Canes vs Devils Game 7 Preview by Medford Bronco

[Medford Bronco]

Carolina at New Jersey Game 7 Preview.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/imgs/dynamique/photos/original/article_14455_2.jpg
http://photos.upi.com/topics-Patrick-Elias/bdfeb41290bec2ecfd7d01d78afe9b0f/Patrick-Elias_1.jpg



Well what is the most exciting thing in sports? Some might say it would be the Super Bowl
or an NFL playoff game, but to me I believe it is a game 7 in both the NHL and NBA playoffs.
Tonight features a wonderful matchup where both Carolina and New Jersey should both believe that they can win. To recap the first 6 games of this series. It has gone back and forth with New Jersey winning the odd number games and Carolina winning the even games. There have been two blowouts, New Jersey winning game 1, 4-1 and Carolina winning game 6, 4-0. The rest in-between have been close as can be. Carolina winning game 2 in overtime when Tim Gleason who had not scored all season long gets the game winner and then winning game 4 with .03 seconds left when Jussi Jokinen deflected a shot past a stunned Martin Brodeur.

Game 5 featured one of the best goaltending duels that I have ever seen. Martin Brodeur basically stole the game with 44 saves, and Cam Ward had 41 saved but let in the only goal to David Clarkson on the power play.

I fully expect this game to be very very close and whomever stays out of the penalty box the most, most likely will win this game. I would not be surprised to see a 2-1 type game that possibly goes into overtime. Key performers on both teams to watch for: Martin Brudeur and Cam Ward who have basically for most games have been outstanding. Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner, Patrick Elias and John Madden will be key performers for the Devils in both the offesive and defensive points. For the Canes, Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, Joe Corvo and Eric Cole (who has stuggled but due to break out).

I will not lie to who is reading this, I hope the Canes win as I have been a fan for a long time. In all honesty I would not be surprised to see any outcome with either team winning. I expect these two evenly matched teams to put on a great show. They have for the most part not let us down with the drama in this series. Why would we expect anything else.

[BigDaddyBronco]

Go Red Wings!!!

[Medford Bronco]

Go Red Wings!!!

wrong thread lol

[Medford Bronco]

All I have to say is YOU NEVER CAN UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION :beer:

Jusi Jokinen, Cam Ward and Erik Staal.

I love it baby,

[Broncolingus]

NY and NJ BOTH losing Game 7's in the SAME night...

There IS a God.

War Caps...

War Canes...

War anyone but New York / New Jersey...

(...and Detroit of course...)

[Devilspawn]

NY and NJ BOTH losing Game 7's in the SAME night...

There IS a God.

War Caps...

War Canes...

War anyone but New York / New Jersey...

(...and Detroit of course...)
I'd say oh hush up, but:

A) Don't watch hockey
b) At least Jersey got screwed.

[Medford Bronco]

I'd say oh hush up, but:

A) Don't watch hockey
b) At least Jersey got screwed.

How about at least Medford was happy for one day at least :D:laugh:
and it has nothing to do with NY teams at all.

Canes could have beat FLA for all i care. This is what sports are all about. Wining games improbably. I just wish more could share in the excitement that I felt tonight. It was pure joy and fun. I am still stunned.

Eric Staal scored the lasted Game 7 goal in NHL history that was not an OT goal with 30 odd seconds left. They looked done with 1:45 left.

I have watched hockey since 1979 and have never experienced a game like that.

To put it in football terms it is like being down 13th about 2:45 left in the game and then scoring at TD and then getting the ball back and scoring again as time is running out the the playoffs. Apples and oranges but hey it was fun for me at least. :D:cool:

[Devilspawn]

How about at least Medford was happy for one day at least :D:laugh:
and it has nothing to do with NY teams at all.

Canes could have beat FLA for all i care. This is what sports are all about. Wining games improbably. I just wish more could share in the excitement that I felt tonight. It was pure joy and fun. I am still stunned.

Eric Staal scored the lasted Game 7 goal in NHL history that was not an OT goal with 30 odd seconds left. They looked done with 1:45 left.

I have watched hockey since 1979 and have never experienced a game like that.

