June 10, 2012, Los Angeles Kings-New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup Final Game 5 notebook for Metro Newspaper in NYC
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ANDY MARLIN/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES
Zach Parise, center, has been quiet in the Stanley Cup final.
The Devils have been asked myriad questions about Zach Parise’s
lack of offensive production throughout the Stanley Cup final.
Their response: Parise is not struggling even though their captain has
not recorded a point since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final.
Parise is minus-two with 15 shots on goal in the first four game.
“Zach’s game is so much more than the stat line. He’s the heartbeat of
our team. He’s the identity of our team. He forechecks, he backchecks,
he kills penalties,” head coach Pete DeBoer said during his media
availability at the Prudential Center Saturday morning. “He really is
our barometer. He’s the guy that makes us go, whether he’s scoring or
not.
“I don’t measure his game on goals and assists. He’s creating
opportunities. They’re going to go in. He’s had these type of situations
before. It’s tough out there for anyone to score. But I’m not concerned
about his game. I know it’s going to come.”
Good starts win games
This just in: the Devils and the Kings wanted to get off to a good start in Game 5.
Both DeBoer and Kings head coach Darryl Sutter expounded on the
importance of their teams having strong starts when the two coaches met
with reporters.
“The first goal’s important. I don’t think there’s any secret that we
won the last game because for the first time in the series we found a
way to get some momentum,” DeBoer said. “That momentum is important, for
sure.”
Only two of the 14 goals that have been scored in the series occurred in
the first 10 minutes of Games 1 through 4. The Kings’ Colin Fraser
scored the series-opening goal 9:56 into Game 1 and Drew Doughty’s goal
came 7:49 into Game 2. The Kings won Games 1 and 2, 2-1, in overtime.
“I think the first 10 minutes are important every night,” Sutter said. “For our team and for every team.”
In non-Stanley Cup news
New York Rangers right wing Brandon Prust tweeted Saturday afternoon
that the tendon surgery on his right ring finger “went well” and his
“hand will be good as new in [six] weeks.” He added a photo of the
stitch line, which ran from the base of his palm to his knuckle.
Prust said on breakup day that he injured the finger in a fight with
Ottawa Senators center Zenon Konopka in the Rangers’ 3-0 loss on Jan. 12
at the Garden. He led the Rangers with 156 penalty minutes and was tied
with Boston’s Shawn Thornton for the league lead in fighting majors
with 20.
“I love the guy,” Rangers head coach John Tortorella said about Prust on
breakup day. Prust, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer,
earned $800,000 last season.
Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.
Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.
http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/1145155--stanley-cup-notebook-parise-s-struggles-winning-starts
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 11:34 AM
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