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The New Jersey Devils thought they hit rock bottom during 2010.
If the beginning of 2011 is any indication, the team's free fall is still continuing.
The Devils will look to win their first game of the new year tonight against their Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, tonight at the Prudential Center.
Over the past few seasons, the matchup between the Devils and Flyers usually determined playoff and division position. This season, however, both teams sit on the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Devils enter the game losers of two straight and 13 of their last 15 games. Even a change in coaches couldn't shake New Jersey's slump. Since Jacques Lemaire took over, the Devils are 1-5-0.
New Jersey's inconsistent play and bad luck doomed them in a 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night. New Jersey managed one shot in the first period, their lowest of the season. An untimely turnover by Ilya Kovalchuk led to a Cal Clutterbuck goal and a 1-0 deficit.
The Devils dramatically improved their play in the second period. New Jersey outshot the Wild, 14-4, and tied the game on an Ilya Kovalchuk goal.
A fluke goal by Clayton Stoner sent the Devils to yet another loss. Stoner dumped the puck into the Devils zone. His attempt clipped the stick of Ilya Kovalchuk and deflected off a partition near the Devils bench. With Johan Hedberg behind the net, the puck caromed towards the open goal. It hoped over the stick of the diving Hedberg and into the net for Stoner's first career NHL goal.
The Flyers sit fourth in the Eastern Conference and second in the Atlantic Division with 53 points. Philadelphia has rode the strong play of goalies Brian Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky. Despite injuries to players such as Chris Pronger, the team continues to pile up wins.
Philadelphia broke a 22-year losing streak in Detroit Sunday, defeating the Red Wings, 3-2. The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second period, then held on as Detroit answered with two goals in the final frame. The win at Joe Louis Arena was the first for Philadelphia since November 4, 1988.
Johan Hedberg will make his second consecutive start for the Devils. The regular playing time is helping him find a rhythm.
"It's different when you play regularly than when you play once in a while," Hedberg told Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "I feel like I get more into the rhythm thinking and then moving and the way I feel the game. My patience is better. I know when I haven't played in a while, sometimes you want to do too much and you end up chasing it around. Hopefully, I can play a patient game and read the play as well."
The Flyers and Devils have split two games this season. Hedberg backstopped the Devils to a 2-1 shootout win on November 27. Bobrovsky led the Flyers to a 5-3 win on December 4.
Martin Brodeur will dress a backup for consecutive games since January 17, 2004 (versus the Washington Capitals) and January 20, 2004 (at Pittsburgh). Brodeur hadn't played well in recent years against the Flyers, dropping 13 of his last 16 starts against them.
With Langenbrunner Trade Rumors Buzzing, Flyers Beat Devils, 4-2
Lou Lamoriello may have finally realized this New Jersey Devils season is lost.
With his team sitting dead last in the league, Lamoriello approached captain Jamie Langenbrunner about waiving his no-trade clause. That discussion led to the captain being scratched for tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The news of any potential trade overshadowed the game tonight. The Flyers defeated the Devils, 4-2, to extend New Jersey's losing streak to three straight games.
Before the game, Lamoriello approached head coach Jacques Lemaire and told him Langenbrunner wouldn't play.
"The only thing I know is before the game by Lou (Lamoriello) told me that Jamie won't be playing," Lemaire told Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "That's all I know. Then, I put another guy on the line."
Dainius Zubrus replaced Langenbrunner and put New Jersey ahead, 1-0, in the first period. Anton Volchenkov fired a shot from the point that Zubrus deflected past Brian Boucher for his fifth goal of the season.
Patrik Elias, who earned an assist on the goal, moved past John MacLean as the team's all-time leader in points against the Flyers with 65 (27 goals, 38 assists).
The weird bounces at the Prudential Center worked against the Devils in the second period.
Ville Leino fired a puck hard off the end boards and it caromed to Hedberg's left. The Devils' goalie went out to play the puck, but it went past him and directly to Scott Hartnell. The Flyers' forward backhanded the puck into the net for his 11th goal of the season.
"I haven't seen anything like it," Hedberg told Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger. "It came out faster than it came in. It's not supposed to come back out at that angle.
"There I am again. Toast. It makes me very hesitant to play the puck right now. Maybe I shouldn't play it at all and stay in the net."
David Clarkson restored the Devils lead with 2:20 remaining. Andy Greene sent a long pass to Clarkson, who skated past Sean O'Donnell. The Devils' right-winger fought through an O'Donnell hook to roof the puck over Boucher's glove. The puck bounced off the back bar and out of the net so quickly that referees didn't rule on the shot.
During a stoppage, the referees reviewed the puck and credited Clarkson with his fifth goal of the season and first since November 24.
Hartnell struck again for the Flyers, tying the game, 2-2, with 1:06 left in the period. Leino fed a pass to the front of the net that Hartnell put past Hedberg for his second goal of the period.
Then Daniel Briere took over.
Briere snapped the 2-2 tie with a powerplay goal at 2:48 of the third period. Leino recorded his third assist of the night when his right circle pass went off of Travis Zajac and right to Briere in the slot. The Flyers' forward fired a quick shot past Hedberg's glove for his 19th of the season.
Briere stretched the lead to 4-2 at 12:34 of the period. Briere attempted to pass the puck to Hartnell, but it deflected off of Colin White and past Hedberg for his second of the game.
Even after the loss, the focus was on Langenbrunner. The captain's equipment remained in his stall after the game, and there was no word on potential moves.
Langenbrunner's teammates didn't want to comment on the situation until they knew the situation.
"I can't really comment on whats going on," Zajac told Gulitti. "All of us don't know. Whether he's here or not, it's important for us to continue to play hard and try to find ways to win. Obviously, he's a big piece of the team, but it's a chance for someone else to come in and step up."
"It's part of hockey," Clarkson said to Gulitti. "You see guys come and go. It would be weird personally I think because I do look up to Jamie. There's always things you learn from teammates. You always look up to certain guys.
"I tried to pick up little things (from) the way that he played. Personally, it's something you don't want to happen. I understand it's part of the business. I think he's a great leader and who knows what will happen? But he will be missed if that does happen."
A trade of Langenbrunner may set in motion other deals to clean house, something Devils players aren't used to seeing.
"Things are tough here. It wouldn't surprise me," Clarkson told Gulitti. "It's a tough question. I don't know what house cleaning is. I'm sure Mr. Lamoriello is doing what he can to sort this out and fix whatever our problem is."
Game Notes
Out of a possible 80 points, the Devils have 22...Tonight's loss left the Devils still searching for their first win of 2011...Leino recorded his first three-point game tonight...Briere was injured during the second period, but came back in the same period.
Jan 06 11:55p by AJ Manderichio - 0 comments