The Devils go into tonight’s game against the Penguins with one very simple thing in mind….don’t get caught!! The Devils at 35-16-6 are seven points ahead but the Penguins have one game in hand. With 3 more meetings, even after tonight’s game…..every game is crucial because the Devils are also chasing the Sabres. The Devils have one game in hand on the Sabres. Injuries are getting to the top two teams….as Maxim Afinogenov will be out up to six weeks with a broken hand. Devils are missing White, Madden, and Gionta (groin pull)….although Claude Julien did expect White and Madden to be back tonight.
As for the Penguins…they are 12-0-2 in their last fourteen games….the swagger of the early 90’s Pens is apparently back. They get just enough solid goaltending to win and have really good firepower to boot. That’s a very good lethal combo when a team starts developing that intangible on how to win under any circumstance. I remember the mid 90’s well…when the Devils started believing the very same thing. Yes, the Devils were older…their captain was Scott Stevens….but there was a never say die attitude and I see that with Crosby and the Pens.
Taking a look at each team’s last game…both were similar except for one thing….the Devils finished and the Pens almost didn’t. The Blackhawks and Habs both jumped out to early leads….the home teams stormed back….the road teams both made it 3-2…and then the difference…..the Devils ended it. Elias scored….Rasmussen clanged one off the post that should have gone in but the empty netter was added….Devils win 5-2 after clamping down. The Hawks-Pens game went into OT before the Pens finally won it 5-4. Now keep in mind, these are the Cardiac Pens…they live and die by comebacks from stretch to stretch. This is how they play.
So what are the keys? Style of play will dictate who wins the game….it can’t get much simpler than that. The Devils basically need Madden and Pandolfo to dictate the pace and the two scoring lines to counterpunch. Marty just needs to be Marty and the rest will take care of itself. If any of those three aspects go awry, then the Pens can definitely win this game….the Pens have firepower that the Devils do not possess but the Devils have one critical advantage for now…and that is experience.
My prediction….Devils 3 Pens 2…in a shootout.
