Notes from the Devils/Penguins game last night

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

Your intrepid East Coast reporter here, a few notes from last night's Devils Pens game from the Prudential Center.

*It was Mike "Doc" Emerick night last night. They had a very nice pre-game ceremony as Emerick accepted his Foster Hewitt award. Emerick paid tribute to Ernie Harwell by saying his philospohy was that of Ernie, you're truly blessed if you have a job your can go to every day that you love. He mentioned his start calling games in Port Huron. He kept his acceptance speech quite short too he said out of respect to the players and fans who came for the game. They had several scoreboard tributes from current and former Devils players and coaches. Brodeur got a much bigger cheer as he gave his tribute than Scott Stevens did.

*The Penguins look awful. Yes, they had a 3-1 lead they blew but were outshot 43-16 I believe. This even after the Devils played a hard fought OT Game in Boston the night before while the Pens only had a day off after beating the Rangers 6-2 two nights previous. Their defense were beaten to loose pucks all night long. The Pens defense are as slow as glaciers.

*Jamie Langenbrunner had the OT winner for the second straight night for the Devils and also had the tying goal with 30 seconds to play. He's en fuego right now and crediting a team therapist Juergen Merz with simply talking with him and giving him postitive mojo. Dave Killer Carlson and his positive thinking records have nothing on the Devils captain.

*Shanahan had a goal and an assist. His goal was on the powerplay right down in front of me. A Shanny slapshot that was a BB right past Fleury up high. Had a nice litle chip pass from behind the net to Holik for the Devils first goal. He's certainly paying off for the little the Devils had to invest in him.

*Crosby complained long and loud when he was whistled for a rather obvious slash near the end of the second period. I mean long and loud. He did have a goal and an assist on the night. Boy have they become a one line team. It's almost like the rest of the Pens are playing not to lose until the Malkin-Crosby line heads out. Lots of icing calls against the other Penguin lines. Twice in OT Crosby tried to give it a go skating just off the bench but coasting back after just seconds. Not sure if it was his knee as he wasn't favoring it. Combined he may have been out for 15 seconds in OT.

*Malkin, oh boy, what a crybaby. Twice in the first period he stopped skating and following the play the other way to give officials the stink eye over perceived injustices against him. I mean the yplay went back up the ice but he coasted while jawing. Then, twice he went down like he'd been shot from the Book Depository, play finally stopped, he crawled back to the bench only to jump right back out for his next shift and once for a powerplay.

*Devils defenseman Johnny Odouya is turing into a pretty solid defenseman. One of those invaluable guys who just goes out and does his job each shift without being spectacular.

*The ice was god-awful last night, lots of players losing edges, falling down for no reason and the puck was bouncing like a superball. The price you pay for a multi-purpose building. Seton Hall had played a game there the night before. Metallica is there tonight and tomorrow.

*The Prudential Center/Devils have this really awful Mo Cheese imitation called "Cameron" who runs all over, doing dances and giving away sweaty t-shirts he peels off one after the other after the other. Personally I wouldn't want one after he'd been dancing and sweating in it The camera on commerical breaks seems like it's always on him doing Mo Cheese type dances. Ick, no.

That's all for now. Again, I watch Eastern Conference hockey so you don't have to.

[Statts 4]

watched this game as well

I believe Malkin also scored his 100th career goal, congrads to him for that, also made a nice play and pass to Crosby for his goal.

Glad to see Shanny got the goal and assist. He is fitting in nicely.