The Devils in the Details

I'm having a hard time pulling this one together.  Last night's game was an interesting one, in that it was a near perfect example of New Jersey Devils hockey.  The game turned on a shot lobbed from outside that was spot on, far corner top, and a defensive clamp down like only the Devils can do.  I joked about this being a 'must lose' game in the race for advantageous draft position.  Thus my friends were perplexed when I was yelling at the ref for not calling an egregious hook.  Well, I want entertaining hockey as well.

The line up churn continued last night, with Calvert and Dubinsky both being diagnosed with concussions.  This on the heals of a trade that repaired one of the injury spots, so the net affect on the injury list was that it got longer.  New acquisition David Clarkson played well enough for being thrown in with a team that he barely knows.  This guy could be a good fit in our lineup, but it won't be until next year until the full potential of his contribution can be realized.  He'll get another chance this afternoon to get more familiar with his new teammates.

On the draft position front, things go well.  We are a mere point ahead of Carolina and Toronto, and if they both past us we could be looking at a third overall pick.  That's gonna be a darn good player this year.  I know the losing kind of sucks, but I really don't think its going to play out this way next year, and the draft position is a big deal for the future of the club going forward.  We'll see how this plays out, but if ever a team needed to have a 'reset' button hit, its this team.  The lineup churn mentioned above just seems to keep them from developing any kind of rhythm as a group.  Oh well.

This afternoon, the face the Penguins in Pittsburgh.  That should get their juices flowing!

GO JACKETS!!!