the season for the Devils erased a 1-0 Flyers lead at 17:17 of the second period. After his backhander was stopped at the left side of the crease, Parise carried the puck behind the net and emerged on the right side.

He tried to wrap it around the right post past goalie Martin Biron, but was denied. Parise then lifted the puck into the net as Jamie Langenbrunner remained on the ice in the crease.

Scott Hartnell jammed the puck past Scott Clemmensen with 52.7 seconds left in the second period, but it came after the whistle had blown.

Continue reading "Parise's 14th goal pulls Devils even with Flyers, 1-1, in second" »

Maybe it's because he is only six years younger, but Devils' forward Bobby Holik is paying attention to the comeback attempt of former teammate Claude Lemieux.

Holik, who was a healthy scratch Thursday night as the Devils faced the Flyers at the Wachovia Center, said he isn't surprised to hear that Lemieux is in great physical condition at the age of 43. And he would welcome the chance to play with Lemieux.

"I would love to play with the Pep," Holik said. "Playing with him was the most fun I've had. But I don't know if you can have two old guys on the same line."

Continue reading "Devils' Holik: I'd love to play with Lemieux" »

Brian Rolston, playing his first game since Oct. 16, skated at right wing for the Devils on a line with John Madden and Jay Pandolfo. But the Devils were unable to generate much offense in a scoreless first period against the Flyers at the Wachovia Center.

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond played left wing with center Mike Rupp and right winger David Clarkson. The Devils' top two lines remained the same.

With Letourneau-Leblond wearing No. 25, defenseman Jay Leach was given No. 28, which had been worn by Anssi Salmela. Leach was paired on defense with Mike Mottau.

Continue reading "Devils and Flyers scoreless after first; Rolston at right wing on Madden line" »

The Devils and Flyers face each other Thursday night for the first time since a home-and-home series Oct. 24-25. Here are three things to watch:

1. Brian Rolston's return. How much will he play? That will depend upon how quick he gets back into the flow. This much is certain: Coach Brent Sutter will use him on the point for the Devils' power play.

2. Shorthanded goals. The Flyers lead the NHL in shorthanded goals with 10 in 24 games. The fact that the Devils have two forwards (Brian Rolston and Jamie Langenbrunner) on the power play points will make it interesting. "Brian Rolston is supposed to be a power play specialist on the point and Jamie Langenbrunner has done a great job on the point," Sutter said. "I don't think we should have to change units for certain teams."

3. Smoke bomb alert. The last time the teams played in Philadelphia a flare was tossed onto the ice and acted like a smoke bomb. Will security be tighter? Does it need to be? "That was a first for me," David Clarkson said. "I didn't even know what it was at first."

Devils coach Brent Sutter insists he still doesn't have a No. 1 goaltender, but it sure is looking that way.

Scott Clemmensen was set to start his fourth straight game Thursday night against the Flyers at the Wachovia Center.

"The decision is to go with Scott. Does that mean we have a No. 1 guy? I don't look at it like that," Sutter said before the game. "Weeksie's going to get called upon again."

Continue reading "Clemmensen will start in goal for Devils; Rolston ready to play while Holik will sit" »

I drove up to Worcester, Mass., Tuesday and spent the day with Claude Lemieux, who is playing for the San Jose Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate in his attempt to return to the NHL.

Although he is 43 years old and out of the NHL for almost five years, Lemieux is certain he'll be back within a matter of weeks. He's played four games for Worcester on a minor league contract and has a goal and an assist.

He looks great and is in phenomenal shape. He also has a great attitude. I wouldn't bet against him making it back to the NHL for the second half of this season.

Continue reading "Lemieux's NHL comeback attempt goes through Worcester, Mass." »

Coach Brent Sutter felt the need to leave a little wiggle room when asked Wednesday if Brian Rolston would finally return to the lineup when the Devils face the Flyers Thursday night in Philadelphia.

But only a tiny bit of room.

"I'm assuming he will (play)," Sutter said after the Devils' practice Wednesday at Prudential Center. "Unless something comes up. But at this point in time, I think he will be (in the lineup)."

Continue reading "Rolston return a big boost for New Jersey Devils" »

First, the news of the day: Brian Rolston will play against the Philadelphia Flyers (presumably), according to coach Brent Sutter.

"I'm assuming he will (play),'' Sutter said of Rolston, who has missed 18 games with a right ankle sprain. "Unless something comes up (to change things). But I'm assuming he will be.''

