KANATA, Ontario – It’s bumpy and wobbly, but it’s still a roll. These Devils have ridden it within two points of the Eastern Conference lead.
Only 24 hours after blowing a two-goal lead to lose a shootout, the Devils barely held onto the three-goal variety. Still, their 3-2 victory over the Senators here last night was their second in four nights over the team that has led the East since the season started.
They stand 5-1-2 in their last eight, gaining 12 of 16 possible points, vaulting back to the Atlantic Division lead, and they’re thinking big again.
“I’d like to think we can play with anybody,” Devil coach Brent Sutter said. “We’ve been playing some pretty good hockey, and we’re finding ways to win, accumulating points.”
They’re heading home to face Carolina tomorrow afternoon to start the three-game homestand that concludes their remarkable stretch of 15 of 18 in Newark. If they’d done as well in their first 12 home games (5-6-1) of that run as they did in the three road games (2-0-1), they’d be well ahead of the Senators. After this short homestand, they’ll play eight of 10 on the road.
They left here victorious despite yielding a season-high 39 shots.
“It was nice to get spotted three goals. We were definitely surviving at the end,” Martin Brodeur said.
The Devils rebounded from Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Atlanta in Newark, and so did Arron Asham, who fumbled the last chance to keep the shootout going. Asham scored the Devils’ first two goals, snapping a 22-game drought.
“I haven’t been on the score sheet in a long time,” Asham said. “Everybody’s telling me to shoot the puck.”
From right wing, Asham’s shot went in off the stick of Senator captain Daniel Alfredsson 9:05 into play, with John Madden lurking in front.
Asham made it a remarkable night with his second of the game, rushing up right wing to rip a slap past Ray Emery’s stick at 3:10 of the second, his sixth of the year.
“I had good wood on it, better than [Friday’s shootout flub],” Asham said.
Zach Parise made it 3-0 with a power-play goal at 7:44, two seconds after the Sens regained one of two penalized players. Parise had just missed an open cage from the right flat, then, with another chance, waited on Emery.
Then came the Senators’ comeback, reminiscent of the Thrashers’ comeback Friday. A mixup behind the net created Ottawa’s first goal. Brodeur went behind his cage to play the puck, only to have teammate Karel Rachunek poke the puck off his stick. Alfredsson centered and Jason Spezza converted for his 24th at 16:37 of the second.
Chris Kelly pulled the Senators within one with 7:07 left, while Karel Rachunek and Vitaly Vishnevski were befuddled around their net. Brodeur was down from stopping Cory Stillman at the right post, when Antoine Vermette tried a left post wrap from behind. Kelly popped that short rebound over Brodeur’s right pad.
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There appears to be truth to the report that the Devils and Thrashers talked in preseason about a trade of John Madden for Bobby Holik. The discussion is believed to have fallen apart for good because of the significant deferred payments due Madden, which would have traveled to the Thrashers. …
The drumbeat increased on the possibilities of New Jersey obtaining either Robert Lang or Martin Havlat from Chicago, neither a rental.
In addition to names such as Brad Richards, one loud rumble had the Devils interested in Marian Hossa, who looked fine in beating them Friday. The Devils are strong at right wing, but stranger things have happened.
Additionally, speculation began that the Devils may be a bidder in the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes. … While GM meetings are set to begin tomorrow in Florida, Lou Lamoriello was not with the team here last night. … Andy Greene and Sheldon Brookbank remained healthy scratches.