Game 4: New Jersey 7 @ Chicago 0
New Jersey Forces Decisive Game 5
The New Jersey Devils found the courage with their backs against the wall to force a decisive Game 5 with a convincing road victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. From the drop of the first puck, fans could see this was the Devils of old, controlling every facet of the game at both ends of the ice. Defensively, the Blackhawks top guns were shut down with bone crushing checks and numerous blocked shots. The 8 shots that got through were handled by All Star netminder Martin Brodeur. The Devils centermen gave New Jersey a huge advantage by controlling the faceoffs by a margin of 21 to 1.
In the first period, the New Jersey Devils expected to have to weather the storm of the first 10 minutes of a road playoff game from a home team smelling blood and the second round of the playoffs. However, it was the Devils who took the play to Chicago, which would have been in a huge hole early if it were not for some fantastic saves by Nikolai Khabibulin. Eventually Jay Pandolfo was able to find a chink in the armor when he was all alone and pounced on a rebound at 7:33.
In the second period, it was more of the same with New Jersey controlling the game, but still nursing a 1-0 lead until Scott Gomez found the top corner with a wristshot from the low faceoff circle at 14:21. At 18:30, Khabibulin went to the Brodeur school of giveaways when his outlet pass was stolen by Patrik Elias who buried it into the empty net.
Not content with a three goal lead, the road team went back to work to grind out a couple more goals, one of which was put in by a defensemen who must have thought if we can't get any shots on the Devils goal, maybe I can get one on ours. Scott Gomez and Jay Pandolfo netted their second of the game, while Brian Gionta got credit for the own goal and Sergei Brylin notched the final tally. A frustrated eeedowls proclaimed "I think you have enough now" as the Devils skated out the clock. Coach OldTimeHockey reiterated his statement from the Game 1 blowout that he hopes all of the goals were not wasted in this game as the all important Game 5 was still to come.
Both teams will immediately travel back to NJ for the decisive fifth game. Every team goes through the regular season trying to secure home ice advantage for a situation like this, however it has been the road team who has won each game of this series. Check back to see if the Devils can finally protect home ice, or will the Blackhawks pull off a collosal First Round upset. All eyes will be glued to the television for this one.
1 2 3 Total
Devils 1 2 4 7
Blackhawks 0 0 0 0
Shots On Goal:
CHI:8, NJ:39
Scoring
1st Period
NJ, Jay Pandolfo (Zajac, Madden) 7:33
2nd Period
NJ, Scott Gomez, 14:21
NJ, Patrik Elias, 18:30
3rd Period
NJ, Scott Gomez (Gionta), 10:02
NJ, Jay Pandolfo (Zajac, Madden), 13:58
NJ, Brian Gionta, 16:07
NJ, Sergei Brylin (Langenbrunner, Lukowich), 17:28
3 Stars
1. NJ, Jay Pandolfo, 2 G, 0 A
2. NJ, Scott Gomez, 2 G, 0 A
3. NJ, Brian Gionta, 1 G, 1 A
The New Jersey Devils found the courage with their backs against the wall to force a decisive Game 5 with a convincing road victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. From the drop of the first puck, fans could see this was the Devils of old, controlling every facet of the game at both ends of the ice. Defensively, the Blackhawks top guns were shut down with bone crushing checks and numerous blocked shots. The 8 shots that got through were handled by All Star netminder Martin Brodeur. The Devils centermen gave New Jersey a huge advantage by controlling the faceoffs by a margin of 21 to 1.
In the first period, the New Jersey Devils expected to have to weather the storm of the first 10 minutes of a road playoff game from a home team smelling blood and the second round of the playoffs. However, it was the Devils who took the play to Chicago, which would have been in a huge hole early if it were not for some fantastic saves by Nikolai Khabibulin. Eventually Jay Pandolfo was able to find a chink in the armor when he was all alone and pounced on a rebound at 7:33.
In the second period, it was more of the same with New Jersey controlling the game, but still nursing a 1-0 lead until Scott Gomez found the top corner with a wristshot from the low faceoff circle at 14:21. At 18:30, Khabibulin went to the Brodeur school of giveaways when his outlet pass was stolen by Patrik Elias who buried it into the empty net.
Not content with a three goal lead, the road team went back to work to grind out a couple more goals, one of which was put in by a defensemen who must have thought if we can't get any shots on the Devils goal, maybe I can get one on ours. Scott Gomez and Jay Pandolfo netted their second of the game, while Brian Gionta got credit for the own goal and Sergei Brylin notched the final tally. A frustrated eeedowls proclaimed "I think you have enough now" as the Devils skated out the clock. Coach OldTimeHockey reiterated his statement from the Game 1 blowout that he hopes all of the goals were not wasted in this game as the all important Game 5 was still to come.
Both teams will immediately travel back to NJ for the decisive fifth game. Every team goes through the regular season trying to secure home ice advantage for a situation like this, however it has been the road team who has won each game of this series. Check back to see if the Devils can finally protect home ice, or will the Blackhawks pull off a collosal First Round upset. All eyes will be glued to the television for this one.
1 2 3 Total
Devils 1 2 4 7
Blackhawks 0 0 0 0
Shots On Goal:
CHI:8, NJ:39
Scoring
1st Period
NJ, Jay Pandolfo (Zajac, Madden) 7:33
2nd Period
NJ, Scott Gomez, 14:21
NJ, Patrik Elias, 18:30
3rd Period
NJ, Scott Gomez (Gionta), 10:02
NJ, Jay Pandolfo (Zajac, Madden), 13:58
NJ, Brian Gionta, 16:07
NJ, Sergei Brylin (Langenbrunner, Lukowich), 17:28
3 Stars
1. NJ, Jay Pandolfo, 2 G, 0 A
2. NJ, Scott Gomez, 2 G, 0 A
3. NJ, Brian Gionta, 1 G, 1 A
posted by OldTimeHockey at 9:24 PM
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