Devils In the Wild West

The Hockey Tattler, Vol. I, No. 8

Friday March 5, 2010

Thoughts on New Jersey’s Road Trip

Tonight, the Atlantic Division lead will be decided in Calgary. Alberta. The Atlantic Ocean is about 2040 miles away from the Pengrowth Saddledome. The New Jersey Devils visit Calgary tonight, facing the leading team in the NHL Northwest Division.

It’s an interesting match up just in terms of the coaching. New Jersey was piloted by Brent Sutter until last year. He left the Garden State, avowing his simple interest in returning to family roots in Alberta. But it was not long after that Coach Brent decided to join the Flames. Did the man speaketh with forked tongue? Or did he simply not have the strength to resist the lure of NHL coaching – and his own brother?

Yes, this is a case of brotherly love. Big brother Darryl Sutter is the General Manager of the Flames. So, your big bro asks you to be his coach? How do you say no to that? Wouldn’t want to get on Mom’s wrong side. And, the family ranch does need money for upkeep. Gotta keep those dogies happy.

In the other corner is Jacques Lemaire, owner of aboot sixteen zillion Stanley Cup rings (eleven to be exact)…eight as a player with the Montreal Canadiens, two with Montreal in coaching, and one with the 1995 New Jersey Devils). Lemaire might also deserve two honorary rings for other Cups won by the Devils, based on the system that he built.

So, Lemaire and Sutter face-off tonight. The number 18 team in the league against the number 8 team. On paper, the Devils are favored. On the ice, Sutter is at home. They are really even. Over the past 10 games (including the Olympic break), one team is 4-4-2 and the other is 4-5-1. It will be a good game.

And tomorrow night is Hockey Night in Canada. Let the good times roll. But we need to temper that with real world news. Today was the day that Therese Rochette was buried. She was Joannie Rochette’s mother. That is one part of the Olympics too, the bitter mixed with the sweet. May the Rochette family find peace.

Hockey Rules!

Post Script:

By 12 midnight east coast time or so, the Penguins remain atop the Atlantic Division, thanks to Ilya Kovalchuk. IK laid an egg in Calgary. The Devils had a strong first period and were leading 1 – 0. But during a Devils power play early in the 2^nd period, IK made a mistake and allowed Calgary a breakaway. The Flames scored a shorthanded goal, and the mo’ shifted. After four unanswered goals, the Flames had a commanding lead and wound up winning 5 – 3. Ilya has some hard practices coming in his future.