Continue reading "Rolston set to return to action for New Jersey Devils" »

The Devils Wednesday assigned defenseman Anssi Salmela to AHL Lowell and recalled defenseman Jay Leach.

Salmela, a rookie from Finland, has played 15 games for the Devils this season, averaging 15:05 in ice time and collecting three assists and a plus-minus rating of +2, with four penalty minutes. Leach has been a valuable reserve player for the Devils, filling in when injuries have hit on the backline. He played two games for the Devils last week in Florida when Mike Mottau was suspended for his hit on the Islanders' Frans Nielsen. Leach has played in four games for the Devils, with one assist and a plus-3 rating.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils send Salmela to minors; recall Leach" »

The Devils got back another injured player Tuesday, as Bobby Holik returned to practice one day after Brian Rolston and John Madden skated with the full team for the first time in a long time.

But Devils coach Brent Sutter wasn't about to make any proclamations about how well his team had weathered the storm in the absence of so many injured regular players.

"No, I'm keeping my guard up from here on in," Sutter said. "As soon as you start talking about it, something bad happens. So stop asking those questions. You're going to jinx everything."

Continue reading "Holik is latest to return to New Jersey Devils" »

I couldn't fit this into the newspaper story I filed for tomorrow, but thought it was interesting enough to put it out there for discussion. In answering a question about what the return of Brian Rolston means to the Devils' lineup, coach Brent Sutter suggested he is at a point where he could do away with using a checking line centered by John Madden against other teams' top forward lines.

In the first place, Sutter said, it's more important to get the right defense pair out against the other team's top stars than a specific forward line. In the second place, with Madden out of the lineup the past four games because of a bruised ankle, other players have stepped up and shown they can be trusted to play responsibly defensively against the other team's top stars.

Continue reading "Devils extra: The end of the checking line as we know it?" »

Martin Brodeur came by to say hello to his Devils teammates Tuesday.

The injured goaltender, who had surgery to re-attach a biceps tendon last month, chatted with goalies Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes in the locker room after practice. He said he has begun to rehab his injury and he is making good progress.

Continue reading "Brodeur visits teammates after Devils practice" »

Bobby Holik seemed a little bemused by the attention Tuesday he got after practicing with the team for the first time since he suffered a broken right pinkie Oct. 18 in a game against Washington.

Continue reading "Holik returns to New Jersey Devils practice; Sutter says he won't play Thursday" »

And then there were only two.

Martin Brodeur and defenseman Andy Greene are now the only remaining injured Devils as Bobby Holik returned to practice today after missing 17 games with a broken pinkie.

With Holik's return, the Devils sent rookie forward Petr Vrana to AHL Lowell for conditioning.

Continue reading "Holik back at New Jersey Devils practice" »

As he drove from his suburban Essex County home into Newark Monday morning, Brian Rolston had a difficult time containing his excitement.

Finally, after missing the past 18 games with a high right ankle sprain, the Devils forward practiced with the team for the first time and is planning to play Thursday night against the Flyers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

"I was very excited. I'm excited to be back," Rolston said after the Prudential Center practice, at which he held nothing back. "I know I can add something, whatever it is."

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils' Rolston returns, but where?" »

Brian Rolston may be just as happy to be back with his Devils teammates as they are to see the veteran forward return from a sprained ankle.

Although Rolston has been around the Prudential Center practice facility in recent weeks, the Devils keep their injured players on a different timetable.

"I agree with this policy in which they try to keep injured players away because you're not really part of the team," Rolston said after practicing with the team Monday. "When you come back you're part of the team. We went through a lot. We had seven or so guys out of the lineup. You don't need the distraction of those (injured) guys sitting in the trainers' room."

Continue reading "Rolston happy to be back with his Devils teammates" »

Devils' prospect Matt Halischuk watched practice Monday in Newark. He was in New Jersey to have his arthroscopically-repaired knee examined.

Halischuk, injured Lowell's AHL game Nov. 7 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., said he had arthroscopic surgery three weeks ago and doctors said the injury wasn't as severe as originally diagnosed.

"It turned out not to be as bad as they thought," he said. "It was a partially torn ACL."

Halischuk said he hopes to play again this season.

Brian Rolston and John Madden both hope to play in Thursday night's game against the Flyers in Philadelphia.