To put it in football terms it is like being down 13th about 2:45 left in the game and then scoring at TD and then getting the ball back and scoring again as time is running out the the playoffs. Apples and oranges but hey it was fun for me at least. :D:cool:
Wait... there was hockey in 1979? :shocked:

I kid I kid. Sounds like a great game. I actually watched hockey the year Gretsky went to the Kings. That was the year the Kings switched to silver and black, so you know where my rooting interest lied :D (wonder why I'm not a Spurs fan :confused: ) And I followed the Rangers in 1994 since they and the Knicks were the talk of the town.

[Medford Bronco]

Here are the highlights for anyone that Cares.

Game Highlights from NHL.com (http://www.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?hlg=20082009,3,137)

and my recap. I just wanted to put it in words. Please tell me if it is well written etc. Thanks I am open to any comments good or bad. :salute:

Canes win with two late goals in the last 1:20 to Stun Devils and Win Series 4-3


Tonight was why a lot of people across the world watch sports. This epic series between two very evenly matched teams the Devils and Canes, gave us fans our complete moneys worth. The Canes did start out well with Tuomo Ruutu scoring just over a minute in this game to have Carolina take the lead 1-0. The Devils spurned on by their home crowd did a great job of responding with Jamie Langenbrunner scoring on a great feed from the slick Zack Parise to tie it at 1.
Later on NJ took the lead when Jay Pandolfo scored on a great cross ice pass from John Madden at 13:27 of the first. The Devils showed that they shook off their flat performance in Game 6 in Carolina on Sunday Night. One other thought that came from period 1 was that the Devils did hit a bit more and had control of this game. David Clarkson nailed Ruutu with a clean hit that was just awesome hockey.
Shots were 9 apiece in period 1.

In the second period the Canes tied it when Eric Staal set up the Wizard Ray Whitney with kind of a fluky goal that Whitney shot hard, missed the puck then it went off of the toe of his skate and in between the pads of Brodeur. The hitting was still awesome as well between both teams. Tim Gleason was all over the Devils forwards with his physical play the whole series. A gaffe by Patrick Eaves led to NJ taking the lead 3-2 when Brian Gionta took an errant drop pass from Eaves and skated up ice. He then fed Brian Ralston a pass off the boards that was an absolute rocket to the top left corner blocker side of Ward. The shot must have been almost 95 MPH. Ralston has always been a good player in his career very quietly. The Canes could have been down more if not for Cam Ward and good penalty killing. Gleason took a 4 minute high sticking penalty with a little less than 2 minutes left in the second period. The Devils outshot the Canes 14-10 in the second and if not for Cam Ward maybe put this game out of reach.

The third period started off pretty tame before starting to heat up as it neared the 10 minute mark. Marty Brodeur was stellar in keeping the game at 3-2 Devils. Tummo Ruutu had one of those nights where he must have had a target on this back. Ward kept the game at 3-2 stopping Madden on a rush on a 2 on one and another save as well I think on Madden in the 3rd.

He as absolutely pasted by a clean hit later in the game. Brodeur did stop Whitney on a feed from Samsonov that looked labeled. With about 1:25 left in the game, Tim Gleason made a diving play to Joni Pitkanen who then fed a wide open Jussi Jokinen who beat Brodeur to tie the game at 3 with 1:20 left. Then Gleason assisted along with Chad Larose on Eric Staals shot just over Brodeurs right pad with 32 seconds left. It was the first time in NHL history a goal was scored so late in a game 7 in the 3rd period.

This game kind of summed up the Canes season. They were basically on their deathbed in 11th place in the East in mid February. Then all of a sudden they woke up and won 11 straight home games and when on a stretch of 13-2-2 I believe. Cam Ward rediscovered his Conn Smythe form of 2006 and Eric Staal seemed to get recharged once the Canes acquired his old linemate and friend Erik Cole. Chad Larose and Jussi Jokinen both had excellent series quietly along with Tim Gleason. I think that going forward this experienced Canes team will have a chance to beat anyone in the NHL. Yes Boston was great this season, but in hockey momentum can help and also a hot goalie. This Canes vs Devils series was one of the best that I have ever seen. Two evenly matched teams that fought to the final 30 seconds of Game 7 to determine a winner. Also this was for the most part a very clean series and I respect the Devils Immensely for that. They showed class throughout. Now on to the next series vs a great Boston team. For one night anyways for me. I found this game as an awesome escape from reality. Isn't this why we watch sports anyways. To be entertained and me along with lots of Hurricane fans throughout this country, we were entertained to the fullest.