October 23, 2009, New Jersey Devils-New York Rangers game story for Metro (NY) Newspaper

US – Friday, October 23

Devils drop Rangers, stay perfect on the road

Devils 4, Rangers 2

Two minutes were left in the third period and Ryan Callahan had a partial breakaway, bearing down on Marty Brodeur.


Delicious anticipation in the Garden immediately morphed into calamity a microsecond later.


Colin White dove and poke-checked the puck from behind off Callahan’s stick and it trickled behind the net.


White’s desperation lunge was the pivotal play in the Devils’ 4-2 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden Thursday night to stay unblemished on the road.


“I think it was a huge play. There was no doubt when a guy comes in like this and the score is tight, you never know what is going to happen with the shot,” said Jacques Lemaire, who termed the victory a “huge win.”


“I was scared again because we gave up a breakaway,” was White’s analysis of his game-saving play. “I saw that it was Callahan. I was trying to get back and I knew he was a (right-handed) shot, so he was probably going to bring the puck to that side. It was desperation...It was just…a little luck involved, too.”



Dainius Zubrus’ slow-rolling deflection of a bouncing Zach Parise shot in the third period was the game-winner. Parise’s empty netter at 19:41 was icing on Brodeur’s cake. Brodeur (29 saves on 31 shots) beat Henrik Lundqvist (21 on 25) in a regular season regulation game for the first time.


The Rangers’ next game is Saturday night in Montreal. They will finish the month by hosting Phoenix Monday night, renewing their blood feud with the suburban Islanders on Nassau County Wednesday night and visiting Marian Gaborik’s former stamping grounds Friday night. The possibility still exists that the Rangers could finish the month with 20 or more points. The team record for points in a season was 112 in 1993-94.


But before the Rangers can start having Stanley Cup dreams, aspects of the team’s game must be altered according to John Tortorella.


“We may change some things around. After a game like that, I am not sure what the combinations are going to be,” offered Tortorella about the lines following the Rangers’ second loss in four days. “We need some help elsewhere. (Christopher Higgins) needs to get going. Cally needs to get going. (Chris Drury) is a guy that is working but he is coming up empty. In my mind, he is in a little bit situation than the other two. He is more involved. We need to get something there. We will see where we go with it.”


Tortorella was not at all pleased with the Rangers’ start. New Jersey led 2-0 after the initial 20 minutes due to the Devils going to the front of the net and the Rangers’ inability to pick up a forward or to win a battle. Zach Parise’s partial breakaway at 13:49 opened the scoring. The Devils’ sniper snapped a shot that beat Lundqvist high. Nicklas Bergfors doubled the Devs’ advantage at 15:10 with his first goal of the season.


“The first two goals we had our people back (and) they just skate by us. We had our defensemen back, we just let them skate behind us. We just misread the play,” said Tortorella, who singled out Dan Girardi for criticism.


In an attempt to spring a forward, the Rangers repeatedly attempted home run passes through the neutral zone. That was due to the Devils putting forth perfect exhibition of Jacques Lemaire hockey, taking away room to skate in the neutral zone. One the few times they were able to penetrate, the Devils collapsed around Marty Brodeur to eliminate shooting lanes.


Ales Kotalik and the Rangers’ stretch play generated two second period goals. Marian Gaborik shoveled an Ales Kotalik feed under Brodeur for a power play tally that cut the Devils’ lead to 2-1. Kotalik’s breakaway goal at 14:25 tied the game at two.



NOTES:


Rangers’ legends Mark Messier and Mike Richter, and Detroit Red Wings executive Jim Devellano were honored Wednesday at Gotham Hall with the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding contributions to hockey in the United States.

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Rangers’ enforcer Donald Brashear did not play last night due to soreness.

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Parise finished with two goals and three points.

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For those who anticipated a rekindling of the Sean and Marty Love In, they left mostly disappointed. They only came into close quarters once, a goalmouth scramble that led to face washes and headlocks. For the most part, save for a spirited bout with Mottau 5:26 into the first, Avery was a non-factor last night only recording one hit and finishing minus-1 in 14:38.


Denis Gorman



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