However, even after both players practiced with the team Monday morning and announced they are fit, coach Brent Sutter is taking the cautious approach.

"I guess after what we've gone through the last two months, you keep your guard up," Sutter said. "There's optimism."

Continue reading "Devils' Rolston and Madden talk about their comebacks" »

Devils center Bobby Holik could practice with the team tomorrow.

He is set to see a doctor today.

"I'm hopeful, perhaps tomorrow (for Holik return)," head coach Bruce Sutter said.

Holik suffered an injury to his right pinkie against Washington last month and had surgery on the finger October 21.

Injured forwards Brian Rolston and John Madden were both on the ice Monday morning as the Devils practiced at the Prudential Center.

Rolston has been out with a high right ankle sprain and Madden with a bruised left ankle after being hit by a shot. Neither Bobby Holik (broken right pinkie) nor Andy Greene (broken right hand) took part in practice.

"I hope I'm playing Thursday, that's what I'm shooting for," Rolston said this morning. "I'm feeling okay."

Left winger Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond was also on the ice, recalled from Lowell (AHL). The Devils face the Flyers Thursday night, so...

Continue reading "Rolston and Madden both say they're shooting to play Thursday vs. Flyers" »

Lou Lamoriello doesn't want to talk about injuries.

The Devils' general manager begrudgingly gives only vague updates on his ailing players and steadfastly refuses to estimate when they might come back.

His approach is both admirable -- in that he doesn't want to use injuries as excuses -- and also baffling. After all, is there really any harm in letting fans know how the rehab of key players is going?

This has been a unique season for the Devils. They have lost their most important player (goalie Martin Brodeur) until March and several other key players (including forwards Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik) for lengthy periods. And that is just scratching the surface of their injury list.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils catch their breath as players heal" »

After five straight victories, the Devils turned in one of their weaker efforts of the season. Beat writer Rich Chere breaks down last night's 4-1 loss to the Penguins:

Continue reading "Pushovers in Pittsburgh: A second look at the loss" »

PITTSBURGH -- A stomach ailment prevented center Dainius Zubrus from taking part in the morning skate, but he was determined to give the Devils all he could in Saturday night's game against the Penguins.

Halfway through the third period, Zubrus was finally out of gas and wound up on the bench as Barry Tallackson and Sheldon Brookbank filled in.

"Honestly, I wasn't playing very well throughout the game," Zubrus said. "I tried to stay with it and battle through it, but my energy level wasn't there. I was really weak. Eventually the coach put me aside and gave other guys a chance."

Continue reading "Post-game Devils notes: Zubrus runs out of gas" »

PITTSBURGH -- They may have been separated by only three points in the standings, but there were too many moments Saturday night when the Devils did not seem to belong on the same ice with the star-studded Pittsburgh Penguins.

During several exceptional shifts, no one in this universe belonged on the ice with Sidney Crosby.

A dazzling Crosby scored a hat trick and assisted on another goal as the Devils saw their five-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-1 loss to the Penguins at Mellon Arena.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Penguins snap New Jersey Devils' win streak with 4-1 win" »

Sidney Crosby put on an offensive clinic.

But Devils coach Brent Sutter wasn't prepared to say the Devils were manhandled by the Penguins' captain in their 4-1 loss.

"He's a good player, don't get me wrong," Sutter said of Crosby. "For 40 minutes they dictated how the game was going to be played and we allowed it to happen. It wasn't one of our better games in the last 10 games. It was a game where for 40 minutes we were on our heels too much.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils: Too much Sidney Crosby?" »

Box score

Newspaper articles

Pens snap Devils' win streak

Zubrus ailing but willing

Pandolfo's role in transition

Notes: Penalty kill still on point

Post-game notes: Zubrus runs out of gas

Blog posts

Too much Crosby

3 things to watch

Former Devils winger Petr Sykora scored a power play goal at 7:26 of the second period before Sidney Crosby scored his second of the game to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead over the Devils.

Sykora's goal was a highlight reel play following an interference penalty by Zach Parise against Janne Pesonen.

Somehow, Evgeni Malkin kept the puck in at the blue line after it deflected off Jamie Langenbrunner. Malkin then made a backhand pass to Tyler Kennedy, who fed Sidney Crosby in the right circle.

Continue reading "Sykora and Crosby goals in second give Penguins 3-0 lead over Devils" »