Rapid Reaction: @ Nashville, 10/15/11

Tonight the Devils played, in my opinion, their best overall game of the season. They overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Predators 3-2 in a shootout. Here are the most important things to take away from the victory:

Questionable Call - David Clarkson was sent to the box with a 5 minutes boarding major when he was said to have checked a defenseless skater from behind. However, replays show it was more from the side and looked worse than it actually was. Nonetheless, the Devils eventually surrendered 2 goals at the end of that penalty (even though one was technically an even-strength goal).

Moose is the Man - Johan Hedberg, starting for the banged-up Marty Brodeur, was brilliant yet again. He saved 29 of 31 shots including a penalty shot when the game was still scoreless. Moose also made a save as time expired in regulation earning the Devils a trip to OT. And the two goals he did give up he had no chance on.

Devil Dominance - After the Predators went up 2-0, the Devils kicked their game into a whole 'nother gear. Their passing was crisp, their shots were plentiful, and their overall energy was electrifying. If it wasn't for Pekka Rinne's outstanding goalkeeping, the Devils would have scored 10 goals tonight.

Ugly PP - The Devils' first goal came on one of the ugliest power plays they have had this season. They had no control, no cohesion and yet Kovy wristed one past a screened Rinne. Finally the Devils had life.

Unsung Hero - Coach DeBoer made some subtle changes to the lines that ignited the offense in the late-second and third period. When teams were at 4 aside, DeBoer used his 3 best forwards and a defenseman to try to get more offense (something old Devils coaches would never flinch at trying). He also swapped Zubrus and Sykora on the 1st and 3rd lines which ended up resulting in Sykora's new line creating a turnover and tying the game at 2.

Tedenby - Mattias Tedenby has had one of the most consistent seasons of any player. His stats wouldn't tell you that but if you watch the game, his puck possession and vision have been exquisite. Tonight he took a turnover in the offensive zone and set up Clarkson for the game-tying goal with beautiful pass across the slot.

Deja Vu - The game eventually went to a shootout and it was Thursday night all over again. Kovy and Parise netted their attempts and Moose stopped both shots on him. The only difference was that both Kovy and Parise fooled Rinne by faking the backhand that they scored with on Thursday and scoring on the forehand. Those two are so skilled it's just not fair for opposing goalies. Anyone remember Kovy's attempt @ Buffalo last year? Well maybe, but it seems like old news nowadays.

Rapid Reaction: vs. Los Angeles, 10/13/11

Just got back from the Rock and I'm pretty psyched over the Devils' 2-1 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Here are the things to take away from the game:

Slow Start - The Devils began the game just as bad, if not worse than, their opening game against Philly. They could not get the puck out of the zone, took an unnecessary penalty and created too much work for Martin Brodeur. This resulted in a quick one goal deficit when Simon Gagne put the puck in past a helpless Brodeur.

Huge Answer - The second half of the first period was a total reversal from the first half. The Devils played with energy, aggression, poise and offense! Their top scoring line created some solid pressure on Jonathan Quick and Patrik Elias flipped a rebound in to tie the game and relieve the tension in the crowd.

Scary Moment - In the Kings initial flurry to begin the game, Brodeur was forced to make a couple of spectacular saves, however, they did come at a cost. Brodeur ended up getting hurt on one of his sprawls and had to leave the game after the first. Thankfully DeBoer says he is day-to-day.

Mooooooose! - Johan Hedberg relieved Marty and was perfect. He made every save asked of him and stopped both of the Kings' shots in the shootout. It is truly a blessing to have a top-notch backup.
Shootout Skills - Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise were the 2 Devils shooters to take an attempt in the shootout and they both came through with goals. Kovy top-shelfed Quick and Parise used his patented fake forehand, backhand shot to net his.

Another Small Crowd - Yet again, the Devils played to an underwhelming attendance. For every seat occupied, there were 5 or 6 empty ones. Surprisingly, the crowd had a lot of energy and lived or died with every play. It may have not been packed but those who were there did their part to cheer on their beloved Devils.

Looking Ahead - The next game for Jersey's team is their first road test of the season. They head to Nashville on Saturday to take on Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators (2-0-0; but who currently trail the Coyotes 4-2 late in the third) at 8:00 on MSG+2.

Huge Bounce Back Victory

There was nothing more the Devils needed on Columbus Day than a solid bounce back effort coming off their opening night flop against the Flyers. To say they needed a win is an understatement but, in reality, what they needed most was a goal. You can't win without scoring... Enter Captain Zach. Zach Parise, the newly elected captain of the Devils, got the monkey off their back by redirecting a Patrik Elias shot to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead. Had the 'Canes scored first there might have been a unified groan throughout the crowd and a feeling of "here we go again." However, that feeling reared it's ugly head twice in the second period. Two more crucial Devils mistakes led to a pair of 'Canes goals (which were wrapped around a Fayne wrister) to tie the game at 1-1 and then again at 2-2. The first goal was a result of, yet again, inability to clear the puck from the zone. The Devils were stuck in their own zone for over a minute and it cost them. The second goal resulted from a turnover when they attempted to enter the attacking zone. Carolina picked up the puck and turned it into a goal the other way. At the end of the second period the score was still tied at 2 and the start of the third did not help matters. Nick Palmieri and Elias penalties created a 5-on-3 for Carolina and things were not looking good. The Devils manned up and killed off the penalties leading to some heroics by the million dollar man, Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovy took his own rebound and put it in over the sprawling Cam Ward to give the Devils the lead for good. Parise added an empty netter for good measure. Except for the two costly mistakes, Jersey's team did what they needed - they scored goals, played mostly solid defense and thus earned a huge win.

