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Devils Dispose of the Lightning
by David Carty

In New Jersey, it has always been about the system. Lou Lamoriello is the longest-tenured NHL GM for good reason. Whether it was playing the trap in the pre-lockout, middle-aged time hockey, or simply controlling the pace of the game, the Devils never waver from the course Lamoriello sets.

Throughout all of the player retirement and turnover and coaches either quitting or getting the axe, there has always been Martin Brodeur. Largely overshadowed by Patrick Roy and Dominik Hasek for half of his NHL career, Brodeur is and has been the face (or the mask) of the New Jersey Devils since winning the Calder Trophy in 1994. And as he’s developed, he’s become the backbone in a Devils franchise predicated on defense.

Thirteen years later, Brodeur is as good as ever. Brodeur, who will turn 35 in two weeks, stopped 32 of 34 shots to win a deciding Game Five against the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2. Brian Rafalski netted his second power-play goal of the postseason and added an assist to bolster New Jersey’s strong special teams play.

But it was the Devils’ E-G-G line that amounted for most of the damage. Brian Gionta netted his fourth playoff goal on a short-side snapshot high over Johan Holmqvist’s glove. Gionta struck again in the second period beating Holmqvist with a hesitation wrist-shot from the left circle. Lightning defenseman Filip Kuba looked shaky on both scores. First, getting beat on Elias’s feed to Gionta while on the back-check; then, knocking over Holmqvist on Gionta’s second goal.

Patrick Elias assisted on all three Devils goals, controlling the offensive charge throughout the duration of the first two periods. And Scott Gomez added two assists of his own, as the Devils’ entire offensive production came down to the E-G-G line (plus Brian Rafalski, who also added an assist). All in all, New Jersey’s top line amounted for 14 of the team’s 26 shots and conspired to send the Lightning packing.

Brad Richards tallied Tampa Bay’s only two goals on the afternoon; both were on the power-play, and came within a span of six minutes. The Lightning entered Game Six with a pedestrian 2-for-20 success rate on the power-play against the Devils’ stingy penalty kill unit. Richards’ goals riled up the capacity crowd and served as a breath of fresh air for the struggling Lightning.

Unfortunately, it would be their last breath.

The same feisty play that marked (or marred) the Lightning’s first period effort was not evident in the third period. Brodeur played through screens and heavy traffic in the crease in the game’s first two periods and made the third period look no more difficult than a speed bump en route to the victory. On New Jersey’s rare defensive lapses, Brodeur was waiting to steer clear any offensive opportunity provided by the Lightning. In the third, Brodeur stopped the Lightning’s period-low ten shots on net and faced only a single unsuccessful power-play to begin the period.
Brodeur’s 93rd career postseason victory served to send home the league’s most dynamic duo, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. The duo’s frustrations were evident early in the first period. Lecavalier and St. Louis even spent a romantic two minutes in the penalty box together. The penalties occurred after Brodeur denied a Lecavalier offering on the doorstep. Lecavalier cross-checked Richard Matvichuk in the back after the play, sending Matvichuk to the locker room for the period. Matvichuk, who missed all but one game of the regular season after undergoing back surgery, returned for action in the second period. St. Louis argued with the officiating crew and received matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties with Devils defensive specialist John Madden.

In the end, St. Louis and Lecavalier couldn’t crack the league’s likely Vezina trophy recipient. The duo combined for nine shots and only one point, an assist by Lecavalier on Richards’ second goal; the Lightning’s final goal of the 2006-07 campaign. The Devils will face the fourth seeded Ottawa Senators; Game One is reportedly set for Tuesday night.