June 8, 2012, Los Angeles Kings-New Jersey Devils Game 5 Stanley Cup Final advance story for Metro Newspaper in NYC
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Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Peter DeBoer.
A three games-to-one deficit should cause teams to be tense. It
should cause teams to acknowledge the pressure surrounding the
win-or-the-season-ends consequence.
The Devils are facing that scenario heading into Game 5 of the Stanley
Cup final Saturday night at the Prudential Center. Instead of feeling
pressure, they are embracing the opportunity to make NHL history.
“Why not us?” Devils head coach Pete DeBoer asked rhetorically when the
topic of becoming the second team in NHL history to win the Cup after
falling behind 0-3 in the Stanley Cup final was brought up during his
media availability Friday afternoon at the Prudential Center.
“Our focus hasn’t wavered,” DeBoer said. “Our guys believe we can win
three or four games in a row. We’ve had [three- and four-game winning
streaks] — I think — from kind of the midpoint of our season on. It’s
part of our personnel, part of our leadership in our room. A lot of it
is on [Martin Brodeur and] how he plays. They believe. We’re not done
until they tell us we can’t play anymore.”
The Devils forced Saturday night’s Game 5 by spoiling the Kings’ Cup
coronation Wednesday with a 3-1 win. Patrik Elias, Adam Henrique and
Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the Devils and Martin Brodeur was spectacular
in making 21 saves.
Most importantly, the goals were concrete proof of what the Devils’
coaches have been emphasizing to their players: Shoot the puck and goals
will come. Get to the front of the net for rebounds. Get in Kings
goalie Jonathan Quick’s line of sight.
The Devils had 45 shot attempts in Game 4. Elias’ backhand rebound goal
of Bryce Salvador’s shot 7:56 into the third gave the Devils a 1-0 lead —
their first in the series.
“We’re doing good things,” Clarkson said. “We’re getting on the
forecheck; we’re creating offense. We found a way [in] the last game to
get a couple by him. That’s what we have to do — get it on the net, get
in front of him and make plays.”
Added DeBoer: “Even when we’re losing, even when [New York Rangers’
goaltender Henrik] Lundqvist or Quick [has shut] us out, the
opportunities [were] there. I think they believe that. But there’s no
doubt that a win changes your mindset and relieves that pressure that
you’re finally getting rewarded for honest work.”
The Devils also feel that Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac and Zach Parise are
overdue to break out. The Devils’ three best offensive players finished
with a goal and an assist for two points in Game 4. They had nine shots
on goal and a plus-three rating.
“I think they’re very close,” DeBoer said. “They recognize that. If they
weren’t getting chances, I’d be concerned. They easily could have a
couple goals each and Quick is a big factor in that.”
Quick, who should win the Conn Smythe Award no matter how this series
ends due to his stellar play throughout the playoffs, has a 1.00 goals
against average and a .958 save percentage against the Devils. He has
made 91 saves on 95 shots on goal against the Devils.
“It was open,” Adam Henrique said of his game-winning goal Wednesday
night. Henrique beat Quick with a shot high to the goaltender’s
stickside.
“The puck came across the ice pretty fast,” Henrique said. David
Clarkson set up Henrique with a cross-ice pass that the center kicked to
his stick blade before whipping the shot that was the rookie center’s
third game-winner in the playoffs. “I knew there might be some space,
short-side high, and I was trying to get it there. But on our first
goal, a rebound, and Patty was right on the ice. So we got to keep
getting pucks to the net, bear down on our chances and execute.”
Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman. Metro will bring you complete Game 5 coverage online Saturday night.
Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman. Metro will bring you complete Game 5 coverage online Saturday night.
http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/1145145--devils-embracing-chance-at-stanley-cup-comeback
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 11:29 PM
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