BUFFALO — The Devils solved nearly everything in one remarkable day. Their salary-cap crunch is over, for now, the silver lining of Brian Rolston’s hernia surgery.
Over, too, is their winless (1-2-1) start, ended when $100-million man Ilya Kovalchuk ended his goal-less start — surely related issues — 53 seconds into overtime for a 1-0 victory over the Sabres last night.
“Who cares about goals? It’s about the win,” Kovalchuk said. “It felt good to get that first win. I know we’re going to build on that because it was a great team effort.”
The Devils avoided matching their longest-ever four-game winless starts of 1995 and 2001-02 on Martin Brodeur’s record 111th career shutout. It was his third 1-0 overtime triumph, with another by shootout. He also owns two 0-0 ties.
There were not enough game pucks to go around for John MacLean’s first NHL coaching victory, Brodeur’s shutout and Matt Taormina’s first NHL point, setting up Kovalchuk’s winner, a rip from the right circle over Vezina Trophy holder Ryan Miller.
“It was kind of a big goal,” MacLean said. “I’m excited that we got it, but I’m more excited about how we played tonight.”
MacLean may have found another cause-effect trick. He ripped into his team during its morning skate yesterday, stopping the workout, slamming the glass with his stick and delivering an expletive-laced tirade about a lack of focus.
“I think they woke themselves up,” MacLean said after the game. “We have a good hockey team here. We’re going through a few growing pains.”
Of deeper concern even than their winless start was their cap cruch, but with Rolston going on long-term injury reserve, the Devils suddenly have some $5 million in temporary cap space to restock their roster. They had only 18 players last night, after dressing only 17 in Monday’s 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, trapped by being up against the salary cap, while suffering injuries to Rolston and defenseman Anton Volchenkov.
Rolston is scheduled to undergo surgery today in Philadelphia and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, according to GM Lou Lamoriello. Rolston left the lineup Saturday in Washington.
Last night’s triumph was a marked change from their previous three, in which the Devils had been outscored 14-6, giving up the most goals in the league. They had held an opponent scoreless in a period once before last night, but gave notice of their intent by not allowing a Sabres shot on Brodeur for the first 16:18, while not scoring themselves either, despite a 15-2 shot edge.
New Jersey had been outscored 11-2 after the first periods of their first three games, but they cleaned that up, too. After they secured their second point of the season, they notched their third. Kovalchuk dropped to one knee to one-time his shot over Miller, the Olympic MVP, deliberately going upstairs.
“I’ll take one goal and we’ll win the division,” Kovalchuk said.
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MacLean exploded yesterday morning while the Devils were going through a routine passing drill. Zach Parise botched one and MacLean slammed his stick overhead against the glass, called his team to him at the center ice boards, and unleashed a diatribe heard on the other side of the arena.
“Get your [bleeping] heads in shape. Get your [bleeping] heads ready to play the [bleeping] game tonight,” were among his loudest complaints.
“I thought, for a morning skate, it was too laissez faire for a team that hasn’t won a game yet,” MacLean said later. “There’s an air of professionalism that we have to have to be ready to play the game.”
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Three players faced their team from last year, Devils Adam Mair, making his New Jersey debut, and Henrik Tallinder, and Sabre Rob Niedermayer.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Chicago’s Niklas Hjalmarsson should have been suspended more than two games for his hit from behind that caused a concussion to Jason Pominville Monday.
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The Devils complete the run of six games in nine nights with back-to-back pair at home against Colorado tomorrow and Boston Saturday.