 |
| Ilya Kovalchuk (Credit: NJ.com) |
Actually, the Devils have done more than win a few here and there. Once left for dead in the East, they are 12-1-2 in their last 15 games. Former punch line Ilya Kovalchuk has netted the game winning goal in their last two wins (at Toronto and home vs. San Jose). Johan Hedberg has done a nice job of spelling Martin Brodeur (7 goals in 4 starts). And new-ish coach Jaques "Been Here Done That" Lemaire has breathed new life into a team that started the season under John MacLean worse than any Devils team in the past 20 years. Oh, and even though New Jersey has played 7 games in the past 11 days, they have gone 6-1 in those contests, including 3 overtime wins. So the Devils are, as their name suggests, hot.
But what about those New York Rangers on the other side of the Hudson River? Well, not so hot. The Blueshirts have dropped their last 6 games, and are 4-10 in their last 14 overall. They also can't catch a break, having to face Pittsburgh, LA, the red-hot Devils, and Philadelphia in their next four games. Perhaps they are feeling the impact of losing team captain Chris Drury to knee surgery for the next six weeks. Nevertheless, they are still clinging onto a playoff spot, currently two points ahead of 8th-seeded Atlanta, but Carolina (one point out of 8th) and Buffalo (three points out of 8th) are breathing down their necks.
Posts
