Henrique Lifts Devils Past Stars in OT in Big D

The Devils had a big of a hill to climb going into Dallas to play the Stars. They were without Michael Cammalleri, still in New Jersey, out with personal issues he is dealing with and it was announced this morning that they would be without another left wing as well. Taylor Hall would be sitting with what the team is calling a lower body issue.

He showed up this morning for the morning skate and told the coaching staff that something just did not feel right. It was for that reason that he was kept out of the lineup for the game. Reid Boucher would be in in his place. Jon Merrill was also a scratch for New Jersey.

On the other side of things, the Stars were getting Jason Spezza back in the lineup tonight, so that would be firepower in the favor of Dallas.

On the lighter side of things, MSG Network was doing their “Viewer Appreciation Night” which I seem to remember being later in the season in the past, but it was nice to see people winning some of their prizes, some of which were very cool. Also, Vernon Fiddler, who spent the last few years in Dallas and was a fan favorite amongst Stars fans, was given a video tribute on the big board at American Airlines Center as well as a standing ovation from the Stars faithful. He would start the game for New Jersey and had the first shot of the game, fittingly. There were many of Fiddler’s “38” jerseys throughout the building in both team’s colors.

The goalie matchup saw Antti Niemi facing Cory Schneider. Schneider made 23 saves on 24 Stars shots while Niemi made 31 saves on 33 Devils shots.

It was a very clean game with only three total penalties called. The Devils were 0-for-1 with the man advantage while Dallas went 0-for-2.

The Devils broke the seal on the scoring just 7:40 into the first period. It happened when Beau Bennett gave the puck up to PA Parenteau along the boards. He sent a backhand saucer pass to the trailing Damon Severson, who was in the slot and fired, beating Niemi to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. With that goal, Severson tied Hall for the team lead in goals (five). He also has three points in his last two games (one goal and two assists).

The Devils would retain the lead until the 10:33 mark of the first when John Moore made a bad point-to-point pass to Kyle Quincey that he could not handle. He bobbled it and the Stars were off on a two-on-one. Antoine Roussel fed Patrick Eaves who buried it and tied it at one.

And that was it for the scoring in regulation.

But it was not it for the action. Cory Schneider made two huge saves on Adam Cracknell midway through the second period that kept New Jersey in it after they had dominated the shots early in that frame.

Bennett hit the crossbar on a partial breakaway with mere seconds left in the second period. He took a bank pass off the boards from Moore that sprung him. His backhanded shot clipped the crossbar and just missed giving the Devils a lead.

A scary moment for the Stars when Jordie Benn blocked a Kyle Palmieri shot on the Devils’ only power play of the game. He took the puck off of the outside of his knee. He limped off of the ice but would not miss a shift.

Dallas almost took a late lead when Lauri Korpikoski actually beat Cory through the five hole, but the puck ended up going wide of the net.

Because Bennett and Korpikoski’s shots did not go in, the score remained tied and the teams headed for overtime. Without Hall and Cammalleri and with guys like Spezza and Jamie Benn on the ice for the Stars, things did not look that good for the Devils. But, just 44 seconds into the extra session, Palmieri picked a Dallas players pocket and immediately headed off to the races with Adam Henrique. On a 2-on-1 odd man rush, Palmieri held the puck just long enough before putting it just ahead of Henrique. He stretched ahead, reaching to put the puck by Niemi. It found the back of the net and the Devils had the 2-1 victory.

They had won their fifth in a row and with that win moved out of a wildcard spot and into a top playoff position, leapfrogging Washington and Boston.

I know it is a little early to be talking playoffs and the Devils have not really played many of the elite teams in the NHL yet, but things are looking good for this team right now.

Next up, the Devils travel to California to face off with the Ducks in Anaheim. That game starts at 10 PM on Thursday.

Albany Devils Playing Well; Honoring the Past Next Week

The Devils’ top American Hockey League affiliate, the Albany Devils, are hurtling forward while still taking a look to the past this season.

The team has been playing well, in second place in the AHL’s Eastern Conference North Division, with 16 points and an 8-4-0-0 record. They trail the Toronto Marlies by one point in the division and stand at fifth place in the conference (behind the Bridgeport Sound Tigers only because they have two fewer goals scored). They also rank eighth in the league overall, virtually tied with the Sound Tigers and the Grand Rapids Griffins (of the Western Conference).

At 6-1-0-0, they have the second best home record in the entire AHL, behind only the 6-2-0-0 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (who have also played one more game at home) due to having given up more goals against.

Blake Pietila is currently leading the A-Devils in scoring (6 goals, 5 assists for 11 points in 12 games) while Joe Blandisi (3g, 5a, 8p in 11 games) and John Quenneville (4g, 3a, 7p in 12 games) have also been playing well.

Between the pipes, Scott Wedgewood is 4-3-0-0 in eight games with a 2.44 goals against average and a .905 save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood, in five games, is 3-1-0-0 with a 3.28 goals against and a .902 save percentage. Ken Appleby has one win in one appearance with a 1.85 GAA and a .929 save percentage.

The New Jersey Devils also made a trade over the weekend that will be of benefit to the A-Devils for the time being. The Devils acquired Petr Straka from the Flyers “for a conditional seventh round selection in either the 2017 or 2018 NHL Draft” according to TheAlbanyDevils.com.

Straka, who is 24 years old, has only three NHL games with the Flyers under his belt (played during 2014-15) in which he has two assists. He has spent the majority of his pro career in North America with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. According to the article posted on the A-Devils site by Kevin Zalaznik, Straka had a career high in goals (19) and points (37) last year with the Phantoms. His AHL career has seen him score a total of 42 goals, 46 assists for 88 points in 192 games.

As well, Luke Gazdic recently cleared waivers after coming back off the injured reserve with a broken foot, and was assigned to the A-Devils.

The Albany Devils look to be in good condition heading forward.

But, coming up, they will be honoring a bit of the past in Devils’ AHL history and hockey history in the New York capital region. Yes, the Albany River Rats are making a return, if only for two games. The A-Devils will be doing two “throwback nights” during the season – with the first one coming up on November 26. The other will be played on March 25.

The throwback nights will consist of the team wearing River Rat jerseys on the ice and “a 1990’s theme integrated into the game presentation.” The jerseys will be autographed and auctioned off through the A-Devils’ website after the March 25 game.

The Albany River Rats were the New Jersey Devils’ AHL club through much of the 1990’s after the team was moved to Albany from Utica. After a brief stint being affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team was moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Devils then moved the Lowell Devils to Albany to take the place of the departed River Rats.

The River Rats, who won a Calder Cup in 1994-95 (the same year the NHL parent club Devils won the Stanley Cup – a rare feat for an organization), are fondly remembered both in New Jersey and in New York state’s capital. It should be a fun time for A-Devils fans to enjoy the past and for Devils fans who make the trip up to reminisce as well.