EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J.--The New Jersey Devils' 6-1 win over the New York
Rangers in Game One of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Saturday
afternoon was an oddity for a number of reasons.
In the eight regular-season games, the Devils and the Rangers each
registered six power-play goals. In Game One, the Devils tallied five power
play goals, including three in the pivotal third period.
Looking to showcase his kinder, more gentile new NHL to American fans that
perceive hockey as sport played by thugs on skates, NHL commissioner Gary
Bettman must have been pleased at the view from his perch at the Continental
Airlines Arena.
Except for a skirmish late in the third period between New York's Ryan
Hollweg and New Jersey's Cam Janssen, the game was filled with a cacophony
of whistles at the slightest hint of contact.
The Rangers had six power-play opportunities against the NHL's
least-penalized team during the regular season, but it was New Jersey that
took full-advantage of the incessant stoppages in play.
Patrik Elias netted five of his six points on the powerplay with a pair of
goals and four assists and Scott Gomez added a goal and three assists. All
three of Brian Gionta's assists came with New Jersey playing with the extra
skater.
The Devils missed a sixth power-play goal when defenceman Ken Klee scored
one second after a high-sticking penalty to the Rangers' Tom Poti had
expired.
Things were so bad for the Rangers that they had uber-forward Jaromir Jagr
logging ice time on the penalty kill in the third period.
"Obviously, the penalty parade would suggest that I'm not completely
positive about it at all nor should they be," said Rangers head coach Tom
Renney, when asked about his team's performance.
"There's no benefit-of-the-doubt stuff in the playoffs. You're in the big
parade now and you have to participate. This is something that's been in our
game early in the season, late in the season, and it's obvious that we are
incapable of dealing with these types of situations."
"We have to stay out of the penalty box to give ourselves a chance," added
Renney. "The one thing I know for sure is that we are not going to beat the
New Jersey Devils from the penalty box."
Less angst existed within New Jersey's dressing room. Nonetheless, after
closing out the regular season with a NHL-record 11-game winning streak,
Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner was quick to point out that the win
"gives us a 1-0 lead in the series and that's about it."
As for the penalties on both sides of the ice, Langenbrunner said that the
team watched the two Western Conference games last night in an attempt to
see how the officials were calling the games.
"It was a little tighter than I thought it would and what you're used to,
but I think we adapted pretty well and played with some discipline," said
Langenbrunner.
"We know that Game Two is going to start at 0-0, and we know it's going to
be an even harder game, said Langenbrunner. "We know they're going to come
out ready to play and that each game is a new start."
"We don't get to take our lead with us."