Opening Night Stinker

Opening night could not have gone any worse. With a packed house full of enthusiastic fans ready to explode at the first sign of life, the Devils never offered them that opportunity. Getting blanked 3-0 by the hated Flyers brought back dismal memories of last season. The Devils could not muster up any sustained offensive attack. Their best chance came in the waning moments of the second period when the Parise - Elias - Sykora combination created a glorious opportunity that left Sykora at the side of the net with Bryzgalov no where in sight. Sykora sent the puck off the side-netting, the period ended and momentum along with it. Aside from the weak offense, their defense was the worst I've seen in my tenure as a Devils fan. Penalty Kill notwithstanding, they could not get the puck out of their zone. Numerous errant passes and failed clears resulted in a plethera of turnovers that surprisingly only amounted to a total of 3 goals against. Why? Because Marty Brodeur played like he was 25. He stopped 26 of 29 Flyer shots but performed way better than the stats show. He stuffed 3 breakaways and many other close-in chances. All-in-all it was a game that lacked continuity and flow out of the team in red and if not for their 39 year-old goaltender, the final score would have been much worse.

I'll Make a Brand New Start of It

Well this is my first blog in a while - thanks to my extremely busy college schedule. So this will not be the first of many, sadly. But last night's Yankees loss was too big of a moment not to give my thoughts about. They lost 3-2 to the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS and got eliminated from the playoffs to the delight of Red Sox fans, Mets fans and TBS broadcasters everywhere (if you watched the series, you know what I'm talking about). But I'm not here to talk about the game or what transpired the last week. As a true fan of my team, today is the first day of next year. The postseason is over in any Yankees fan's mind and that means that we get to look forward to an offseason that can prove to be a enjoyable one or has the prospects to be devastating.
The first big decision will be that of CC Sabathia, our Ace of the rotation. Does he opt out seeking a bigger contract or does he decide to stay and play out the last 4 years of his deal for a team he loves. Without CC, the Yankees are nothing this year. The next big decision is if Brian Cashman decides to return as the GM. Cashman, hands down, is the best GM in baseball. You can say he didn't make any moves this year and that cost them in the playoffs. While the latter is true, there were no logical moves to make. He always puts the team in a great position to win and that's all you can ask of your GM. Thirdly the Yankees need to re-sign Nick Swisher and Russell Martin. There has been a lot of displease with both players but I completely don't understand it at all. Swish is the glue of the team. He provides energy and enthusiasm to an extremely veteran and focused ball club. Not to mention he has become a better defender and is always dangerous from both sides of the plate. Martin also had a GREAT year. Sure he only batted in the .230's but he provided nice power and production out of the bottom of the lineup all year AND he was OUTSTANDING behind the plate. He threw runners out at at will and blocked everything thrown in the dirt. He also proved he can stay healthy. Both of those guys need to come back.
And now looking forward to next year... If I had my wish and could make the Yankees the way I wanted, this would be my 25-man Opening Day squad and lineup. Enjoy.

Starting Pitchers
CC Sabathia
Ivan Nova
Phil Hughes
AJ Burnett

Relievers
Hector Noesi
Boone Logan
Cory Wade
Joba Chamberlain
Rafael Soriano
David Robertson
Mariano Rivera

Catchers
Russell Martin
Francisco Cervelli
Jesus Montero

Infielders
Mark Teixeira
Robinson Cano
Eduardo Nunez
Derek Jeter
Alex Rodriguez

Outfielders
Nick Swisher
Curtis Granderson
Brett Gardner

I know that's only 22 players. The other 3 would be 2 bench players and a new starter whom I cannot name because I don't know who will be available this offseason. The starter needs to be a solid acquisition either through Free Agency or via a trade. Garcia and Colon did good for us but that spot NEEDS to be upgraded. As far as Jones and Chavez on the bench, I'm not ruling out a return for either guy but I would like more speed and versatility on my bench. Someone like Jerry Hairston Jr. who we had in '09 would be perfect. He can play 6 positions and is good handling the bat and has decent speed.

Lineup vs. RHP & LHP
Brett Gardner - LF
Derek Jeter - SS
Robinson Cano - 2B
Alex Rodriguez - 3B
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Curtis Granderson - CF
Jesus Montero - DH
Nick Swisher - RF
Russell Martin - C

Gardner needs to lead-off. He struggled this year in that spot but let him lead-off 160 times and see how disruptive he can be for opposing pitchers. Jeter slides down to his natural 2 hole and can hit and run with Gardy on and we will end up with 1st & 3rd no one out so many times. Then that brings up our best hitter - hands down - Robbie Cano. Nuff said. Behind him will hopefully be a HEALTHY Alex Rodriguez. When healthy, ARod is a force. Then comes Tex in the 5 hole and following him is Grandy. Why do I have the possible MVP hitting 6th? Because he strikes out too much to be at the top of the order and he's now more of a power/production hitter. Why not bat him 5th? That's easy. It's to add another righty bat between him and Cano in case an opposing manger wants to bring in a lefty. Now he would have to go thru ARod and Tex with that lefty and that's something no one wants to do. So Grandy gets a nice matchup vs. a righty. Then we end with Jesus, Swish and Martin. Jesus and Swish can switch depending on who's hotter but I like breaking up righties if possible and giving Jesus a chance to shine like we all know he can. Thoughts?